Whether you want to gain muscle or lose weight, consuming protein is a great way to achieve either of these goals.
You can get protein from foods, including meat and vegetables. It’s also possible to meet your requirements for this muscle-building nutrient with protein supplements.
As you probably know, there are many different kinds of protein supplements available in stores and online.
In this article, you’re going to learn about one of the most popular types of protein: whey protein isolate. You’ll also learn about whey protein isolate benefits.
What is whey isolate protein?
As you look at the ingredient labels of whey protein supplements, you’ll often see different kinds of protein. For instance, there are even different kinds of whey protein powder.
Whey protein isolate is a type of protein powder known for its high protein content. A helpful way to remember protein isolate is that it’s isolated protein.
This type of protein doesn’t have the added fat content of other types of protein powder, such as whey protein concentrate. Whey isolate also contains fewer carbs, cholesterol, and added sugars than some protein powders contain.
7 incredible whey protein isolate benefits
Now that you know the basics of whey protein isolate, let’s now look at why this type of protein is so beneficial. Here’s a closer look at whey protein isolate benefits.
1. Easier to build muscle
Whey protein isolate is full of essential amino acids. If you flip open a science textbook, you’ll learn that these amino acids are the building blocks of muscle.
There are many scientific studies proving the effectiveness of whey protein and increased muscle mass. When you take part in a weightlifting program and build muscle mass, consuming protein helps you get the most gains out of every workout.
That’s why so many people enjoy the many whey protein isolate benefits after working out. Consuming a protein shake or similar beverage after exercising instantly fuels your muscles.
2. It can help with weight loss.
Not everybody using whey protein powder cares about increased muscle growth. One of the most important whey protein isolate benefits is that it helps you lose excess body fat.
Whether you’ve consumed whey protein concentrate or isolate, you’ll quickly learn that this ingredient is beneficial for preventing hunger. This feeling is otherwise called satiety.
Compare the full feeling after consuming a whey protein supplement compared to a candy bar or another type of junk food. Food that contains a lot of refined sugars or carbohydrates causes your body’s blood sugar to react and increase. This increase leads to a continued feeling of being hungry.
3. Increasing muscle protein synthesis
Muscle protein synthesis is an incredibly important process, especially if you want to build lean muscle mass. When you consume whey protein, it increases the amount of leucine in your body.
Leucine’s main responsibility is to boost muscle protein synthesis. This process helps more of the protein you consume (whether it be through food or supplementation) go directly to your muscles instead of passing through your digestive tract.
Essentially, consuming whey protein isolate and amino acids helps your muscles get the most protein possible.
4. Lowering your blood pressure
Your blood pressure affects many important processes in the body. Fortunately, research shows that whey protein appears to help lower blood pressure levels.
The process behind this benefit is quite complicated. So, I’ll do my best to break it down. Most forms of whey protein come from cheese production. This process that whey protein isolate undergoes gives it dairy peptides, including something called ACE inhibitors.
It’s the ACE inhibitors in whey isolate that help lower blood pressure.
5. Avoiding muscle wasting
Another one of the top whey isolate benefits helps you maintain the muscle you build. Life would be easy if building lean muscle mass only involved lifting weights. Unfortunately, it’s not quite that easy. Sure, you can build muscle by lifting weights and eating whatever.
However, you can achieve more muscle growth quickly by upping your daily protein intake. That’s because your muscles require you to consume protein regularly to stick around. That’s why people who stop working out lose their big muscles.
Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about muscle wasting if you fuel your muscle tissue by regularly consuming protein.
6. Helpful in reducing post-workout soreness
It only takes one workout for someone to feel what’s known as post-workout muscle soreness. Typically, you’ll experience this sore and achy feeling more when you begin a workout program.
Studies show that protein and glutamine supplementation is beneficial in reducing inflammation felt after resistance exercise. With your protein intake in check, you won’t have to delay your next workout because you’re too sore to hit the gym.
7. Extremely convenient
Another benefit of whey protein isolate benefits (or any whey protein) is convenience. Whether you choose whey protein concentrate or isolate, these supplements are convenient ways to get the protein your muscles need.
Yes, it’s totally possible to build muscle strength and size by not consuming protein from supplements. However, you’ll likely need to do a lot of meal prep or cooking to meet your daily protein requirements.
How to know if you’ll benefit from whey protein isolate
You learn about the benefits of whey protein supplementation. But how do you know if you’d benefit from whey protein supplements? Here are a few signs to help you determine whether or not whey proteins are right for you.
You’re trying to gain muscle.
Protein is incredibly beneficial to help improve your body composition, especially if you want to gain muscle. Combining protein concentrate combined with resistance training can help you build lean muscle mass faster than normal.
Of course, you’re not going to drink a protein supplement and wake up looking like Thor. However, continual resistance training combined whey protein will deliver good results.
You want to lose weight.
The various types of whey protein are also helpful if you’re trying to lower your body weight. High-quality protein sources help curb cravings for snacks full of refined sugars.
As someone who’s a fairly large guy, one protein shake can keep me full for at least a few hours.
Combining the health benefits of protein with cardiovascular exercise is great for helping you achieve your weight loss goals.
You need to eat cleaner.
Some people also enjoy protein without a major fitness goal in mind – they just want to eat cleaner. Protein supplements are full of essential amino acids that help fuel your body and mind.
Amino acid supplementation can also help improve your energy levels. Having more energy is also great for those workdays or when you’re not in the gym building muscle tissue.
Protein powders make it easier than normal to eat clean and continue living healthily.
Top-rated whey protein isolate supplements
If you want to enjoy the many whey protein isolate benefits, check out the following supplements.
MyProtein Impact Whey Isolate
I’ve been a huge fan of the whey concentrate supplements available at MyProtein. This company specializes in selling many kinds of high-quality and low-cost supplements.
If you need to boost your protein and amino acid profile, check out MyProtein’s Impact Whey Isolate. This supplement has a 90% protein content and 22 grams of protein per serving. It also only contains one carbohydrate per serving.
MyProtein’s Isolate Whey Protein is available in several flavors, including:
- Chocolate Mint
- Chocolate Smooth
- Cookies and Cream
- Mocha
- Salted Caramel
- Strawberry Cream
- Chocolate Brownie
- Vanilla
- and unflavored
If whey isolate isn’t right for you, you’ll also find tons of other forms of protein available from MyProtein.
Isopure Whey Protein Isolate
Whether you need whey protein concentrate or isolate, Isopure is a company offering many high-quality products.
This whey protein supplement offers 26 grams of protein per serving. Plus, this supplement is free from fats, carbs, sugars, and lactose. So, you get pure protein concentration. This supplement is also great for people who are lactose intolerant.
Isopure’s whey isolate protein is available in either a low-carb or zero-carb option.
The one drawback of this supplement for me is that it’s only available in an unflavored option. This protein powder is hard to taste, which is a plus. However, I’m someone who enjoys protein powder flavors.
Plus, Isopure has been a popular sports nutrition company for many years. If you need help with muscle recovery or just want to improve your diet, consider checking out Isopure’s line of complete proteins.
Dymatize Iso100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder
The last option is from Dymatize. This company also offers a whey isolate protein supplement that contains 25 grams of protein per serving.
You’ll also find 5.5 grams of branched-chain amino acids in this supplement. Plus, this form of whey protein is easy to digest and absorbs quickly into the muscles. That’s due to the 2.5 grams of leucine in each serving of this supplement.
I have to give credit to Dymatize for coming up with some of the most delicious protein flavors on the market.
You can find Dymatize Iso100 protein powder available in the following flavors:
- Chocolate
- Cocoa pebbles
- Dunkin’ cappuccino
- Dunkin’ mocha latte
- Fruity Pebbles
- Vanilla
This protein powder contains less than one gram of sugar per serving. It’s also fat-free and gluten-free.
Whether you need more essential amino acids, protein, or both, whey isolate products can help you meet your nutritional goals. Paired with a good diet and an exercise program, you can enjoy all the whey protein isolate benefits.