Milk (casein) Protein

Casein is the predominant protein in milk. For example protein in cheese and cottage cheese is casein. Casein is the slow digestive protein in the family of proteins that keeps you full longer. Casein also has a naturally protein high glutamine content, higher than whey, egg or soy. It is one of the best protein in building muscles. Casein is also very low in lactose.
While whey protein may increase protein synthesis to a very high degree, higher than casein, scientists are now recognizing that micellar casein is much more important in preventing muscle breakdown. In fact, additional research is demonstrating that the slow and sustained release of amino acids from micellar casein can cause a 'timed release' trickle of amino acids into the bloodstream which can last for as many as 7 full hours after ingestion.
Micellar casein is the natural, undenatured form of casein found in milk. It is separated from milk by means of ultrafiltration, without the use of chemicals, which increases the amount of bioactive milk peptides that support immune function as well as enhance muscle growth. A property of micellar casein is that it may have the ability to form a "gel" in the gut. This provides a steady release of amino acids into the blood stream, which makes it an excellent choice for a long lasting anti-catabolic protein.

Benefits of Casein Protein:
* Casein is digested very slowly thus helping to regulate (slow down) transit time of other proteins through the intestinal tract. This slowing of transit time helps increase the absorption of amino acids, peptides, and whole proteins. This helps to prevent lean tissue breakdown during sleep or between meals.

* Casein is very high in the peptide form of the amino acid glutamine (20.5%) – higher than whey, soy, and eggs. High concentrations of this amino acid can help spare lean muscle tissue, something extremely important to us boomers.

* Casein contains high amounts of glucogenic aminos (threonine, glutamine, arginine). These aminos assist in glucose production for energy during exercise and other physical activities. Similar to glutamine, they also have been shown to slow down muscle breakdown.