Muscle Milk-vs-Syntha 6

Syntha-6 has protein, carbohydrates and fat to promote recovery and muscle growth. Muscle Milk, another protein supplement, has the same components, but in different ratios. The usefulness of each product depends not only upon where they fit in your diet and training program, but when you consume them. Consult a health-care professional before using any dietary supplement.

Syntha-6

Syntha-6 by BSN has 200 calories per serving. It contains 6 g of fat, 14 g of carbohydrates and 22 g of protein. The protein is a blend of whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, calcium caseinate, micellar casein, milk protein isolate and egg albumin. The fat in Syntha-6 is predominantly from sunflower oil and medium-chain triglycerides, which are healthy fat sources. The carbohydrates are easily digestible mono and di-glycerides, which are very simple sugars.

Muscle Milk

Muscle Milk, produced by Cytosport, has 300 calories per serving. It contains 12 g of fat, 16 g of carbohydrates and 32 g of protein. The protein is a blend of calcium and sodium caseinate, milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, whey peptides and lactoferrin. The fat in Muscle Milk comes primarily from medium-chain triglycerides, but also from sunflower and canola oils. The carbohydrates are from maltodextrin and fructose. Maltodextrin is a quickly digested sugar, while fructose is a slowly digesting sugar.

Syntha-6 Benefits and Limits

The protein in Syntha-6 is a well-rounded protein suitable for use any time of the day. Syntha-6 has far less fat than Muscle Milk, and all of it from useful and healthy sources. The carbohydrates in Syntha-6 are very quickly digesting, making them ideal for post-workout consumption. The fact that the sugars are so quickly processed makes Syntha-6 a less-than-ideal choice for long-term energy. This can be worked around by consuming additional, slowly digesting carbohydrates such as strawberries or blueberries.

Muscle Milk Benefits and Limits

The protein in Muscle Milk is a slowly digesting blend of predominantly milk proteins. This will give you a slow release of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. The fat in Muscle Milk is boosted with canola oil, which is not as healthy as the fats in Syntha-6, and predominantly saturated in nature. The carbohydrates in Muscle Milk are digested far more slowly than those in Syntha-6. Because of the higher fat content and slowly processing carbohydrates, Muscle Milk is far less suited for post-workout nutrition and far more suited to providing lasting energy and amino acids throughout the day.