Whey Concentrate, Isolate, Hydrolysate

You have started working on gaining muscle or losing fat and want to increase the protein intake in your diet.
You’ve been told that adding whey protein powder to your diet would help in muscle building and repair. However, you are confused about the difference between whey concentrate, whey isolate and whey hydrolysate and which one would be the right choice for you.
To choose the right one, it is important to know the difference between the 3 forms of whey protein. But first, let us explain what whey protein is and how it is made.
Cow’s milk contains 2 types of protein i.e. Casein (80%) and Whey (20%). When enzymes are added to the milk for making cheese, the curds (casein) and whey separate. Whey protein is the watery part of milk. Whey protein is further processed and dried to create whey protein powder.

The percentage of protein in whey concentrate varies from 35-80%. The rest of it is made up of fats, carbohydrates and lactose. It is the least processed form of whey.
It takes longer to absorb (as compared to isolate and hydrolysate) due to the presence of lactose and fats.
Whey protein concentrate is suitable for general people who are not lactose intolerant. It is the cheapest form of whey protein as concentrate whey is the least processed.

Whey isolate is made up of 90-95% protein. It is made by micro-filtering and ultra-filtering whey concentrate to remove lactose and carbs from it.
The absorption of whey isolate is faster than whey concentrate as it contains the minimum amount of lactose.
Whey isolate is suitable for people with lactose intolerance. It is more expensive than whey concentrate due to its higher protein content and more processing.

Whey hydrolysate contains 99% protein. Whey protein isolate is further processed by exposing it to enzymes to break down the long protein chains into shorter chains called peptides. This process is also called ‘pre-digestion’. Pre-digestion makes it easier for people with digestive problems to consume whey.
Due to pre-digestion, the amino acids to be absorbed from the protein are absorbed at a much higher rate as compared to other forms of protein. This is why whey hydrolysate is preferred by athletes who train rigorously for quick recovery.
It is the costliest form of whey protein and tastes bitter. It is also less allergenic as compared to other forms of whey protein.

Whey concentrate is the least processed and whey hydrolysate is the most processed. Whey hydrolysate has the highest protein content.
You can go ahead with whey isolate if you are lactose intolerant. Otherwise, you can stick to whey concentrate as it provides a similar amount of protein at a cheaper price.
Whey concentrate is suitable for you if you are training for a couple of hours daily. Whey hydrolysate is preferred by athletes or people with digestive problems.

In a nutshell, choosing the right form of whey protein will depend on the level of training you are doing and your ability to digest it.