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Milk is an
extremely complex food that delivers a broad
spectrum of immune and nutrition factors to
help babies survive and grow. Milk is far
more complex than once thought, with over
100,000 different molecular substances
estimated. Science continues to gain fresh
insights into milk structures. One area in
particular has received recent
attention-casein micelles.
The term
"casein micelles" may seem confusing.
But once you learn why casein micelles are
in human milk, and their role in nutrition,
they are easy to understand.
Casein micelles are another example of the
brilliant strategies Nature uses to solve
difficult nutritional problems.
Whether you are an endurance athlete or
bodybuilder, the casein micelles in MUSCLE
MILK can positively impact your metabolism
and help you get the most out of your total
milk protein supplement.
CASEIN
In human milk,
there are two main proteins: whey and casein
(kay-seen). Over millions of years,
Nature evolved both proteins to be taken
together; each complementing and boosting
the effectiveness of the other. Whey is
quickly metabolized, while casein is more
timed delayed. This fast-and-slow protein
release was cleverly designed by Nature, and
is just one reason MUSCLE MILK is maximally
anabolic and anti-catabolic, providing a
high level of amino acid concentrations in
the serum amino acid pool.
Casein
composes about 40% of the protein in human
milk. While much of this
discussion may seem like detached scientific
mumbo jumbo, casein is actually a familiar
part of our life. The "milk
mustache" after a cold glass of milk is
largely casein. And one reason
milk is bright white is because casein
reflects light. Finally, the
curds from the Little Miss Muffet nursery
rhyme are casein. We have
literally grown up on, and around, casein.
CASEIN MICELLES
Caseins, of
which there are four types, are found in
milk within a structure called a Micelle
(my-sill). Simply, a micelle is a dense
clumping of various nutrients into a
molecular grouping. In a
micelle, there can be up to 21 amino acids
that compose casein, and powerful bioactive
peptides. The cement that holds
micelles tighter are the minerals calcium
and phosphorus, and some citrate.
In fact, close to two-thirds of milk calcium
is linked to the casein micelle.
So, casein is
a part of a micelle. The micelle also
contains minerals, amino acids, and
bioactive peptides. The term "micellear
casein" refers to the overall grouping of
nutrients that casein is a part.
A micelle can
be composed of hundreds, even thousands, of
smaller sub-micelles. Why would Nature clump
all these nutrients together? For the best
reason of all, and why Nature designs
virtually everything about the
body-survival, and why we decided to include
caseins in their most complete, native,
non-isolated form.
MICELLES-TRAVELING NUTRIENTS
The casein
micelle grouping is actually a transport
vehicle. In other words, micelles act as a
moving van to deliver these nutrients into
the stomach, still bound together in this
group. The reason for grouping reveals
Nature's genius.
The micelle
package contains minerals that are not well
broken down in the stomach, especially in
infants. That's the problem. Nature's
solution is to keep the casein micelle
intact so stomach acids have a better chance
to help make the minerals more usable.
This process also allows for larger peptides
to be absorbed intact for improved protein
absorption.
That's why
casein releases its proteins, peptides and
amino acids slowly-because it's part of a
slow releasing micelle group.
And that's also why slow releasing casein
micelles are the perfect anabolic partner to
whey. Whey for fast amino acid
release and casein for slower amino acid
release and elevated serum amino acid pools.
CASEINATES
Commercial
casein does not dissolve into water
especially well. Since water is the
predominant intra-cellular medium,
caseinates are produced-to be more soluble
in water. Caseinates are produced by
dissolving casein so it is more water
soluble. The most typical forms are calcium,
potassium and sodium. Sometimes, as in the
case of MUSCLE MILK, caseinates are made
even more water soluble by special
processing. MUSCLE MILK uses select
caseinates to make it more mixable in water
or milk, while at the same time, presenting
them in their native forms to assure and
enhance bioavailability. Once again, Nature,
not man, was the cleverest formulator. |
