Applied Nutrition Micellar Casein Protein

Micellar Casein Protein is a product from UK based company Applied Nutrition. This product states that it can  refuel their muscles during sleep. This review will aim to examine the ingredients in this product to see if it can support the claims made.

Micellar Casein (96%) (Milk),

Micellar Casein is similar to Calcium Caseinate but does not go through processing with chemicals. It has a thicker taste and is slow to digest meaning a slower release of amino acids. Calcium is a vital part of dietary consumption in order to aid growth and maintenance of bones (1). Other important benefits of calcium include helping blood clotting (2), heart contractions (3), lungs (4) and muscles to function properly (5), this is due to calcium binding with phosphate to create calcium phosphate (6).

Xanthan Gum, 

Xanthan Gum are water soluble dietary fibres, which have been reported to reduce total cholesterol; however there seems to be insufficient evidence to confirm this theory. (7)

Lactospore

Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is a result of the combination of galactose and glucose. It is commonly found in milk. Lactose will be able to provide short term energy to the skeletal muscle during exercise.

Sweetener (Sucralose), 

Sucralose is a sweetener that is calorie free. This ingredient is used in many products and is used to make the product taste sweeter and does not have any nutritional benefit.  

Digezyme

Digezyme is a proprietary blend of several different digestive enzymes, which includes Amylase, Protease, Lactose, Lipase and Cellulase.

Amylase is an enzyme that breaks down starch into simple sugars which are absorbed into the bloodstream quickly. This enzyme is produced naturally in the pancreas and released into the small intestine; it is also found in the saliva. It has been found that amylase can contribute to the reduction of swelling (8), however more research is needed to elucidate this. 

Protease is an enzyme that aids in the breakdown of protein (9), a process known as hydrolyze. It is involved in bonding amino acids together. Protease helps aid inflammatory conditions and immune regulation (10). 

Lactase is an enzyme that is involved in the breakdown of lactose. This enzyme is produced naturally in the small intestine and is lacking in people who are lactose intolerant (11). The main reason for using this enzyme is for people who are lactose intolerant which experience cramps, bloatedness and diarrhea.

Lipase is an enzyme that helps breakdown fats that are absorbed in the small intestine. Fat that doesn’t get fully digested can cover food and disrupt the breakdown of carbohydrates and proteins. Lipase is vital as it turns fat into a more soluble form, fatty acids and glycerol. Lipase can be found in the stomach, pancreas and mouth. It can help in the control of cholesterol and triglycerides (12). 

Cellulase is an enzyme that helps in the breakdown of cellulose and turns it into beta glucose. The beta glucose from cellulose is a slow release of energy which is provided for longer. Other key benefits of cellulase is that it reduces cholesterol and supports cell membranes in the fight against free radicals which improves immune response. 

Salt

Sodium chloride is otherwise known as salt. It is theorised that sodium chloride can help prevent cramps as the key mechanism in muscle contraction is the flooding of the action potential in the muscle membrane, and so if there is a sodium deficiency it may cause the muscle to cramp (13).

Stevia

Stevia does not have any nutritional benefits as it is a sweetener and sugar substitute extracted from the leaves of the plant species Stevia rebaudiana

This product contains ingredients that can help to recover and gain lean muscle mass. This product should be consumed 30g once a day with water. This product has no banned substances when referring to the WADA prohibited list when observing the label / ingredients posted on the website. 

*NOTE – This product has not been tested in a laboratory and may contain other substances that may not appear on the label

1 – Harada, S. I., & Rodan, G. A. (2003). Control of osteoblast function and regulation of bone mass. Nature, 423(6937), 349-355.

2 – Bogdanova, A., Makhro, A., Wang, J., Lipp, P., & Kaestner, L. (2013). Calcium in Red Blood Cells—A Perilous Balance. International journal of molecular sciences, 14(5), 9848-9872.

3 – Dhalla, N. S., Pierce, G. N., Panagia, V., Singal, P. K., & Beamish, R. E. (1982). Calcium movements in relation to heart function. Basic research in cardiology, 77(2), 117-139.

4 – Hawgood, S., Benson, B. J., & Hamilton Jr, R. L. (1985). Effects of a surfactant-associated protein and calcium ions on the structure and surface activity of lung surfactant lipids. Biochemistry, 24(1), 184-190.

5 – Berchtold, M. W., Brinkmeier, H., & Müntener, M. (2000). Calcium ion in skeletal muscle: its crucial role for muscle function, plasticity, and disease.Physiological reviews, 80(3), 1215-1265. 

6 – Shanahan, C. M., Crouthamel, M. H., Kapustin, A., & Giachelli, C. M. (2011). Arterial calcification in chronic kidney disease: key roles for calcium and phosphate. Circulation research, 109(6), 697-711.

7 – Jensen, C. D., Spiller, G. A., Gates, J. E., Miller, A. F., & Whittam, J. H. (1993). The effect of acacia gum and a water-soluble dietary fiber mixture on blood lipids in humans. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 12(2), 147-154.

8 – Akhtar, N. M., Naseer, R., Farooqi, A. Z., Aziz, W., & Nazir, M. (2004). Oral enzyme combination versus diclofenac in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee–a double-blind prospective randomized study. Clinical rheumatology,23(5), 410-415.`

9 – Battifora, H., & Kopinski, M. (1986). The influence of protease digestion and duration of fixation on the immunostaining of keratins. A comparison of formalin and ethanol fixation. Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry, 34(8), 1095-1100.

10 – Reed, C. E., & Kita, H. (2004). The role of protease activation of inflammation in allergic respiratory diseases. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,114(5), 997-1008.

11 – Manzoni, P., Mostert, M., Leonessa, M. L., Priolo, C., Farina, D., Monetti, C., … & Gomirato, G. (2006). Oral supplementation with Lactobacillus casei subspecies rhamnosus prevents enteric colonization by Candida species in preterm neonates: a randomized study. Clinical infectious diseases, 42(12), 1735-1742.

12- Applebaum-Bowden, D. (1995). Lipases and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase in the control of lipoprotein metabolism. Current opinion in lipidology, 6(3), 130-135.

13 – McCance, R. A. (1936). Experimental sodium chloride deficiency in man.Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences,119(814), 245-268.