Which protein shake is best for older men's muscles after eating?
Whey protein stimulates postprandial muscle protein accretion more effectively than do casein and casein hydrolysate in older men.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Casein hydrolysate did not outperform intact casein despite being pre-digested
Pre-digested proteins are often assumed to be superior due to faster absorption, but here it only showed intermediate effects and did not match whey’s impact on muscle synthesis.
Practical Takeaways
Choose whey protein over casein after meals or workouts to maximize muscle building in older age.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Casein hydrolysate did not outperform intact casein despite being pre-digested
Pre-digested proteins are often assumed to be superior due to faster absorption, but here it only showed intermediate effects and did not match whey’s impact on muscle synthesis.
Practical Takeaways
Choose whey protein over casein after meals or workouts to maximize muscle building in older age.
Publication
Journal
The American journal of clinical nutrition
Year
2011
Authors
B. Pennings, Y. Boirie, J. Senden, A. Gijsen, H. Kuipers, L. V. van Loon
Related Content
Claims (4)
Whey protein gives you a quick spike in amino acids in your blood, while casein keeps levels up longer — but overall, they give your body about the same amount of fuel, and neither one boosts muscle or energy-cell growth more during sleep.
For older guys around 74, drinking a shake with 20 grams of whey protein helps their muscles build new protein better after a meal than the same amount of casein or broken-down casein.
When older guys drink a whey or pre-digested casein protein shake, the protein shows up in their blood faster than when they drink regular casein — meaning it gets absorbed more quickly.
In older men, how much leucine shows up in the blood after eating protein seems to be closely linked to how much muscle their body makes afterward — the more leucine, the more muscle building.