Protein Powder, whey to develop muscle mass

Until the 2000s, protein rhymed with bodybuilder. For those who played high-level sport from the 80s, there were vitamin cocktails, then creatine in the 90s and it was already a real revolution then but very little protein except for bodybuilders (who didn't only take that at the time!). Generally speaking, opinions were almost unanimous, any supplementation before the 2000s was considered doping in athletes. This shortcut is explained by the fact that anti-doping policies were not clear, it must be remembered that the World Anti-Doping Agency was only founded at the end of 99 in Lausanne to promote and coordinate the fight against doping in sport on the internationally, and what about the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) in France created in 2006.

This lack of culture in sports nutrition has caused France to fall somewhat behind, particularly in the face of its European neighbors and in particular German, Italian and English who were particularly at the forefront in the search for solutions to improve sports performance. It's all the more a shame since French scientific research has always been at the cutting edge.

What is a protein? A protein is a complex molecule of amino acids, an essential constituent of organic matter and living beings. There are therefore multiple types of proteins, all you had to do was listen to the information between 2020 and 2022 to hear about the famous SPIKE protein from SARS Covid 19. Proteins in fact provide very diverse functions within our body: (1) a structural role (like actin or tubulin which participate in the architecture of the cell, keratin which constitutes the hair), an enzymatic role (like DNA polymerase which copies DNA), a role hormonal (like insulin which regulates blood sugar) or even a driving role (like myosin which transports molecules into the cell). Today we use certain reprogrammed proteins in immuno-oncology to help our cells fight cancer. There are therefore a multitude of proteins (almost infinite in fact).

In sport, we will mainly use dairy and vegetable proteins, which are the building materials of muscles, essential for muscle anabolism (the chemical process which is used to build muscle mass, and to store energy under form of glycogen or triglycerides). These protein powders will supplement protein intake from food, which is found in particular in white meats, red meats, eggs, fish and also in legumes (beans, peas, soybeans). and oilseeds (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.).

In addition to food providing a certain number of essential nutrients, food supplements such as protein powder are designed to optimize protein intake which is, for bodybuilding practitioners, necessary for mass gain, muscle building, but also to burn fat. We will find different types of proteins: (1) concentrated whey protein (WPC), a protein made from whey, or “whey”. It is a highly filtered milk protein fraction, containing almost no lactose or fat. It is assimilated quickly, and comes in the form of concentrate. It is very fluid and mixes very easily with water, without making lumps. It can be diluted in water, vegetable milk, or in a smoothie, but it is not recommended to mix it with cow's milk as this would slow down the assimilation of whey and increase the lactose content. milk sugar, which would lose many of the benefits of the product.

CWhey whey concentrate contains 80% protein, a very high concentration for a WPC, while whey isolate like Stimium IsoHwy is even more concentrated, 85 to 90%. The rule is simple, the more the protein is filtered, the more protein it is concentrated. It is nevertheless necessary to temper the differences, even the whey concentrate, which is the least filtered of the 3 versions, does not contain more than 2% lactose (sugar) and 3% lipids, which means that the difference between the different types of protein therefore depends on a few calories. However, if you are lactose intolerant, it will be preferable to opt for whey isolate, the same in case of dryness.

In addition to these dairy proteins, there are now many plant proteins. They very often have a slightly weaker amino acid profile than classic proteins but are nevertheless often even more concentrated. Thus Stimium Veg Pro , vegan soy vegetable protein is concentrated at 95%. Note that the digestion time for vegetable proteins can be a little longer, and vary from 3 to 5 hours, a bit like casein.

For muscle building, amino acid content, solubility (the absence of lumps in the shaker) and digestion time are among the most important parameters to consider. The body will need these amino acids to nourish the muscle, because when doing sport, the fibers will have been heavily stressed, loaded with toxins and without a balanced diet and protein intake, even a massage would not be enough to avoid contractures. muscles. THE

To gain mass, some people prefer to take Gainers. At Stimium, we decided not to offer them at first because these poorly used products, even with great effort, cause you to gain a lot of weight which can be difficult to lose later. The athletes we support prefer to opt for our classic proteins ( Stimium® [C] Whey , Probar , Stimium® Iso Hwy or Stimium® VegPro ) without added carbohydrates, by concocting their own mix with good sugars and good calories according to the training phases and the final objective. This is why whey and isolate are preferred because they are digestible, low in lactose, and can therefore be used several times during the day without overloading the digestive system. These are the same products that should be favored in the muscle recovery phase after exercise thanks to their content of essential amino acids which will inhibit catabolism and promote protein synthesis. A few minutes after a good intensity workout, in a shaker, during muscle stretching to avoid aches the next day, taking protein will be super effective.

For those who opt for casein, it is consumed as a snack between meals and in the evening at bedtime, particularly because it is thicker and digests more slowly than Whey or Isolate. Generally speaking, protein consumption will be more effective the longer your nights are, rest is essential, because it is during sleep that muscle construction is active. Another tip, hydration. As always, never wait until you are thirsty before drinking, drinking water regularly in small sips during sessions will allow the body to be well hydrated, and therefore achieve greater performance.

In Europe and France, food supplement brands are subject to very strict legislation requiring control of raw materials, clear labeling and product declaration, protecting consumers from poor quality products. In addition to registering our products with the competent authorities, Stimium, working with the largest French professional clubs, is subject to even stricter obligations, and ensures its products with respect to anti-doping standards. Our products are manufactured according to pharmaceutical standards, which are much higher than traditional food supplement standards. Each batch is controlled, analyzed with a COA (Certificate of Analysis), certified in compliance with regulations and rules of good manufacturing by our factory, then released by our Responsible Pharmacist if all of the specifications have been respected.