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  • Protein supplements are among the most popular, available and steadily increasing supplement products, with projections of a world-wide market value of $US21.5 billion by 2025. Sports nutrition is the major application for protein supplements and the fastest growing sector is plant protein supplements.
  • Protein supplements are available as stand-alone products in the form of powders, bars and ready to drink shakes. More recently, there has been a trend for the fortification of commercial foods with protein isolates (e.g. breakfast cereals, food bars). A range of different forms and sources of protein supplements is found (see Table on next page).

Type of protein

Comment

Whey (Dairy)

  • High biological value protein that makes up 20% of the content of dairy protein
  • High in branched chain amino acids, including leucine.
  • The practical significance between different forms of whey protein is minimal, with a 30 g serve of any form providing ~21-27 g of protein and total energy content from ~450–580 kJ.
  • The small amount of lactose in WPC may be a consideration for athletes who are particularly intolerant to lactose.

Concentrate (WPC)

  • The cheapest form of whey, containing 70-80% protein by weight along with small amounts of carbohydrate and fat.

Isolate (WPI)

  • Higher cost due to further filtration to increase the protein content (typically 90% of product weight). Contains minimal amounts of carbohydrate and fat.

Hydrolysate (WPH)

  • The most expensive form. Further processing is undertaken to break down the intact proteins found in WPC or WPI into short chain peptides (often described as ‘pre-digested’) with claims of faster uptake

Casein (Dairy)

  • High biological value protein that makes up 80% of the content of dairy protein.
  • May be purchased as casein, calcium caseinate or casein hydrolysates (see whey).
  • Clots in the acidic environment of the stomach, slowing the digestion and delivery of amino acids to the body. Often recommended as a night-time feed for sustained release but research confirming specific value of casein over other protein sources at supper is lacking

Egg Albumin (Egg white)

  • High biological value protein with absence of fat and carbohydrate.
  • Used to be the most popular protein supplement until replaced by the cheaper dairy proteins.
  • Often readily available as an egg white product from supermarkets for addition into prepped foods it provides a readily accessible high biological value protein source that does not require third party batch testing.

Soy

  • High biological value protein that is rapidly digested.
  • Cheaper than whey and is often added to protein bars.
  • Available as soy concentrate or soy isolate (see whey).
  • Lower in leucine than whey, but this can be resolved by fortification with leucine.

Other plant proteins (examples) Hemp, Pea, Chickpea, Rice

  • Lower biological value proteins: may be purchased as single source or blended proteins.
  • Biological value can be increased by mixing sources, fortifying with leucine and other amino acids or increasing the serve size.

Protein supplements can be broadly classified according to their nutrient profile as either providing protein only (as a single protein source or a protein blend) or with the targeted addition of other ingredients.

  • Carbohydrate: found in multi-purpose mixed-macronutrient or recovery products targeting refuelling as well as protein support.
  • Fat: added to ‘weight gain’ or ‘bulking’ formulas in order to provide a high kilojoule supplement for those with increase energy needs. -
    • Note that products with such profiles have a diluted protein content in comparison to protein supplements, as well as a reduced micronutrient content compared to food.
    • See fact sheet on mixed macronutrient supplements.
  • Individual amino acids including branched chain amino acids, leucine, glutamine etc. May be valuable in fortifying the lower leucine content of plant protein supplements but unnecessary in animal protein sources or as an isolated supplement themselves.
  • Evidence based performance ingredients (creatine, caffeine, beta alanine etc). Although these ingredients may have proven value in sports nutrition, benefits are specific to the scenarios and protocols of use. The doses provided in protein powders may not be optimal or able to be used correctly. It is preferable for such ingredients to be sourced as individual products so that the athlete retains control over when and how they are used.
  • Other ingredients. Some protein powders contain ingredients with minimal evidence of benefits, including some that are likely to be harmful or banned in sport. In general, multi-ingredient products of this nature should be avoided since they are unnecessarily expensive and increase the potential for inadvertent doping/contamination.

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