BioLife Nutrition Steel Meal

Current products on the market that use this superior form of protein do not tell you how much of it they contain. Why? Because they don’t have to! What the other manufacturers won’t tell you is that there is barely enough micellar casein in their product to list it as an ingredient. We are telling you that micellar casein makes up our entire protein source! 20 grams of it per scoop! For a thorough description of what micellar casein is and why we use it in our product please read the complete product information for our groundbreaking product, Steel Meal.

The sole protein source in Steel Meal is micellar casein. Micellar casein is a relatively new protein that is quickly proving it’s superiority in the nutrition industry. The production process is at the leading edge of food technology and provides a natural and gentle removal of all whey protein peptides and lactose, leaving a pure micellar casein fraction. That’s right, no lactose! Other manufacturers will avoid using this protein source due to its expensive nature and cost limitations, instead choosing a cheaper and less absorbable form of protein.

What is micellar casein? A little background on casein proteins will tell you that all caseins are naturally found in milk. Milk contains two major groups of proteins, the casein peptides and the whey peptides. Casein in its natural form exists as in a micellar structure, meaning that several smaller protein molecules have joined one another to form a larger molecule. Casein has 5 such smaller proteins that join forces to create a much bigger and soluble molecule we refer to as micellar casein. This casein micelle is made predominantly of the alpha, beta and kappa casein subunits (and a much smaller amount of the gamma and delta caseins) attached to form one big protein molecule. Think of this casein micelle as a bowl of spaghetti and meat balls. The spaghetti represents the peptide chains of the various casein subunits and the meatballs represent the calcium phosphate clusters that bond everything together. What you have is a highly complex protein supermolecule that is meant to exist just as it is, in natural form. Removing any part of this large protein complex destroys the micellar structure and you no longer have “micellar” casein. This is where many nutrition companies capitalize on your lack of understanding. They are betting that you will read things like “casein”, “caseinates” or “calcium caseinate” and think micellar casein. These are not the same thing! Caseinates are casein proteins that have been treated, usually with sprayed calcium buffers, to make them soluble in water. It is important to note that it is impossible to reconstruct a casein micelle by taking individual portions of it and treating them with various acids or buffers. Once the casein micelle has been denatured it is no longer micellar casein. Why does any of this matter? For one simple reason. All of the benefits regarding micellar casein have only been shown to occur with micellar casein, not with casein or caseinates.

Why is micellar casein different than other forms of protein found today? Micellar casein is a highly absorbable, undenatured protein providing slower absorption and longer duration than other protein sources (like whey or caseinates). Recent research has shown micellar casein to inhibit muscle breakdown by 34% over a 7 hour period when compared to whey protein. It has also been demonstrated that after ingestion of micellar casein blood plasma amino acid levels remained significantly higher over a 7 hour period when compared to whey. Micellar casein's ability to provide such a lengthy release of amino acids is due to its unique molecular micelle formulation. The micelle characteristics provide a unique angle to the digestive process and makes micellar casein more completely digested than other protein sources. Micellar casein is easily digested and the occurrence of bloating and gastrointestinal upset are much less than that of whey and other “proprietary protein blends” used by many other manufacturers. Micellar casein produces great overall muscle growth and maintenance because it provides a constant supply of amino acids to repair muscle tissue unlike any other. Read the studies of you don’t believe it. Keep in mind that these results were exclusive to micellar casein; not whey, casein or caseinates.

Micellar casein has solid research behind it and is living up to the hype. The bottom line is that micellar casein is a superior protein source with anti-catabolic properties far greater than any other available protein sources to date. Why waste your time and money drinking anything else?

Steel Meal contains fat solely in the form of BioLife’s exclusive MCT10:8TM medium chain triglycerides. Due to their unique digestion characteristics MCTs do not store as bodyfat like other types of dietary fats. MCTs are a beneficial fat source that can be utilized as energy by the body much quicker and easier than other forms of fat. Our exclusive MCT technology provides a highly efficient source of energy in a very small amount of time, ready for your body to burn as fuel. Think of MCTs as octane booster for your body, providing that additional source of boost when you need it most.

MCTs have been recognized in clinical trials for their ability to increase fat oxidation and increase energy expenditure. Research has shown that individuals who consumed dietary MCTs burned more energy and oxidized more fat than those who consumed similar amounts of common dietary fats. Additionally, MCTs are now being correlated with a greater loss of adipose tissue and quicker satiety (the feeling of fullness) during meals. It is because of these results that researchers are calling MCTs “the fatless fat” and expanding the practical applications of MCT use in nutrition. MCTs are also being further studied as an obesity preventative and weight gain management tool.

Due to their unique formulation MCTs are also proving to be an advantage to those with digestive problems. MCTs are gentle on the stomach and easily processed while other sources of fat like flax or sunflower oil can cause bloating and discomfort during digestion. Few manufacturers use MCTs in their products because they are more than 10 times the cost of other fats. Our exclusive MCT10:8TM contains a higher ratio of C10 to C8 triglycerides which provides a unique level of digestibility compared to other MCT sources. Since they do not require the same enzymes as other types of fat and are easily digested, MCTs provide an efficient source of calories to those with digestive issues.