Last month I finally bit the bullet and picked up some casein protein to take before bed. The one I bought was Reflex Micellar Casein. From the research I did, Reflex Micellar Casein was the one most people were recommending and was the cheapest in price (only by a few dollars, but a few dollars is a few dollars!).
The first thing I noticed about Reflex Micellar Casein compared to my regular whey protein (Optimum Nutrition Whey) is that it was thicker and needed more water to mix with it. I think this is because it’s more like milk than whey, thus is thicker. When I started taking casein before bed I started to sleep a lot better! This is because it makes you feel full when you go to sleep, and I was drifting off like a baby. I also found that I was not as hungry when I woke up in the morning (I am an ectomorph, super high metabolism!).
Here are the results, as far as weight gain and muscle building. When I test supplements I keep all other conditions the same. Same workout, same diet, same # of calories etc. I tested casein for 1 month and found that I gained 2lbs of extra weight while taking it (when compared to taking whey before bed). I also found that muscle soreness started to decrease. Meaning, I was still getting sore..but I was not staying sore for as long. This is a definite sign that the slow release of Reflex Micellar Casein was aiding in muscle repair.
The conclusion? I love it. It’s not expensive, you only take it once a day so even a 900g tub lasts for ages, and of course it improved weight gain — which is a big thing for me being a natural ectomorph!
