One of the great things about Isagenix® is the variety of nutritional products we offer. The IsaLean™, IsaLean™ PRO and IsaPro™ Shakes are packed in the highest-quality whey protein and provide options that make living a healthy lifestyle delicious and easy. While it’s nice to have choices, making the right selection for your needs can sometimes be confusing. To clarify the differences between the Shakes and the best time to use each, it’s helpful to know how they came to be.
A brief history of the Isagenix Shakes
The IsaLean Shake was launched in 2002 and is the original Isagenix meal replacement, containing just 1000 kilojoules and a healthy balance of 24 grams of high-quality protein, 24 grams of low-glycemic carbohydrates, 8 grams of fibre and 6 grams of healthy fat. The majority of protein in the IsaLean Shake comes from undenatured whey, the form of protein optimal for torching fat and building lean muscle (1;2).
In response to accumulating evidence supporting the ability of whey protein to increase fat loss and prevent age-related muscle decline, IsaPro was launched. Unlike the IsaLean Shake, which is a complete meal replacement, IsaPro is a protein supplement with one scoop containing 18 grams of pure undenatured whey protein concentrate and being virtually free of carbohydrates and fat. To create a meal replacement even higher in whey protein, Isagenix users began adding one scoop of IsaPro to one and a half scoops of IsaLean Shake.
And that’s how the IsaLean PRO Shake was born!
Containing a whopping 36 grams of protein primarily from whey, this hybrid shake permitted even greater fat burning and muscle retention, helping users break through stubborn weight loss plateaus and maximise gains in hard-earned muscle. To make consuming IsaLean PRO easier, Isagenix soon created convenient single-serve packages of the IsaLean PRO Shake.
How and when to use the IsaLean and IsaLean PRO Shakes
The IsaLean and IsaLean PRO Shakes are ideal meal replacements because they contain the right type and amount of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and vitamins and minerals to promote healthy weight management and muscle maintenance, curb hunger and provide long-lasting energy. Although undenatured whey is the main type of protein in the Shakes, they also each contain undenatured milk protein concentrate, which together form a winning combination for eliciting weight loss and preserving muscle. Whey is the superior form of protein for burning fat (1) and triggering muscle growth (2), but the milk protein concentrate (made up mainly of casein) is more slowly absorbed from the stomach, providing a sustained release of protein to inhibit muscle breakdown and help you stay full longer (3).
Maximising satiety and preventing muscle breakdown over an extended period is a key function of a meal replacement, since time between meals can often exceed four hours. The combination of dairy proteins in the IsaLean and IsaLean PRO Shakes does exactly that, with satiety and prevention of energy crashes being further promoted by the low-glycemic carbohydrates, 8 grams of fibre and healthy fats from sources such as flaxseed and olive oil that are included in both Shakes.
So how do you decide which shake to use as your meal replacement? The answer to this depends partially on taste preference and personal goals. Both Shakes will provide quality protein and prolong feelings of fullness. But IsaLean PRO is a more specialised meal replacement option for those interested in reaping the benefits offered by additional dietary protein. Diets higher in protein are particularly beneficial for athletes interested in maximising muscle, older individuals wanting to preserve or build muscle and those looking for extra assistance in curbing hunger and breaking through weight loss plateaus.
How and when to use IsaPro alone – or with fruit
IsaPro can be added to anything, allowing users to benefit from the fat burning and muscle building powers of quality whey protein. The product was originally designed as a supplement to the IsaLean Shake and was not initially intended to be a stand-alone product. However, science evolves and so does creating and recommending products based on available evidence. As the science of sports nutrition has advanced, consistently showing the benefits of consuming pure whey protein directly after exercise, the potential of IsaPro to serve as a stand alone post-workout product became obvious.
Not only can IsaPro be added anywhere in the diet to boost daily protein intake (even right before bed to work as a Bedtime Belly Buster), but it really is the perfect post-workout Shake. After exercise, you want to get the right kind of protein, in the right amount, into your body as fast as possible. For a short period of time after a workout the body is unusually sensitive to nutrients – muscle is hungry for protein that will stimulate its growth and repair. The whey protein in IsaPro is the best form for triggering muscle growth because it’s high in branched-chain amino acids such as leucine and is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream for delivery to muscle (4).
In addition, IsaPro has no fat or fibre to compete with and slow down protein absorption. When a source of carbohydrates such as fruit – like a banana or strawberries – or orange juice, or Ionix Supreme, is added to IsaPro, the whey protein stimulates rapid and efficient replacement of the stored carbohydrates (glycogen) depleted during exercise (2).
Whatever your goals are, Isagenix has the right type of proteins and the right type of meal replacements for you to choose from to achieve those goals. It’s just up to you to make that health-benefiting choice.
References
1. Acheson KJ et al. Protein choices targeting thermogenesis and metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Mar;93(3):525-34. Epub 2011 Jan 12.
2. Hulmi JJ et al. Effect of protein/essential amino acids and resistance training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: A case for whey protein. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010 Jun 17;7:51.
3. Tang JE et al. Ingestion of whey hydrolysate, casein, or soy protein isolate: effects on mixed muscle protein synthesis at rest and following resistance exercise in young men. J Appl Physiol. 2009 Sep;107(3):987-92. Epub 2009 Jul 9.
4. van Loon LJ, Gibala MJ. Dietary protein to support muscle hypertrophy. Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. 2011;69:79-89; discussion 89-95. doi: 10.1159/000329287. Epub 2012 Jan 18.
