Kaged Protein Isolate Elite vs Whey Protein Isolate: Which One Is Best

Since the launch of the Kaged Elite Series, we have gotten a lot of questions about the differences between some of our Elite Series products and our other products.

At the time of the launch, we covered it in this article on the Kaged Elite Series vs other Kaged supplements.

Today we want to dive into everything you need to know about Whey Protein Isolate and Protein Isolate Elite.

First, Let’s Talk About The Similarities

These proteins, like all Kaged supplements, are held to the highest standards.

Banned Substance Tested

That means they’re both third-party tested for banned substances and Informed Sport Certified.

Whether you’re an athlete who competes or just wants to know you’re only putting the best in your body, both have the third-party certification you can trust.

Informed Protein Certified

With our proteins, we opt to go above and beyond our usual, already strict, testing. Many protein powders lie about their protein content. A recent survey of 61 protein supplements showed that ~25% had less protein than what the label claimed.

All Kaged protein powders are Informed Protein Certified, which means you can trust that what's on the label is what you'll get in every scoop.

Helps You Build Muscle, Increase Strength, and Recover Faster*

Next, the core reason to take each of these protein powders is the same. They’ll both help you get extra protein into your diet in a convenient way. This can help you build more muscle, increase strength, and recover faster from your training.*

There’s a reason that protein powders are a staple of elite athletes.

Both Focus on Absorption

With each, we know that you want a protein that can get easily absorbed and that’s stomach-friendly.

Protein Isolate Elite contains a patented form of whey protein isolate called ioWhey® Protein Isolate. Compared to standard whey, ioWhey® has shown…

103% increased leucine bioavailability*
111% increased BCAA bioavailability*
123% increased EAA bioavailability*

This means you absorb more of the key amino acids that fuel your muscles.*

In addition to ioWhey®, Protein Isolate Elite contains another ingredient for absorption, which we’ll talk about in the differences section.

Whey Protein Isolate takes a different approach, with the inclusion of ProHydrolase® digestive enzymes to help keep it easy on the stomach.

Always Ultrafiltered and 100% Isolate

Both proteins use 100% isolate proteins, never concentrate. We talk about why this is important in this article on whey protein concentrate vs isolate.

To sum it up, isolate protein has more protein by weight, and less sugar, fat, and other fillers. It’s just a cleaner, better option in our opinion.

So why do many brands use protein concentrate? Two reasons. First, it’s cheaper. Second, due to the extra fat and sugar, it’s easier to make it taste good. This brings us to our final point.

Tastes Great

What really makes Kaged proteins stand out? We’ve developed protein powders with the highest quality ingredients, and they taste great. We know that’s a rare combination to come by.

In you try our proteins for yourself and don’t love them, they’re backed by our 60-day return policy.

With that said, we believe Protein Isolate Elite we believe tastes even better. Why? Well, this begins to get into the differences.

The Differences Between Whey Protein Isolate and Protein Isolate Elite

100% Whey vs a Blend of Isolate Proteins

In Whey Protein Isolate the only protein source is whey protein isolate. Specifically the high-absorption form, ioWhey® Protein Isolate.

This is a fast-digesting protein, so it’s ideal when you need a quick hit of amino acids.

In contrast, Protein Isolate Elite contains a precise ratio of three different isolate proteins.

15g ioWhey® Protein Isolate
5g of Micellar Casein Isolate
5g of milk protein isolate.

Why three kinds? The key is that each of these has a different digestion rate.

Whey Isolate = Fast Digesting

Micellar Casein = Medium Digesting

Milk Isolate = Slow Digesting

This TRISOLATE® Protein Matrix has a great ratio of fast, medium, and slow digesting proteins for muscle building and recovery.

Fast-Digesting vs Sustained Amino Acid Release

This means that while Whey Protein Isolate will give you all fast-digesting protein, Protein Isolate Elite with gives you a blend, for sustained amino acid release.

Which one is better? It depends. Over the last few years, the idea of the “post-workout window” has come under scientific scrutiny. It’s not clear how important it is to get a lot of amino acids as soon as possible after training, or if, as long as you get your protein within a few hours, you’ll have a similar muscle-building effect.

So we built Protein Isolate Elite to be great any time of day. You can take it post-workout, as it has 15g of fast-digesting ioWhey® Protein Isolate. It’s also great to start your day or as a midday snack to give your body the protein to help you stay satiated in between meals.

MAXCatalyst™ For Absorption*

Another key difference is that Protein Isolate Elite contains MAXCatalyst™, a patented ingredient from black pepper extract that has been shown to improve the absorption of nutrients, including amino acids. This supports absorption, ensuring more of the amino acids make it to your muscles.*

Taste, Texture, and Flavor Differences

Finally, let’s talk about taste. We think Protein Isolate Elite is our best-tasting protein yet. Why? Well, a common complaint of milk and casein proteins is the thickness. And a common complaint of whey isolate is that it’s not creamy enough.

As mentioned, some brands “solve” this by using lower-quality proteins that are higher in fat and sugar. We solved it by finding the right mix of isolate proteins, and we think you’ll love the creamy texture and flavor of Protein Isolate Elite.

If you want something less creamy and thick, then Whey Protein Isolate is for you.

We also make each of these proteins in different flavors.

Protein Isolate Elite comes in Chocolate, Vanilla, and Cookies N’ Cream.

Whey Protein Isolate comes in Chocolate, Vanilla, and Chocolate Peanut Butter.