Most people have heard of whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate, whereas hydrolyzed whey protein (also referred to as whey protein hydrolysate) tends to remain something of a mystery to most people. Not after reading this article, however. Now you’ll finally discover what hydrolyzed whey protein is and why it’s different to any other type of whey protein.

What does hydrolyzed mean?

Without getting too Einstein about it, when protein has been hydrolyzed, this means it’s amino acids and peptides have been broken down into smaller (simpler) pieces – a process which emulates part digestion.

Simple enough…

But what good is pre-digested whey protein?

Here’s the reasoning behind it: despite whey protein being the most digestible (highest BV) protein, and the fastest digestible protein – it still needs to be digested (broken down into smaller components before it’s used). Hydrolyzed whey protein is protein which has gone through a refining process (partly broken down) to make it even more digestible on the whole, and faster digesting, further improving it’s effectiveness at building muscle mass.

What else should I know about hydrolyzed whey protein?

Hydrolyzed whey protein tends to be the most expensive type of whey protein, and because it’s gone through hydrolysis, it tends to leave it tasting very bitter. Most supplement companies who deal in high end whey protein products tend to mix hydrolyzed whey protein with non-hydrolyzed whey protein isolate or concentrate, which eliminates the bitter taste, gives you more variety in the whey protein you are taking in (always a good thing) and most practical of all: it means the price is more affordable.