Supplementation is not only beneficial for men. Women can also enjoy the benefits of protein powder and whey protein. However, women are much less likely to take these products.
Many women believe that consuming whey or casein will make them gain as much muscle as a man. This is not true for physiological reasons. Taking whey, casein or any other protein powder potentiates the effects of training.
Without strength training, there will be no gain in mass or volume, but rather a decrease in the ratio of fat mass to lean mass.
In this sense, these products can help women to lose weight or to achieve a more athletic physique. From our point of view, whey remains the best choice among all supplements of this type.
As for which type of whey to choose, it all depends on your diet, the frequency of your workouts and, above all, your food sensitivities. In all cases, classic whey or whey isolate will provide useful amino acids for muscle building.
These products can also accelerate weight loss. To achieve this, it's important to combine a varied, balanced diet rich in protein with physical activity.
Can women consume protein powder?
There are many misconceptions about protein powders, and women are particularly susceptible to them. As mentioned above, many of them believe that whey is a kind of doping or that supplementation builds muscle and that consuming whey will therefore make them as muscular as a male bodybuilder.
As you'd expect, this is another myth about sports nutrition.
First and foremost, protein intake in itself does not trigger muscle mass gain. For such results to be achieved, the consumer must first engage in sufficiently intense and specific physical activity. Without appropriate training, protein powder or whey isolate will not produce mass gains. Discover the best whey for mass gain here.
Women are unable to build strong muscles due to their low testosterone secretion. This hormone is essential for muscle fiber synthesis. Yet women produce 10 to 20 times less testosterone than men. A physiological detail which explains why men have more muscle mass than women (as a general rule).
Let's not forget that a woman will never achieve a figure comparable to that of a man by consuming a protein powder. So there's nothing to stop them taking the plunge, provided they engage in sufficiently intense physical activity.
Are there protein powders for women?
So women have nothing to fear from protein powder. In fact, there are no moreside effects from whey for one sex than the other.
However, it's important to know which products are best suited to their particular physiological needs. Are there any products on the market specifically for women?
Well, yes and no! Brands may have the idea of offering proteins for women. However, these products will inevitably have the same composition as other supplements in the same category. Technically speaking, there is no such thing as a whey or casein specifically for women. The latter would contain the same ingredients as classic whey or classic casein.
This being the case, there 's no point in going out looking for such supplements and choosing them.
Whey: the best protein powder for women
The world of protein powders is vast. Which is why choosing one is far from simple. Nevertheless, the buyer should focus on his or her objectives. Do they want to build muscle mass, optimize recovery, lose weight or get back into shape? His choice will depend on the answer to this question.
For a female audience, casein is often cited as the best protein for building muscle mass. This protein, derived from milk, is slowly assimilated by the body, ensuring that protein reserves are available during a period of fasting.
It also has a proven appetite-suppressant effect, helping women to avoid cravings and limit calorie intake. Casein can also be useful as part of a slimming diet.
That said, whey seems to be a better candidate because of its versatility. This supplement stands out for its rapid assimilation. This milk-based protein is ideal for post-workout supplementation. It provides the means to absorb valuable protein immediately after training, for better recovery and optimal muscle adaptation.
Whey is also highly satiety-enhancing, making it ideal for hunger management. What's more, its amino acid profile is far more interesting than that of casein. Whey protein contains higher levels of essential amino acids and BCAAs.
It should be remembered that the body is unable to synthesize the latter. By choosing whey, you're taking care of your metabolism while optimizing the essential, natural mechanisms of muscle catabolism and anabolism.
To find out more, take a look at our blog to discover the differences between whey and creatine, and their uses.
What type of whey should I choose?
First and foremost, to know which type of whey to choose, we need to review the different types of whey and look at their specific characteristics. This will enable interested parties to shed light on some of the designations they often come across when doing research.
Whey " or "concentrated whey" is the most widely used product. It is obtained by microfiltration and ultrafiltration of milk. The process aims to isolate the whey from the milk, commonly known as "whey". This is then dehydrated to obtain a more or less whitish powder, to which various ingredients are added. Classic whey has all the qualities described above, with a protein content of over 70%.
Wheyisolate is the second category of whey. In this case, the mechanical filtration of the milk has been carried out to an even higher level of purity. The finished product has a protein concentration of over 80-85%.
Finally,whey hydrolysate is without doubt the most isolated whey protein. So much so, in fact, that it is a processed product, unlike whey isolate. The manufacturing process has been pushed even further to isolate more proteins and perform "pre-digestion".
The result is a product with a protein content of over 90% and even faster assimilation, which in our opinion is not useful.
Isolate whey therefore seems to be the best option at first sight, even if classic whey already has all the qualities to supplement your protein intake at a lower cost.
Whey isolate already has sufficient protein concentration to allow supplementation without the impression of consuming more protein powder than necessary. What's more, its speed of assimilation means it can be used for post-exercise supplementation with virtually no drawbacks.
Whey is naturally a highly digestible product. It is suitable for most athletes, except those with milk protein allergies.
How to take whey to reach your goals?
When it comes to sports nutrition, men and women are on the same wavelength. It's all about supplementing protein intake to optimize weight gain, recovery and fat loss.
To build muscle mass, sportswomen must do their utmost to ensure that their protein intake is close to 2 g/kg/d. The daily dose of whey to be consumed therefore depends on the athlete's diet. Protein intake from daily meals will be taken into account.
The rest can be supplemented with whey shakers, spread out over the day. Ideally, you consume one shaker at the end of your workout and the rest, if necessary, at other times of the day.
To improve recovery and build endurance, twenty grams of protein powder after training is more than enough. But when should you take your whey shaker? The timing of intake is important here, given the speed at which whey is assimilated. Ideally, whey should be consumed within 2 hours of your workout.
Finally, to lose weight, the sportswoman must first try to establish her calorie balance. The introduction of protein powder into her diet must not lead to excess weight gain.
It should focus on whey's satiety-enhancing, appetite-suppressant effect. The slow assimilation of amino acids will keep hunger at bay for much longer, helping to reduce mealtimes or prevent cravings between meals.
Our nutrition tips for successful supplementation
Knowing the differences between whey concentrate (classic), hydrolysate and isolate is one thing. But it's quite another to know the difference between a quality whey and a poor-quality product.
Although whey is considered by many to be the best protein, it may not be suitable for everyone. Due to an allergy to milk proteins, or more often an intolerance to the various additives added to these products, protein powders can ultimately lead to bloating and various gastric concerns.
To avoid this, we advise you to read the ingredients list carefully. Avoid products with additives or long lists of ingredients. Although these substances have no nutritional value, they may not be totally healthy or harmless.
The latest studies show that certain widely-used compounds can expose consumers to a variety of disorders. As far as possible, we therefore opt for a whey without additives, produced in France, in short circuits.
