What Does Casein Protein Powder Do?

Casein is one of the most nutritious milk proteins and accounts for about 80% of the proteins in milk, cheese, and yogurt. Casein protein powder helps build muscle, boosts bone health, and aids in weight management and many other medical conditions.

Casein is one of the most nutritious milk proteins and accounts for about 80% of the proteins in milk, cheese, and yogurt. All mammals produce the casein component in their milk for their offspring. This type of protein can be found in protein powder, dietary supplements, and dairy-based baby formula. Whether it's for muscle recovery, muscle growth, weight management, or reaching your daily nutrient goals, protein powder is a useful supplement that can be added to your daily routine. Keep reading to learn more about the uses of casein protein powder, the potential side effects, and what to look for when purchasing a casein protein powder.

Protein in the form of a dietary supplement is often not as necessary as people might think, especially when it comes to reaching your daily nutrient intake. Protein deficiency in the United States is quite rare, and daily protein supplements should be taken at the recommendation of your physician or nutritionist. Casein protein powder can be used to achieve goals when it comes to:

Muscle building and recovery

Casein is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all of the nine essential amino acids needed for your body, specifically when it comes to building and repairing your protein tissue. This is a primary reason why casein protein powder is used by bodybuilders and anyone who has the goal of building, repairing, and maintaining muscle. This protein powder is best taken after a workout to encourage muscle growth and/or before bed to promote muscle recovery.

Bone health

Several factors play into overall bone health, including calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Since dairy foods that contain casein often also include high levels of calcium, people associate this protein with bone health. High protein intake in particular has been shown to positively affect bone mineral density or content, making casein protein powder an effective dietary supplement if you are trying to ensure improved bone health.

Weight management

Casein protein powder is digested slowly. This is important if your goal in taking casein protein powder is for weight management, as slow digestion leads to reduced appetite and long-lasting satiety. This aspect of casein protein powder makes it ideal for muscle recovery and growth, as the amino acids are given to the body over a longer period. This is an essential part of weight management, as building muscle helps improve your metabolic function over time. 

Medical conditions

Casein protein powder has been used in the treatment or management of certain medical conditions. However, there is insufficient evidence that shows how casein protein directly affects these conditions. Some of the medical conditions that have shown some evidence of being positively affected by casein protein include:

• Liver disease
• Cirrhosis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Diabetes
• Diarrhea
• Heartburn
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure

Before using casein protein powder to treat any of these medical conditions, it is important to consult your doctor.

Casein protein powder is considered to be a safe product. However, like all dietary supplements, it is not strictly regulated by the FDA. The best way to ensure your safety when choosing a casein protein powder is to check that it has been tested by a third party.

There are no known side effects from consuming casein protein powder aside from specific allergies to this specific protein or any additive in the purchased protein powder. Be sure to follow the recommended dosages, as increasing protein intake beyond what is necessary for your body has not been linked to promoting muscle growth.

Before determining dosages specific to you, ask a healthcare provider for an appropriate recommendation. Casein calls for an average dose of 1.5 grams per day of predigested casein protein per 2.2 pounds of body weight. However, dietary supplement dosages rely on information such as age and your current health.

There are several casein protein powders on the market for you to choose from. If you are having trouble deciding which one is best for you, consider your primary goals, as this will help you narrow down your choice to a protein powder that is aligned with what is important to you. Some of the factors you should consider include:

• Third-party testing: Choosing a casein protein powder that has undergone third-party testing is crucial if you want your protein powder to match what is printed on its label. 
• Protein intake: Protein powders often come with varying amounts of protein. Choose a casein protein powder that aligns with your daily protein goals.
• NSF Certified: Choosing a casein protein powder that is safe for sports is important if you are an athlete who needs a product to be free of banned substances in accordance with sporting organizations.
• Additives: If you want your protein to be free of additives, check the label for things like sugar, probiotics, artificial sweeteners, and other substances that are not typically found with naturally occurring casein protein.
• Calories: If weight management is a goal of yours, you may want to choose a casein protein powder that has a low calorie count. In contrast, if you are looking to gain weight or muscle mass, you may opt for a casein protein powder that has a larger calorie count.

Casein protein powder is a common protein that accounts for the majority of the protein found in milk and other dairy products. It can be found in the form of protein powder and used to achieve health goals, including muscle building and repair, weight management, and improvement of symptoms caused by medical conditions. 

Although there are no known negative side effects that come with ingesting casein protein powder, there are precautions that should be taken when choosing a casein protein powder that is right for you. Before adding casein protein powder to your daily regimen, speak with your doctor about if it is right for you and what dosage they recommend.