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Whey vs. Casein Protein Powder: Which

Should You Use?

Find out the differences between whey and casein protein

powder, and how they both can benefit athletic performance,
muscle building and the fat loss process.

The two most popular supplemental powder forms of protein, whey and casein, are both
milk proteins, but is one better or worse than the other? Well, frankly, they both have
some merit and application in many instances, especially when we are concerned about
performance and physique enhancement.

Given this, we will take a look at what the pros and cons are to both whey and casein
protein powders, what the research shows about each, which instances are best suited
to each, and who should consider using them.

Whey and casein: Difference in digestive rates

Most people generally refer to whey and casein proteins as the “fast” and “slow”
digesting proteins, respectively.

When we talk about the slow digestion rate of casein, we are essentially saying that it will
raise blood amino acid levels slowly and for an extended period of time versus whey
protein, which does the inverse. Therefore, many people find that ingesting a whey
protein promptly after exercise is best since it provides an acute, intense elevation of
blood amino acids and thus muscle protein synthesis.
Casein, on the other hand, is generally reserved for periods of time when people know
they won’t be able to eat for a lengthy period of time and need a protein that is slowly
releasing amino acids into the blood stream.

That being said, studies seem to suggest that mixing protein sources may provide
advantage over relying on one, single source repeatedly. The delayed gastric emptying
rate of casein and high leucine content of whey can provide a sustained elevation of
protein synthesis for several hours after ingestion, an effect not observed with solely
whey protein ingestion since it is digested rather rapidly. [2] This is why dairy milk is a
popular beverage of choice for many individuals who are looking for whey and casein
proteins.

While the digestion rates do differ between whey and casein, there are several other
factors to consider when it comes to these proteins.

Whey and casein: Assessing the amino acid content

One such factor to take into consideration is the amino acid profile of whey and casein
proteins. While both of these proteins are considered “complete”, whey protein does
contain a larger proportion of leucine, which appears to be a key regulator of muscle
protein synthesis. [1]

This isn’t to say that casein lacks a nominal amount of leucine (or other essential amino
acids) for muscle protein synthesis, but just that you will need a larger amount of casein
on a per gram basis to ingest the same leucine content as a pure whey protein.
This chart below shows both the biological value (BV) and the protein digestibility
corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of various protein sources. The former refers to a
measurement that assesses the degree to which an animal is able to utilize that protein
while the latter is a number between 0 and 1 that evaluates protein quality based on
amino acid content in relation to human’s requirements for them:

SWIPE TABLE TO THE LEFT TO REVEAL MORE DATA

Protein BV PDCA

Whey Concentrate and Isolates 104-159 1.00

Whole Egg 100 1.00

Milk 91 1.00

Egg White 88 1.00

Cottage Cheese 84 1.00

Tuna 83 ?

Fish 82 ?

Beef 80 0.92

Chicken 79 ?

Soy 74 0.91

Casein 71 1.00

Peanuts 68 0.52

Yogurt 68 ?

Oatmeal 58 0.57

Wheat 54 0.42

As you can see, the PDCAAS for both whey and casein are equivalent, but the BV of
whey proteins can be more than two times the value of casein.

However, in the bigger picture, the BV doesn’t necessarily mean that all the protein
sources that have lower values aren’t useful. Consider that many bodybuilders and
physique athletes alike rely heavily on seafood, beef and chicken for the majority of their
protein intake and still maintain a large amount of muscle tissue. This is just a point in
case that as long as you’re getting a variety of animal and animal-derived protein sources
the BV is not too much of a concern. The exception would be for vegans who rely heavily
on plant proteins, which is another topic in and of its self.

Whey and casein: Calcium content

Calcium is oft touted for it’s beneficial effects on bone health and may also assist the fat
loss process. Calcium is a generous component of casein micelles and thus is more
abundant in casein protein supplements than whey protein supplements.

Micellar casein protein contains roughly 3x the amount of calcium when compared to an
equivocal amount of whey protein (concentrate and isolate). For individuals who struggle
to meet their daily calcium quota through food sources, casein protein supplementation
can be an easy alternative to calcium supplementation.

Whey proteins do contain some calcium as well, but it is considered a minimal

component. This is yet another reason that a blended protein containing both whey and
casein proteins may be the best bang for your buck (more on this below).

Whey and casein: Texture and use in food applications

Some people may not have much concern for using their protein supplements as part of
food recipes and just prefer the good ol’ shaker cup and water method, but it is
becoming increasingly popular for individuals with culinary imaginations to create some
pretty fantastic foods that incorporate protein powders.
When considering the texture of casein protein powder, it tends to be a bit “fluffier” and
coarser than whey protein powder. Also, whey protein powder’s texture will vary based
on its protein content and the method of filtration used. Generally, pure whey isolates are
very fine powders, almost like sand, while some whey concentrates with higher fat and
carbohydrate content are less fine and more “chalky”.

As far as their applicability in food recipes and baking, it is often advised to stick to whey
protein when you plan on actually cooking something since casein protein will not
solidify thoroughly when heated and could leave baked products mushy and falling
apart.

Many people find that they like to make cold recipes, like puddings and yogurts, with
casein protein since it mixes much thicker than whey protein does and absorbs more
water content.

For more information on recipes using whey protein and casein protein powders, check
out the M&S recipes section here. 

Should I use whey, casein or both?

Ultimately the most pertinent question to answer is which of these proteins is most
appropriate for health enthusiasts and physique competitors alike. As we have broken
down some of the advantages of each in the previous sections of this article, it would be
asinine to claim that one is unanimously superior to the other given that certain instances
may be better suited for one or the other (or both) and will vary depending on the
individual in question.

That being said, I think it’s safe to say that a blended protein that contains both casein
and whey proteins would be an effective supplement for most any time of the day or
situation. Reason being is that these proteins tend to compliment each other so that you
ultimately are getting the best of both worlds.

Moreover, it’s become lucid that the idea of needing fast-absorbing whey protein
immediately prior to and/or after training isn’t really founded on much more than dogma.
The bigger issue is just simply taking in a sufficient, quality protein source in a decent
timeframe after training has occurred.

Another factor to take into consideration is that concomitant ingestion of other nutrients
can significantly alter the digestive rate of whey and casein proteins. Whey protein may
absorb rather rapidly on its own, but if you eat a bunch of fibrous veggies and
unsaturated fats along with it (which delay gastric emptying) than it could take hours to
completely digest and utilize that protein. This is why it’s improper, if not impractical, to
say that whey should always be used around training time and casein at other times
because many people eat other foods when they take their protein supplements.
If you can’t pick one or the other, it might be best to choose a protein supplement that
contains a variety of protein sources to sort of “cover all your bases”. You don’t have to
buy separate whey protein and casein protein supplements if that doesn’t fit your
budget, but if you can afford it than it’s safe to say there is plenty of use for both in your
supplement stash.

References:
1) Drummond MJ, Dreyer HC, Pennings B, Fry CS, Dhanani S, Dillon EL, Sheffield-Moore M, Volpi E,
Rasmussen BB. Skeletal muscle protein anabolic response to resistance exercise and essential amino acids is
delayed with aging. J Appl Physiol. 2008 May;104(5):1452-61.

2) Reidy, P. T., Walker, D. K., Dickinson, J. M., Gundermann, D. M., Drummond, M. J., Timmerman, K. L.,  &
Rasmussen, B. B. (2013). Protein blend ingestion following resistance exercise promotes human muscle
protein synthesis. The Journal of nutrition, 143(4), 410-416.

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About The Author

Elliot Reimers
Elliot is a raw powerlifter who enjoys researching the science behind how
the human body works. He has a BS in Biochemistry.
View all by Elliot Reimers »

8 Comments + Post Comment

Posted Tue, 09/05/2017 - 11:47 LIKE 1

DANIEL HARTLESS
Considering how old this article is I am sure I won't get a response but its worth a shot. Fairly
new to all of this, so I don't exactly understand everything in this article. I currently take why
three times a day, Between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and dinner and then late in
the evening after my workout. Due to my daily schedule I can only get to the gym in the
evening and I know I should be eating smaller meals rather than three large but I'm working
on that. So question is would it be appropriate to change the post workout to casein? Also,
what is the real physiological advantages to a slower digesting protein? I understand that your
body will process it over a longer period of time, but what is the real advantage to digesting it
over a long period rather than a shorter period with the whey?
Thanks

REPLY
REPLY
 Posted Mon, 08/10/2015 - 19:37 LIKE 11
George
Great post. I am a nutrition adviser and have this argument with people all the time. I always
consume my post-workout with milk
A. For better taste and B. For extra protein
My friends will argue that you need to take it with water to maximise whey absorption but I've
always got the impression from researching that the two are digested differently and so the
body will still digest the whey quickly whilst the casein acts slower. Is this true or have I read
some bogus stuff?
It's surprisingly a difficult topic to find much information on really! You tend to just stumble
upon
"Whey is fast acting so take after workout"
"Casein is slow acting so take at night"
Nutrition is rarely that simple haha. Any advice or links to research/good reads on the topic are
greatly appreciated :)

REPLY
REPLY

Posted Mon, 09/22/2014 - 02:47 LIKE 15

Kamran
i am having problem to gain weight. i have 66kg weight and i'm doing workout so help which
way i can get about 75 to 80kg.

REPLY
REPLY

Posted Sun, 08/10/2014 - 16:07 LIKE 12

Derek
I have MS and don't no which 1 to take so I need help, I've lost weight & body fat.

REPLY
REPLY

Posted Sun, 08/10/2014 - 14:40 LIKE 14

Augie
Meh, meal timing and frequency is largely a personal preference. As long as your hitting your
targeted cals/macros for the day you're fine; it doesn't matter when and how often you're
eating. The bottom line is figure out what works for you and stick with it. There are people who
thrive on intermittent fasting, train in a fasted state, eat before/after training, eat several
times/day, skip breakfast, skip dinner, etc.
And if you want a cheap, effective blend of casein/whey then a tall glass of milk will get you
there.

REPLY
REPLY
 Posted Thu, 04/24/2014 - 11:19 LIKE 35
Ashley Carr
Hello, I find that when I take a casein shake before bed it makes me need to go to the
bathroom in the early hours of the morning, which is quite annoying. Do you have and ideas to
remedy this?
Thanks

REPLY
REPLY

Posted Sat, 04/26/2014 - 15:33 LIKE 35

Cyrus Johnson
You can take the casein 90 minutes before bed and attempt to use the bathroom right
before bed... (Seems to work for me) or you can take your casein shake with less water.
(Much thicker almost pudding like texture)

REPLY
REPLY

Posted Thu, 04/24/2014 - 07:39 LIKE 34

MM
Hi
Thanks for article Elliot..
But a question... Does casein affects on digestion speed rate of whey?? I mean combining
water and whey protein after workout is better than combining it with milk??
I heard something that the casein sediments faster than whey thus the digestion rate of whey
decreases. Is it that scientifically correct or just being broscience?? On other hand you
mentioned that the casein contains more Ca on its own and the Ca has a high molecular
mass, does it lead to sooner digesting casein than whey?
Thanks a lot..

REPLY
REPLY

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