Over the past few years, protein powders have gained massive popularity among health and fitness enthusiasts, which is mostly due to the health benefits of taking these powders, especially if you’re a gym-goer.
However, the benefits of protein supplements exceed muscle growth to cover:
- Skin health
- The immune system
- Cognitive function
A common question people ask is the difference between whey protein and collagen, as well as the right choice for them.
In this article, we will briefly discuss some basic information about whey protein and collagen to explain the difference between these two products.
What Is Whey Protein?
Whey protein is extracted from milk during the cheesemaking process. It is extremely rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which carry a variety of anabolic effects.
Leucine is a BCAA that has been intensively studied by scientists. This amino acid is crucial for post-exertional muscle growth and recovery.
In a 2009 study, scientists compared the effects of whey, soy, and casein protein to see which one is more effective at inducing muscle growth.
Surprisingly, whey protein resulted in 31% more muscle growth than soy and casein protein!
In fact, there is no shortage of studies that prefer whey protein over other powders; however, and since whey protein is extracted from milk, it might cause adverse effects in patients with lactose intolerance.
Note that this effect is negligible if the form is isolated, which is a process that involves the filtration of the powder from any carbohydrates or fats.
What Is Collagen?
As thoroughly covered in our previous articles, collagen is an important protein that comprises the building block for most of your body’s structures, including skin, bones, cartilage, blood vessels, and muscles.
This compound is crucial for the body, as it possesses potent regenerative properties that accelerate the healing process after external injuries.
In addition, scientists found that taking collagen protien supplements offers various health benefits, including accelerated metabolism, cognitive function optimisation, and improved skin health.
Our bodies naturally produce collagen; however, as we get older, our collagen production declines. This is why as we get older we often experience less joint mobility, have brittle bones and wrinkling skin, as well as weaker hair and nails. If our bodies are less efficient at producing collagen, then we need to consume it through our diet. That’s why it is essential to get collagen peptides protein in your diet to help you look and feel your best as you get older!
What’s The Difference Between Whey Protein And Collagen?
The major difference between whey protein and collagen is the biochemical compositions of both compounds.
Most experts do not consider collagen to be a complete protein because it contains 8 out of 9 essential amino acids.
Moreover, the ratio of collagen composition is skewed towards glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline relative to the other amino acids.
Whey protein, on the other hand, contains all essential amino acids, making it a valuable supplement for individuals who want to gain lean muscle mass.
With that being said, collagen offers numerous benefits that involve different organ systems and even some high-order functioning.
In summary, whey protein and collagen share several biochemical similarities and health benefits; however, each of these two supplements should be taken based on individual requirements that cover the person’s needs, goals, and physical characteristics.
When To Take Collagen Protein Vs. Whey Protein?
Rite-Flex collagen peptides can be taken any time of the day. They can be added to coffee, tea or smoothies, but since collagen is a stable protein, it can be cooked up to high temperatures without destroying the nutrients. This makes our collagen peptides an easy and super versatile protein boost to add to any recipe without changing the taste, flavour or consistency.
If you’re looking to enhance your exercise performance, put on more lean body mass as well as recover from your workouts faster, then taking both a whey protein supplement along with collagen peptides is a must! This will provide you with both the BCAAs your body needs to help with muscle synthesis as well as provide your body with collagen to improve your hair, skin, and nail health.
Hopefully, this article helped clear out some of the confusion that surrounds this topic, but if you still have any questions, feel free to ask in the comment section below or contact us via our online enquiry form page for more information.
