A Comprehensive Guide to Primal Protein Powders for Every Goal
There is no question about it. Protein is non-negotiable when it comes to achieving your physique and performance goals.
Protein is essential for all tissues in the body, providing amino acids that are important for growth and development. It is particularly important when you get older to help slow age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia.
While protein from whole food sources is always your go-to option to meet your daily requirements, quality protein supplements are beneficial additions to every diet aimed at building muscle strength and size.
How much do you need?
When it comes to working out how much protein you need to meet your daily recovery and growth needs, we know that athletes require more protein than the regular recommended daily allowance.
Sports scientists and researchers have confirmed this in multiple studies confirming these requirements.
One study¹ confirmed that: “The amount of protein recommended by international guidelines is not sufficient to maintain muscle size and strength, especially in older men.”
Other studies, including a meta-analysis² that reviewed numerous related studies, have also shown that lifters, especially those older than 40, who eat the most protein have the strongest and largest muscles. They also lose the least amount of muscle over time.
The current protein recommended daily allowance (RDA) by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (g/kg/d).
However, researchers from MacMaster University² in Canda confirm that “the prescribed 0.8g/kg/day just isn’t enough”, and recommend a maximum amount of 1.6g/kg/day to build and maintain muscle.
Research³ using the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation (IAAO) technique in young male bodybuilders recommended an upper limit of 2.2g/kg/day.
The study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, stated that to maximise anabolism “one should consume protein at a target intake of 0.4g/kg/meal across a minimum of four meals in order to reach a minimum of 1.6g/kg/day.
Using the upper daily intake of 2.2g/kg/day reported in the literature spread out over the same four meals would necessitate a maximum of 0.55g/kg/meal.”
Timing matters
When it comes to the best time to consume protein, your body is most receptive to amino acids and glucose – needed to replace depleted glycogen stores – directly after exercise due to heightened insulin sensitivity.
However, consuming sufficient protein any time in the 24 hours after a workout will support growth and recovery as muscle cells remain sensitised to the effect of protein for this duration.
As such, while it is still prudent to consume protein immediately after a workout, it’s not critical.
Protein differences
When it comes to the right protein source to support your gains, it is important to understand that not all protein is created equal.
Bioavailability is the standard used to determine which protein source is best to support your muscle recovery and growth after training.
A key metric used to quantify protein bioavailability is biological value (BV), which is a measure of how efficiently the body can use a protein source to build and repair muscle tissue.
It is calculated by comparing the nitrogen retained in the body from a protein source to the nitrogen consumed.
A higher biological value indicates a more efficient protein source, which typically supplies all the essential amino acids (EAAs) that your body can’t produce on its own.
Animal proteins typically have a higher BV than plant sources due to the lack of one or more EAAs in plant-based proteins, and the fibre in plant-based sources, which can slow digestion.
The BV of common protein foods and supplements⁴ include:
- Whey protein: 104
- Eggs: 100
- Milk: 91
- Fish: 80
- Chicken: 75-80
- Red meat: 70-80
- Casein protein: 77
- Soy protein: 74
- Quinoa: 70
- Chia seeds: 68
Whey achieves slightly better nitrogen retention than soy or casein, likely due to its high EAA content, especially leucine⁵.
Protein supplements
Primal Sports Nutrition produces a range of protein options to cater to various needs and preferences. This comprehensive guide unpacks each protein option to help you find the ideal product for your specific goals.
Whey protein
When it comes to protein supplements, whey protein is generally considered the gold standard due to its high BV.
Whey is also a complete protein, which means it contains all nine essential amino acids (EAAs) – those your body cannot produce. This includes the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), with high levels of leucine, which supports the muscle-building (anabolic) process to support muscle repair and growth.
Whey protein is typically produced in three forms:
- Concentrate (WPC)
- Isolate (WPI)
- Hydrolysate (WPH)
While each form is based on dairy-derived whey, they differ in processing levels, affecting their protein content, digestibility, and price.
Amino acid concentrations rise rapidly after drinking a product like Primal Whey Premium Protein Blend, peaking roughly within 100 minutes and returning to baseline within 300 minutes⁶.
Rates also vary between whey variants, with whey isolate taking 60-90 minutes to digest and whey concentrate between 2-3 hours.
Based on findings from a 2001 study⁶, amino acid levels started rising after 20 minutes and remained elevated for 180–200 minutes among those who consumed the amino acids and whey protein.
Primal Whey Isolate has a naturally high BV, with all nine EAAs and a rich BCAA content to assist with muscle tissue repair, growth and maintenance. Whey isolate is considered one of the most ideal protein sources to consume directly after exercise due to its high bioavailability.
Mass builders like Primal Mass Gain also typically contain whey protein (in this case, whey protein concentrate) to help you pack on muscle mass. By combining whey protein concentrate with a triple-action carb blend of maltodextrin, brown rice powder and ground oatmeal powder, the resultant high-protein and high-calorie supplement provides the extra energy and macronutrients you need to gain more mass.
Casein protein
Casein is another milk-derived protein supplement. The body absorbs casein from supplements like Primal Premium Casein more slowly taking 3-7 hours to fully digest, with amino acid concentrations remaining elevated beyond five hours⁷.
As casein breaks down and is absorbed more slowly than whey as it tends to clump in the digestive tract. This characteristic makes casein a popular product for use at night, when a sustained release of amino acids can help support the anabolic processes that occur during sleep.
In the 2001 study⁶, it took 20–40 minutes for amino acid levels to rise after participants consumed casein and remained elevated for seven hours (all participants consumed a 30g serving of protein).
Meal replacements and diet shakes
Meal replacement powders (MRPs) and diet shakes are generally low in carbs or contain low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrates. They also differ from standard protein shakes in that they contain fewer calories and are normally rich in fibre to boost satiety.
For instance, Primal Diet Shake has been specifically formulated by women with women’s specific needs in mind, offering a suitable and convenient meal or snack.
This all-in-one high-protein meal replacement option contains a blend of whey sources to ensure your body can rapidly digest, absorb and use the protein to aid the recovery process.
It also contains added probiotics, digestive enzymes, L-carnitine, and vitamins and minerals to aid weight loss or ‘slimming’ efforts between workouts.
Primal Skinny Whey is another low-carb, high-protein supplement option for women looking to lose weight and gain muscle. It contains a blend of whey protein isolate, concentrate and hydrolysate, with high levels of BCAAs, for rapid absorption. This formulation assists with muscle tissue repair, recovery and maintenance.
Primal Diet Shake is the ideal product to replace one or two of your daily snacks or meals while dieting, while Primal Skinny Whey is perfect for a post-workout shake to support your recovery without adding additional carbs and calories.
Egg protein
A product like Primal Egg Protein Powder is another animal-derived protein supplement with a similar biological value to whey (104 vs 94) and a moderate absorption rate of between 3-5 hours.
Egg albumen (the clear, liquid part of the egg surrounding the yolk, also known as the egg white) is where you find the majority of the protein in eggs – a large egg provides around 4 grams of protein.
The egg white boasts a high BV of 100 (slightly lower than the 104 of whey protein) and the highest protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) – a more complete assessment of protein quality compared to BV – of any whole food at 1.0 (whey also scores a 1.0).
Egg protein has a complete amino acid profile, including the nine EAAs. One study8 also found that the absorption rate of egg white hydrolysates was faster than that of egg white and whey protein.
Protein blends
A 2012 clinical study⁹ confirmed that consuming a blend of proteins (soy, whey and casein) versus whey protein alone “provides a prolonged delivery of amino acids to the muscles, making it optimal for consumption following resistance exercise.”
Protein blends like Primal Blended Whey Complete Protein deliver a varied and prolonged absorption profile, offering the best of all proteins, which makes it ideal for those looking to prolong the amino acid release between meals.
Whey provides a quick release of amino acids whereas plant-based sources like soy, pea and rice proteins deliver an ‘intermediate’ release between 3-4 hours, and a slower release from casein protein, which requires several hours to digest.
Plant proteins
Plant-based protein powders offer an easy, convenient and effective alternative for those following a vegan or vegetarian diet or anyone looking to avoid or reduce their animal protein intake due to intolerances, allergens or food sensitivities,
Plant protein supplements typically combine multiple plant-based sources to provide a complete amino acid profile that delivers all the EAAs and BCAAs your body needs. Sources from various sources, a blended plant-based protein powder can also contain various vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Primal Plant Based Protein contains a blend of pea protein isolate, rice protein concentrate, pumpkin seed protein, and chickpea protein to deliver a complete amino acid profile. This product is ideal for anyone with various dietary restrictions as it contains no lactose, gluten or wheat, with no added soy, soy protein or sugar.
References:
- Nowson C, O’Connell S. Protein Requirements and Recommendations for Older People: A Review. Nutrients. 2015 Aug 14;7(8):6874-99. doi: 10.3390/nu7085311. PMID: 26287239; PMCID: PMC4555150.
- Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, Schoenfeld BJ, Henselmans M, Helms E, Aragon AA, Devries MC, Banfield L, Krieger JW, Phillips SM. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Mar;52(6):376-384. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608. Epub 2017 Jul 11. Erratum in: Br J Sports Med. 2020 Oct;54(19):e7. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608corr1. PMID: 28698222; PMCID: PMC5867436.
- Arash Bandegan, Glenda Courtney-Martin, Mahroukh Rafii, Paul B Pencharz, Peter WR Lemon, Indicator Amino Acid–Derived Estimate of Dietary Protein Requirement for Male Bodybuilders on a Nontraining Day Is Several-Fold Greater than the Current Recommended Dietary Allowance12, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 147, Issue 5, 2017, Pages 850-857, ISSN 0022-3166,
https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.116.236331. - Hoffman JR, Falvo MJ. Protein – Which is Best? J Sports Sci Med. 2004 Sep 1;3(3):118-30. PMID: 24482589; PMCID: PMC3905294.
- Moore DR, Soeters PB. The Biological Value of Protein. Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. 2015;82:39-51. doi: 10.1159/000382000. Epub 2015 Oct 20. PMID: 26545252.
- Basile EJ, Launico MV, Sheer AJ. Physiology, Nutrient Absorption. [Updated 2023 Oct 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK597379/.
- The digestion rate of protein is an independent regulating factor of postprandial protein retention. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 280: E340–E348, 2001.
- Matsuoka R, Kurihara H, Nishijima N, Oda Y, Handa A. Egg White Hydrolysate Retains the Nutritional Value of Proteins and Is Quickly Absorbed in Rats. ScientificWorldJournal. 2019 Aug 27;2019:5475302. doi: 10.1155/2019/5475302. PMID: 31534442; PMCID: PMC6732637.
- Effect of Protein Blend vs. Whey Protein Ingestion on Muscle Protein Synthesis Following Resistance Exercise. Journal Nutrition. 2013 Apr; 143(4): 410–416.