Isolated soy protein, whey and casein are three proteins widely used in sports nutrition. Their differing
digestion rates and
amino acid ratios give them unique functionality for inclusion in sports nutrition products.
Any combination of isolated soy protein, casein and whey protein will be a nutritionally "
complete protein," because each has a PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score) of 1.00. PDCAAS is the preferred measure of protein quality by the World Health Organization and the US Food & Drug Administration. The optimal formulation for a blend of isolated soy protein, casein and whey protein should provide enough whey protein to jump-start muscle development and enough soy and casein to maintain nutrient delivery to muscles.
Athletes should read packages and labels carefully to determine which type(s) of protein each sport nutrition product includes and strive for a combination of soy, whey and casein. If additional diet and nutrition supplement guidance is desired, consultation with a physician or registered dietitian is recommended.
Finally, it is important protein and calories from sports nutrition products are considered part of total dietary intake to maintain a healthy body weight. The most recent USDA dietary guidelines for Americans suggest that no more than 35 percent of daily calories come from protein. Each gram of protein has four calories, meaning that in a 2,000-calorie daily diet, up to 700 calories could come from protein, which equals 175 grams of protein.
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