Battle of the protein supplements: Whey vs. Soy
Posted December 8th, 2006 at 8:00 PM by Christopher Jack
Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Race Prep & Recov, Supplements, Vegetarianism
For even the most health conscious, balancing a days worth of meals can be a daunting task. Finding the time, or even the motivation, to maintain a healthy diet may seem near impossible. Enter protein. Adding protein supplements to your diet can seriously improve your health, athletic performance and appearance. However, with so many powerful proteins on the market, the question then becomes - which one’s for me?
Long considered the “gold standard” of protein supplements, whey is one the of two proteins found in milk. Why is also considered a “complete protein”. That is, it contains the perfect combination of amino acids essential for muscle growth, making it the protein of choice for bodybuilders and athletes alike.
Runners can take added comfort in knowing that whey contains the largest concentration Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) of any natural source. These BCAA’s help delay fatigue and aid in the post-workout recovery process.
Some of the more popular brands of whey include GNC Pro Performance and Designer Whey. These popular brands provide low fat, high protein supplements that often taste good and are easy to mix As a rule, shoot for around 30g of whey protein per serving.
Derived from soybeans, soy protein is essential for both vegetarians, as it provides a terrific substitute for animal proteins, and the lactose intolerant. Though comparable to whey on many levels, men have traditionally tended to avoid soy supplements (Somewhat the result of marketing strategies). Not as popular for muscle growth, soy is often used to improve the nutritional value of other foods.
According to studies, soy also has many medical benefits. The FDA claims that consuming 25 grams of soy daily reduces your risks of heart disease. Research has also shown that the bioactive compounds, like isoflavones, in soy help reduce the risk of colon, breast and prostate cancer.
As a bonus for women, soy has been linked in some research in helping to reduce the symptoms of menopause and PMS when combined with a healthy lifestyle.
Soy protein supplements, which tend to be cheaper than whey products, include Genisoy’s Soy Protein and Nature’s Plus Spiru-Tein.
For those of you who require numbers, three standard protein measurements show whey and soy proteins as top supplements. The PDCAAS, which measures the quality of the amino acids present, has both whey and soy at a perfect 1/1 rating, though whey is actually a 1.14/1.
The Biological Value of a protein, which measures how well the body and break down and utilize the protein (higher numbers are better), shows whey at a BV of 104 while soy falls a little short with a BV of 74. The Protein Efficiency Ratio, which measures protein quality places whey at a PER 3.4, with soy again a bit lower with a PER of 2.0.
The recommended daily protein intake varies with each person. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recognizes daily protein requirements of .4g per pound of body weight for the average Joe, around .6g per pound of body weight for endurance athletes and about .8g per pound of body weight for strength-training athletes. These figures can jump up to as much as 1.5g per pound of body weight for athletes during extensive training.
A more general guideline places the protein requirements at about 60g per day, via normal food and supplements, for the average Joe (or Jane).
The time of day you choose to consume protein supplements can also have any effect on your results. A shake in the morning can boost metabolism and energy, stabilizing blood sugar levels. For athletes and strength trainers, a shake just before or after a workout is essential in preventing muscle fatigue and promoting growth. A shake just prior to bed can help in the process of muscle recovery (although you should be warned that it can lead to some pretty crazy dreams . . no - I’m not kidding!).
For endurance athletes, it has been suggested that a soy protein supplement prior to and even during workouts can be helpful because it supplies necessary amino acids without the risk of ammonia production. However, these shakes can also lead to gastroenterological problems if taken just before or during races and/or training runs. Therefore, stick to having your shakes after your workout (in addition to a helping of carbohydrates) and use something like Amino Vital Fast Charge during your runs for amino acid replenishment.
Whether you decide to take soy or whey depends more on your health goals and personal preference. While soy enhances recovery and growth, whey has proven to be the more powerful supplement and has traditionally been the popular choice. For dieting, both soy and whey supplements provide low carbohydrate, low fat alternatives that aid in weight loss.
Though it has been thought that soy is a feminizing protein and more effective in women, both men and women benefit from the medical advantages that soy offers.
Athletes taking both may benefit from the different rates of absorption, as whey breaks down more quickly, soy more gradually, delaying the release of the amino acids and increasing muscle performance. Ideally, a combination of whey and soy proteins would be best; providing the benefits specific to both.
Other protein supplements derive their protein from many different sources, including egg, hemp, and flax seed. This article intended to only address the two most mainstream protein supplements (whey and soy). However, subsequent articles will take a look at the benefits of those alternative protein sources.
Sources: [Bodybuilding.com], [BadWater], [BodyBuildingForYou - Soy], [BodyBuildingForYou - Whey], [Healh Recipes], [FAQ’s], [GNC Proper Performance], [Sports Whey], [Gym Jones]
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
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Tags: American Dietetic Association, amino acids, BCCA, bioactive compounds, Biological Value, branched chain amino acids, BV, designer whey, Genisoy, GNC, GNC Pro Performance, isoflavones, PDCAAS, PER, protein, protein bar, Protein Efficiency Ration, protein shake, recommended daily, soy protein, supplements, whey protein
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The Final Sprint
Soy and whey equally good for muscles
EVANSVILLE, Ind., Feb. 8 (UPI) — A U.S. study finds that soy protein and whey protein are equally beneficial in promoting muscle protein synthesis, dispelling a weight-room myth.
Many believe that athletes should avoid soy in promoting muscle weight gain and muscle recovery.
Researchers at Indiana University’s School of Medicine in Evansville compared the early response of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and translation initiation following the ingestion of different protein sources after endurance exercise in rats.
The animals were subjected to 120 minutes of treadmill exercise and then fed a carbohydrate-only, carbohydrate and whey protein, or carbohydrate and soy protein meal. One hour later, researchers measured the degree of muscle protein synthesis in each rat and compared their findings to a control group.
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found soy and whey proteins were equally effective at promoting general protein synthesis in the rats’ skeletal muscle, and markedly inferior synthesis was associated with the carbohydrate-only meal.
February 9th, 2007 at 5:28 pmHi Joseph,
This is a great article - thanks for passing it along. What publication is it from?
Thanks,
Adam
–
February 9th, 2007 at 5:55 pmAdam Jacobs
Editor-in-Chief
TheFinalSprint.com
my opinion
whey protein most digestable than soy protein. soy protein use like milk.
March 7th, 2007 at 6:13 amthanks
I use both at the same time. I mix 4 scoops of GNC 100% Whey Protien with 16 oz of soy milk. Not only is the taste and texture far superior to mixing whey with H20, you get extra protien and nutritional benefits from soy milk. I also use soy milk on cereal; it has a slightly sweet taste naturally, and is lactose free and (usually) organic. What’s not to love? Pump on…
March 29th, 2007 at 12:43 pmI think whey protein has its own benefits and soy protein it’s own.
November 17th, 2007 at 2:49 ami have a question … how do i take this product before or after doin exercises ‘???
January 14th, 2008 at 10:30 pmI have taken alot of protien poders and non of them work
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