What is casein protein powder’s benefit to your workouts and recovery? There are actually a lot of benefits to supplementing your fitness regimen with casein protein powder. These extend to both the workout itself, and most of all, the recovery. Here are a few of the main benefits.

Digestion

As mentioned, casein will release slowly into the body, so it is great as a slow digesting protein source. It is able to aid muscle recovery, while preventing the user from feeling too hungry. This is especially good for night time recovery, as the supplement allows the protein to provide a slow and steady supply of amino acids to the body for up to seven hours, without having to take it from your muscle. So while muscles may not build during the night, drinking a glass of casein rich milk is the best way to help your muscles throughout the night.

Night Time Aid

Though casin doesn’t necessarily help you to fall asleep or stay asleep, the reason it is a good night time aid is because it helps the digestion that your body takes care of during sleep. Because casein has such a slow release, it protects your muscles from night time atrophy and supplies the muscle with a steady flow of protein over the course of seven hours, to help maintain — and even increase — lean muscle mass.

Greater Muscle Gains

It is not just in overnight recovery that casein helps however. Studies have shown that casein can be a crucial ingredient in building muscles quicker. One Texas based study had males carry out heavy resistance training while consuming either a whey and casein combination or a different supplement. After 10 weeks, they found that the former group displayed much better results when it came to larger increases in lean, fat-free mass.

Improve Metabolic Rate

Your metabolic rate is what helps you to cut fat and grow muscles. Another study — this time in the Netherlands — showed that casein intake can help with this. The study found that increasing casein intake by two and half times showed a higher metabolic rate in participants while sleeping, as well as a better overall fat balance. Furthermore, the slow-burning casein helped the participants to lose fat without feeling as hungry.

Greater Strength

Casein has also been shown to yield greater strength — studies have indicated that it can as much as double the effect that whey protein has on results for legs, chest, and shoulder strength. It is believed that this is probably as a result of the anti-catabolic properties of casein.

Bonus Benefit: Better Teeth!

Finally, though not related to traditional physical fitness lifestyles, there has been some suggestion that consuming more casein can have a positive effect on your teeth — more specifically, in reducing or preventing the effects of enamel erosion. No direct benefit to your workout, but it could save you some money on a dental bill!