Whey protein digests rapidly and micellar casein takes a lot longer to be broken down into its amino acid subcomponents. Both types of protein have their place in the supplementation strategies of hard-training adults, but a study presented at Experimental Biology 2012 suggests an alternative.

Researchers found that a protein shake composed of 50% casein, 25% soy isolates and 25% whey isolates prolonged the delivery of amino acids when consumed post-workout. Analyzing the response on 19 young recreationally active adults, they found that this custom protein blend provided a constant supply of amino acids for the longest period of time.

True Strength Moment: Whether this blend produces similar results for older athletes or active adults who engage in different types of exercise is unknown. Recreating the formula is easy enough for anyone with an electric blender or shaker cup to experiment with. But don’t stop there. Go to OptimumSmoothie.com and surf an extensive database of free protein smoothie recipes.