BEEF PROTEIN VS. WHEY PROTEIN: WHICH IS BETTER? 

Protein is required by the body for a number of key functions. Proteins are long chains of amino acids and in the biochemistry world, amino acids are referred to as action molecules. This is because proteins (and their constituent amino acids) primarily facilitate communication between cells. They also comprise many hormones that carry out an endocrine role, and every transporter and enzyme is composed of proteins. Currently, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight each day (g/kg/day) (Murphy, Hector, and Phillips 2014, Kerksick and Kulovitz 2013), but people who exercise and train hard regularly require more protein. Most estimates for athletes suggest between 2x the current RDA or 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight each day (Murphy, Hector, and Phillips 2014). But as you will see, research keeps suggesting the required protein amount for optimal performance might be even higher.

Clearly, ingesting optimal amounts of high-quality sources of protein such as whey protein (Cermak, de Groot, and van Loon 2013) and protein sources found in egg and beef protein (Gorissen, Remond, and van Loon 2015) will help you stack the deck in your favor towards greater strength and muscle growth. Unfortunately, eating sufficient amounts of protein in the form of eggs, milk, steak, chicken, and tuna can be a challenge. This is where supplementation comes in handy.

Whey protein is one of two proteins found in milk, with the other being casein. Beef protein is, as we know, cow-sourced, and until recently was consumed in the form of a big, fat, juicy filet or t-bone steak. Beef protein isolate is available as a supplemental form of protein, which has led many people to wonder which type of protein should they consume? Fortunately, supportive research exists for both types of protein with some of the initial work with beef protein being completed in 2007 that demonstrated a standard four-ounce serving of beef protein can instigate a robust increase in muscle protein synthesis.

Isolated versions of whey protein are often considered to be the highest quality source of protein due to their high concentrations of leucine and other essential amino acids. However, understand that mountains of data exist to support using whey protein as a dietary aid to facilitate greater gains in strength and fat-free mass (Cermak, de Groot, and van Loon 2013, Phillips 2014) as well as greater loss of fat and maintenance of fat-free mass while restricting calories while dieting (Longland et al. 2016, Hector et al. 2015, Phillips 2014). In this respect, a recent 2015 investigation directly compared the ingestion of beef protein to whey protein ingestion and first concluded that while both beef protein and whey protein both robustly increased muscle protein synthesis, whey protein exhibited an even greater anabolic response.

In conclusion, optimal intake of high-quality sources of protein such as whey protein and beef protein are key considerations for athletes who train hard and want to maximize changes in their body composition. While other sources of protein exist, both whey protein and beef protein have accrued growing bodies of literature that are supportive of their ability to facilitate optimal recovery and adaptations to exercise training.

Due to its higher leucine and essential amino acid content as well as its ability to powerfully stimulate increases in muscle protein synthesis (Areta et al. 2013), whey protein continues to be a popular source of protein for athletes, bodybuilders and other physique competitors. Recent studies with beef protein have documented its ability to also stimulate muscle protein synthesis (Robinson et al. 2013). However, gram for gram, whey protein seems to offer a more effective and efficient means of nutritional muscle support, as compared to beef protein. And different flavor profiles and practical considerations have resulted in beef protein not being as popular as whey protein for active and athletic individuals.