11 Best Casein protein powders For Men and Women
Casein protein powders have unique benefits for men and women and are some of the best nutrients for your body. We answer the most asked questions about casein and select the best powders.
By: Travis
Hi, I am Travis. My main focus in life is to understand training better and help others get better results too. I used to be about the least fit kid in school and would always be last to get picked for a team. It wasn't for a lack of trying, but all my efforts just lead to injuries
For years, I had completely given up on ever getting in shape. Then I began to use my brain before using my muscles. I read every popular book on exercise, and began to structure my training.
With the right training methods, and the right machines, I was able to rebuild my body from the ground up.
According to science, I would never be able to walk pain-free again. And I would never be able to do 20 pull-ups with the injuries to my rotator cuff. But they were al wrong.
This site is where you can find all my tips and recommendations.
Which of the top ten casein protein powders is right for you? That’s a subjective question. And to get the proper answer, you have to know a little about the properties of casein and the benefits it brings to the body.
You may wonder why casein should stand out from all the other protein supplements readily available to you. It all comes down to the different ways that they are digested in the human system. When you compare the benefits and properties of casein to others, the choice becomes clear.
11 Best Protein powder with Casein
Naked Nutrition Less Naked Vanilla Casein
If you want a casein powder with no artificial flavors and sweeteners and is made from only US milk, we can recommend Casein Protein from Naked Nutrition. They also take a lot of care to ensure the natural proteins stay intact during the manufacturing process.
One serving contains 26 grams of casein protein and 5.4 grams of BCAA’s. It’s available in 2 flavors, vanilla and chocolate, and an unflavored variant.
Summary
Naked Nutrition is not cheap, but the high-quality manufacturing and minimal ingredient list make it a great choice for anyone that wants the best.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Micellar Casein Protein Powder
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein Protein Powder is very popular among professional and amateur bodybuilders. This product comes in four different flavors, which is less than some of the competition. But, there’s a certain simplicity in choosing from chocolate peanut butter, cookies and cream, chocolate supreme, and creamy vanilla.
Be prepared to compromise a bit as far as sodium levels are concerned; each serving has 240mg. The calorie count is reasonable at 120. This protein powder stands out from others because it supplies 50 percent of your calcium RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance). Each serving contains 24 grams of micellar casein and is a great protein source.
Summary
Overall, this is a good pick for its high casein dose, pleasant taste and texture, and cost-effective price.
BulkSupplements Pure Casein Powder
If purity holds major sway over your decision-making process, BulkSupplements Pure Casein Powder is a product for you. Now, before you run right out and buy it, you should know that some consumers have trouble resealing the bag's pouch. On the flip side of that coin, the powder itself is highly pure. This means that you can mix this powder with just about any drink, shake, or appropriate liquid and still get all the benefits you would expect from casein.
The calories per serving are respectably low at 112. This particular micellar casein protein powder is flavorless, but it does go with just about everything, so there are no worries. If bulk buying or having more resources than you need to succeed plays well with your lifestyle, you can get this powder in 2.2, 11, or 44-pound bags. In each bag, there are only two ingredients, micellar casein and soy lecithin.
Summary.
This powder is a good pick because it’s a practically pure form of casein with no artificial flavors or additives
Syntha 6 Ultra-Premium Protein Matrix
Maybe, you are the kind of person who likes to have it all when it comes to your protein powders. If so, the Syntha 6 Ultra-Premium Mix has a lot to offer. This powder does come in a little heavy on the calorie count with 200 per serving. Besides proteins, It also has many other ingredients like sunflower creamer, MCT powder, salt, and sucralose that make it easier to consume.
As far as proteins go, this product has a blend of two kinds of whey, calcium caseinate, milk protein isolate, egg albumen, glutamine peptides, branched-chain amino acids, and micellar casein. All these ingredients come together and make 22 grams of protein per serving.
Summary.
This powder is a good pick because it tastes amazing, provides many essential supplements, and doesn't cost a lot.
Dymatize Elite Casein, 100% Micellar
If the purity of the casein protein powder you consume is of the utmost importance, look into Dymatize Elite 100% Micellar Casein. Like other powder products that offer high purity levels, this supplement is one of the purest micellar casein forms available to the public.
And as a bonus, the manufacturer's reputation is highly trusted, as evidenced by the awards the enterprise has earned within the industry. However, you may not like the amount of sodium present per serving as it sits at 250mg. That’s a little on the salty side. And like other powder products, you can get this casein powder in yummy flavors to include cinnamon bun, cookies and cream, rich chocolate, and smooth vanilla.
This powder mix is like other high-dose products, except it’s more cost-effective. Additionally, it has one more gram of protein content per serving than the competition on average.
Summary.
This powder is a good choice because of its high doses, tasty flavors, and company reputation.
JYM Supplement Science Pro JYM
With JYM Supplement Science Pro JYM, you really can have it all where precise protein blends are concerned. First things first, this casein protein powder is a little on the expensive side, but it stands by this product as one of the best on the shelves.
It all comes down to the precision put into the mix. There are 7.5g whey, 7g micellar casein, 7g milk protein isolate, and 2.5g egg white protein in each serving. This powder maker claims the proportions of mixed protein supplements in this powder are exactly what it takes to build muscles the right way.
Summary.
This powder is a good pick because of its high-quality blend and great flavor.
Kaged Muscle Kasein
The Kaged Muscle Kasein powder mix has just about everything you could hope for in a supplement product. Even though it sits slightly higher on the shelve price-wise, this casein protein powder mix is something of a crowd-pleaser. Moreover, it has a loyal following. You only have the flavors chocolate or vanilla to choose from as far as taste go, but that’s debatably better than nothing.
Without a doubt, you can be sure that this powder does deliver good nutrients with 24 grams of protein and half the RDA of calcium. This protein mix production involves cold processing the micellar casein, which helps to keep it in a more natural form. Besides the micellar casein, this powder contains coconut oil, natural flavors, and some other extras in the mix. They are worth checking out.
Summary.
This protein powder is a good choice because it has high-quality protein and tasty flavors.
Legion Casein+
The Legion Casein protein powder mix is a product for those consumers who say “you are what you eat” seriously. As far as casein protein powder mixes go, it’s spotless. But at the same time, it also sits on the pricey side of the isle.
If you’re super picky when it comes to your calorie count, you should know that there’s a difference between chocolate or vanilla. Btw, those are the only flavor to choose from with this product. Other all-natural ingredients in this product include sea salt, stevia, and cocoa or vanilla, depending on the flavor.
The cows that give the milk source for this product have not been treated with hormones or antibodies. This makes the product GMO according to the makers. You get 25-26 grams of micellar casein protein per serving with this powder.
Summary.
This product is a good choice because of its careful process and all-natural ingredients. And it's guaranteed antibiotic and hormone-free.
MuscleTech Phase8 Protein Powder
For the most part, MuscleTech Phase8 protein powder has what you are looking for in a micellar casein supplement product without overdoing it. There are four milk chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and cookies and cream for you to choose from.
Honestly, this powder product has more whey protein isolate than casein in it. However, it does have 26 grams of protein with only 150 calories in tow. This product's real value comes from the 7 different proteins that absorb into the body at different rates, leading to an optimum muscle protein synthesis.
Summary.
This powder is a good choice because it has lots of protein, few calories, and a nice price.
Nitro-Tech Casein Gold
Compared to other casein protein powders, Nitro Casein Gold has many what you need with only a little of what you don’t. Although the purity levels could be higher with this product, it provides plenty of protein for consumption. On top of all that, you get 60 percent of your calcium RDA with 10 grams of BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids). We have a separate article about BCAAs and their possible side effects.
There are three different flavors of chocolate supreme, cookies and cream, and creamy vanilla to choose from, which some people describe as delicious. There are 24 grams of protein and 110 calories in each serving. The blend within this product includes micellar casein, calcium caseinate, and milk isolate.
Summary.
This protein powder product is a good choice because it is high in calcium, low in calories, and cost-effective with good taste.
MET-Rx Metamyosyn Protein Plus
If you are looking for a product to introduce yourself to protein powders on the market, start with MET-Rx Metamyosyn Protein Plus. You can choose from chocolate or vanilla for flavors. It’s a simple protein supplement with a simple price.
Every serving has 21 grams of protein and 110 calories. This powder is a blend, but the exact makeup isn’t known.
Summary.
It a good choice because it has casein and whey proteins with good taste and at a great price.
Which of the Best Casein protein powders is right for you?
To better understand casein protein and why you want to use it for your next protein shake, it is best to start by answering a few fundamental questions. Getting the more basic matters out of the way lends greater value to any particular matters of fact regarding product comparisons.
When all is said and done, you should know which product is the best Casein protein powder for you. We might as well start with answering the question of what casein supplements are and what they do? After that, it should be easy enough to delve slightly deeper into the benefits of casein protein.
Anyone can appreciate a little side by side information, so we can compare casein vs. whey to liven things up. But, there are other issues to address as well. For example, what are the other uses and more interesting attributes? Are they good for weight loss or women? The list of questions goes on and on. So, let’s get started.
What is Casein protein, and what does it do?
So, just what is this casein protein, and what does it do exactly? A good way to answer such a question is to say that casein comes from cow’s milk. As a matter of fact, it constitutes the major part, about 80 percent, of any amount of milk you consume. The other 20 percent is the whey protein, which exists in the form of a liquid.
As such, this protein is present in every dairy product on the market. The extracting process involved with yielding casein from cow’s milk involves a little chemistry these days, and it’s easy initiated through the use of an enzyme named Chymosin. The cow’s milk is exposed to the enzyme, which causes it to clot into casein.
After that physical transformation, the protein is further refined and processed until the desired substance results. When it comes to casein, there is more than one form for you to choose from. Namely, you can go with the micellar or calcium form.
The best powder form is not exactly a black or white issue. If you want to absorb the protein more slowly into your body, then go for the raw, micellar casein protein. If you would rather intake a more digestion-friendly take on the protein, go with the calcium form. But either way, you go, the results will be good because casein is a complete protein with all the essential amino acids a body needs for repair, growth, and other life-sustaining functions.
What are the benefits of Casein protein?
As hinted to earlier, casein does many beneficial things for the body and can be used for nutrition supplement because it doesn’t need to be taken with any other protein to do its job.
- Slow digesting protein for a long-lasting stream of amino acids to the muscles
- Complete set of amino acids
Each of these benefits is essential to the body, and some of them are really non-negotiables depending on your particular lifestyle habits. Starting from the outside in, casein increases muscle mass all by itself and can yield double the results when paired with regular exercise.
Using this kind of supplement and working out regularly triples fat loss. Not only does the protein increase muscle mass, but it also decreases to amount of muscle breakdown during prolonged periods without nutrition.
Strong, long-lasting muscles are not the only surface rewards of consuming casein protein, as it protects the enamel of teeth from cavities, sensitivity, and decay.
Are there any more benefits of Casein protein?
Going a little deeper, casein powders do a lot more than make a person look and feel good from steady consumption.
For example, the immune system sees a bolster in its activity due to the growth of good bacteria and antibodies brought upon by the presence of casein. This protein does more than help the body by raising immune defenses; it lowers the levels of dangerous substances in the body.
Supplementing with casein lowers the absorption of triglycerides after a fatty meal. On an even more significant level, casein protein has antioxidant properties that cannot be ignored or denied because of its importance to health. This is one of the reasons we really like supplements that include micellar casein protein powder.
The antioxidants pepsin and trypsin are known to protect the body from free radicals that cause diseases like cancer, arthritis, and atherosclerosis.
With all the talk of fat loss, you may have asked yourself, how does it happen? It happens due to a rise in your metabolic rate while you sleep when the body does some of its best growth and repair functions.
Casein vs. Whey protein
Before we can compare casein protein to whey, there have to be a few points mentioned. For one, whey protein is still the go-to nutrient to build big muscles within a noticeably short amount of time. However, it also has a bit of a reputation for delivering results that last a noticeably short amount of time.
If incorporated into a diet correctly, whey yield lasting results. With casein, the “heavy lifting” of absorption rather happens on its own. The muscle growth from casein lasts longer because of its slower digestion rate and slow release in the bloodstream.
Casein's consistency has a gel-like quality to it that some people might describe as an acquired taste. Should the truth be told, you get the best results from a mixture of the two with an extra serving of casein shortly before calling it a night and going to sleep. While you sleep, the casein powder will ensure a continuous slow release of amino acids that helps your muscles recover and grow.
Casein protein for women
When it comes to women and dietary supplements, it’s a bit of a challenge to say which product is the best casein protein for women. In just about every case, casein provides the perfect solution for those who put effort into their exercise regime but do not see desired results.
It is not just about seeing muscle growth. Without the needed protein intake, a woman may be unwittingly causing needless damage to the body while exercising regularly. A steady source of slow-release protein like casein makes sure that everything remains on the level. Of course, casein works for those women who have weight loss for a fitness goal. However, deciding which product on the market is the best casein protein for women may be subjective. Its effectiveness is just about guaranteed.
Casein protein for weight loss
So, you might be asking yourself just how does casein protein aid in weight loss. The answer is quite simple. In protein powder, casein delivers very low amounts of calories as a source of nutrition. Fewer calories in the body translate to weight loss.
The best casein protein for weight loss has the least calories in theory. Certainly, any protein powder can make this claim and deliver results. But in the case of casein protein, the supplement's sheer thickness makes it better for losing weight.
It lasts longer in the body so that you can experience less hunger throughout the day. Less hunger means more control over eating habits and sticking to diets. The best casein protein for weight loss helps you stick to your diet.
Should I take casein protein before bed?
For the best results, the smartest time to make yourself a casein protein shake is right before going to bed. While we sleep, the body does most of its repair and growth; since casein can take up to 7 hours to fully be absorbed into the body, taking it before bed makes sense.
That doesn’t mean bedtime is the only time you should supplement the protein in your diet. There are plenty of times and occasions when you can snack on an appropriate amount of casein throughout the day. For example, you can enjoy serving a few hours before working out.
Or, you might keep a “mix kit” of bottled water and pre-measured scoops of casein handy for those times when you can’t take an official lunch break, but you don’t want to skip a meal.
How much Casein protein should I take?
So, we have covered the many benefits and ways to take casein.
However, we haven’t discussed just how much of the stuff you need to consume to see weight gain or loss results. Naturally, the specific answer to that question is subjective from user to user. On the other hand, there has to be some starting point or formula to follow for starters. The usual rate of consumption is 1 half or 2 grams per pound every day or as needed. For a guy or gal who weighs 160 pounds, the numbers range from 80 – 320 grams a day.
If you want to lose weight, consume less casein, and vice versa. Remember that protein shakes are methods to supplement diet needs. You have to calculate how much casein you consume in addition to the other calories in your diet.
If you want an easy place to start to feel comfortable making your adjustments as needed, take 1-2 scoops of 25-50 grams of powder 2-3 times a day.
Casein protein side effects and risks
As far as side effects of casein protein go, some people can experience bloating because of consumption. If you are otherwise healthy, this protein cannot hurt you.
However, people who live with kidney or liver disease should go easy on how much they digest. If you find yourself allergic to casein, try the hydrolyzed form, or avoid it altogether. It’s easier on the body.
Conclusion
Casein is a great supplement for athletes and people who want to give their body the best nutrition possible. The best casein protein powders provide a slow release of amino acids that help muscles grow and recover, especially when sleeping.
If you aren't using it already, you should give it a try. Many athletes have used it to break through their plateaus.