Breaking Down The Six Types Of Protein In Mdrive Start

Cecile Kehoe
Founder & Chief Science Officer, DreamBrands

Why did we put six (not just two or three) types of protein in Mdrive Start?

Well, not only to have a truly unique product but because we believe that each and every one of these protein sources add their own benefits, and together, they do much more for your health than each one would alone.

Read on to learn about each type of protein and its unique benefits. We'll also discuss blending different protein types and whether there is any research showing the advantages.

Whey Protein: King Of Them All

Whey protein is the heart of the product. We use a unique type of whey called Native Whey Protein Isolate in Mdrive Start.

I hope you agree that protein is an important element in your everyday diet. It is an essential building block for muscle, bone and tissues. If you exercise, you need protein to build and repair muscle damage. As you age, you lose muscle mass and really need protein to help counter that loss.

Most research shows that whey protein is the preferred form of protein, especially for body-builders. It is a complete, high-quality protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids. Whey protein is also a fast-digesting protein.

The protein in Mdrive Start is not your everyday whey protein. Mdrive Start contains a unique whey protein isolate that is extracted from milk using a cold filtration method. The milk is collected from dairy farms that use high-quality farming practices and never uses artificial growth hormones. Why is this so important? Well, this filtration method preserves the whole protein (95% pure protein) while reducing other residues that may be found in proteins made from a harsh processing method.

The native whey protein in Mdrive Start also contains up to 17% more leucine. Leucine is an essential amino acid which is the most abundant of the BCAAs or branched chain amino acids in muscles. BCAAs are three amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine) essential to muscle growth. Increasing blood levels of leucine is key to building muscle.

There are several clinical studies on this unique whey isolate. These studies show benefits including:

• Efficient digestibility and absorption
• Ability to increase muscle power and reduce muscle fatigue
• Increased muscle protein synthesis and recovery in older men^1,2,3,4,5

Four Vegetable Proteins: What The Good Earth Has To Offer

Vegetable proteins have a slower digestibility and absorption profile for a more sustained protein release. It is good to have both fast and slower release proteins in a product.

Since vegetable proteins may be deficient in certain amino acids (using whey protein as the gold standard), we use a mix of four vegetable sources to make a complete protein. They are more nutrient dense and contain higher levels of fiber and antioxidants. Let’s look at each of these four proteins in more detail.

Fava Bean Protein

Fava beans are legumes. They are packed with nutrients and chock full of protein. The protein is easily digestible, low in fat and sodium and has a good amino acid profile.⁶

Fava bean protein can aid in weight loss and promote healthy muscle maintenance and growth.

Pea Protein

Pea protein powder is becoming quite popular for vegan protein formulas. It is usually made from ground yellow peas.

It contains all nine essential amino acids. It is a great source of branched-chain amino acids and is high in arginine and iron. It also is easily digestible.

Pea protein is shown to help maintain heart health, help you feel full and boost muscle growth.⁷

Rice Protein

Though we know rice for its carbohydrates content, it also contains protein. It is high in sulfur-containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine but low in lysine so it is the perfect complement to pea protein which is low in cysteine and methionine but high in lysine.

As with all proteins, rice protein helps with feeling full and boosting exercise performance.⁸

Mung Bean Protein

Mung beans are protein and nutrient dense. Like fava beans, they are legumes. They are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Mung beans are great for digestive health with their high fiber and resistant starch content.

The referenced clinical trial showed that mung bean protein improved muscular strength in vegetarian adults.⁹

Collagen: Skin And Hair Health

Mdrive Start contains hydrolyzed protein. Hydrolyzed collagen contains type I and type III collagen. The protein in collagen is broken down into smaller peptides for easier absorption. There are studies showing that other than the muscle building claims, collagen also helps with improvements in skin elasticity and appearance.¹⁰

Combining Different Types Of Protein

There are clinical papers showing that using different dietary proteins provides various benefits. Protein combinations with a range of digestion rates produce superior gains in muscle mass compared with a single protein source. Protein digestion rates influence protein retention.^11,12

A blended protein supplement containing sufficient essential amino acid content, several digestion rates, and a prolonged amino acid delivery clearly promotes muscle protein synthesis during postexercise recovery.¹³

Mdrive Start combines 6 different protein sources in one great tasting protein powder.

References

1. Garcia-Vicencio, S., Ratel. S., Gryson, C., Masgrau, A., Piponnier, E., Brasy, J., Le Ruyet, P., Bucas, M.,Barachon, N., Visseaux, V., Connan, Y., Montel, F., Lahaye, C., Boirie, Y., Martin, V., “A Moderate Supplementation of Native Whey Protein Promotes Better Muscle Training and Recovery Adaptations Than Standard Whey Protein – A 12-Week Electrical Stimulation and Plyometrics Training Study”, Frontiers in Physiology (2018) Vol 9, Article 1312, 12 pages
2. Walrand, S., Gryson, C., Salles, J., Giraudet, C., Migne, C., Bonhomme, C., Le Ruyet, P., Boirie, Y., “Fast-digestive protein supplement for ten days overcomes muscle anabolic resistance in healthy men”, Clinical Nutrition, (2016) 35 pp 660-668
3. Hamarsland, H., Nordengen, A., L., Aas, S., N., Holte, K., Garthe, I., Paulsen, G., Cotter, M., Borsheim, E., Benestad, H., B., Raastad, T., “Native whey protein with high levels of leucine results in similar post-exercise muscular anabolic responses as regular whey protein; a randomized controlled trial”, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, (2017) 4:43 12 pages
4. Gryson, C., Walrand, S., Giraudet, C., Rousset, P., Migne, C., Bonhomme, C., Le Ruyet., Boirie, Y., “Fast proteins” with a unique essential amino acid content as an optimal nutrition in the elderly; Growing evidence”, Clinical Nutrition (2014) 33 pp 642-648
5. Schnebelen-Berthier, C., Baudry, C., Clerc, E., Jaruga, A., Le Ruyet, P., Lecerf, J-M., “Effect of supplementing meals with soluble milk proteins on plasma leucine levels in healthy older people: A randomized pilot study”, Nutrition and Ageing, (2015) 3 PP 139-146
6. Labba, I-C, M., Frokiaer, H., Sandberg, A-S., “Nutritional and antinutritional composition of fava bean (Vicia faba L., var. minor) cultivars”, Food Research International, 140 (2021) 110038
7. Babault, N., Paizis, C., Deley, G., Guerin-Deremaux, L., Saniez, M-H., Lefranc-Millot, C., Allaert, F., A., “Pea proteins oral supplementation promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial vs. whey protein”, jissn (2015) 12:3
8. Joy, J., M., Lowery, R., P., Wilson, J., M., Purpura, M., De Souza, E., O., Wilson, S., MC., Kalman, D., S., Dudeck, J., E., Jager, R., “The effects of 8 weeks of whey or rice protein supplementation on body composition and exercise performance”, Nutrition Journal, 2013 12:86
9. Bartholomae, E., Incollingo, A., Vizaino, M., Wharton, C., Johnston, C.S., “Mung Bean Protein Supplement Improves Muscular Strength in Healthy, Underactive Vegetarian Adults”, nutrients 2019, 11, 2433
10. de Miranda, R., B., Weimer, P., Rossi, R., C., “Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systemic review and meta-analysis”, International Journal of Dermatology, 2021, 60, 1449-1461
11. Paul, G., L., “The Rationale for Consuming Protein Blends in Sports Nutrition”, Journal of the American College of Nutrition (2009) vol. 28 no.4 464S-472S
12. Reidy, P.T., Walker, D.K., Dickinson, J., M., Gundemann, D., M., Drummond, M., J., Timmerman, Fry, C., S., Borack, M., B., Cope, M, B., Mukherjea, R., Jennings, K., Volpi, E., Rasmussen, B., B, “Protein Blend Ingestion Following Resistance Exercise Promotes Human Muscle Protein Synthesis”, The Journal of Nutrition (2013)
13. Reidy, P.T., Walker, D.K., Dickinson, j., M., Gundemann, D., M., Drummond, M., J., Timmerman, K., L., Cope, M., B., Mukherjea, R., Jennings, K., Volpi, E., Rasmussen, B., B., “Soy-dairy protein blend and whey protein ingestion after resistance exercise increases amino acid transport and transporter expression in human skeletal muscle”, Journal of Applied Physiology 2014, Jun 1: 116 (11) 1353-1364