Dietary Supplements (Protein)

A general health or dietary supplement is a preparation, usually in the form of a tablet, powder or shake, developed in order to provide nutrition specific to that which your body is lacking, whether due to insufficient dietary nourishment, or a natural deficiency. Supplements can provide nutrients like minerals, vitamins, fatty acids or amino acids.

There is international disagreement as to whether these supplements fall under the category of food, or drugs. Supplements providing dietary minerals or vitamins are recognised by the UNs highest authority of food standards (the Codex Alimentarius Commission) as a food item.

Probably the most common type of supplement is protein, but there are many, what you might call sub-categories within protein. For example, whey isolates, which usually contain amino peptides for muscle growth & recovery, Taurine for improved energy output and L-Glutamine for recovery.

Powdered proteins are often used by bodybuilders. These proteins will normally be consumed immediately before and after a workout, or in place of a meal. The reason this type of protein supplement is so popular is because a regular intake of protein into the body means healthy muscle growth and repair.

The most common type of protein is whey protein (mentioned above), its absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly and contains all essential amino acids in high levels. Whey itself is a by-product of cheese making, and whey proteins are comprised of a mixture of globular proteins, which have been extracted from the whey.

Casein (milk protein) is another kind of protein that has very high levels of Glutamine which aids the bodys recovery. It also contains a substance that lets the body absorb amino acids over a longer time period. This substance is called casomorphin.

You can also concentrate soy protein into a supplement as a vegetarian alternative. It contains all the essential amino acids. A substance in soybeans has weak estrogenic activity, which can improve testosterone levels.