THE OVRL QUALITY STANDARD
Protein Quality Is More Than the Number of Grams on the Front of the Label
At OVRL, we believe that evaluating a protein solely by its total protein content gives an incomplete picture of its nutritional quality.
For physically active individuals, protein quality also depends on how much protein is delivered per serving, the essential amino acid profile, leucine content, digestibility, protein source, timing and total daily intake.
A high-quality protein should not simply allow a brand to place the word “protein” on a label. It should provide a meaningful amount of complete protein together with the essential amino acids required to support muscle protein synthesis.
This distinction is central to the way OVRL evaluates protein formulas.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand reviewed by Ralf Jäger, Jose Antonio and their co-authors emphasizes that protein ingestion and resistance exercise act synergistically, that rapidly digested proteins rich in essential amino acids and leucine are particularly effective at stimulating muscle protein synthesis, and that both daily protein intake and the composition of individual servings matter.
For OVRL, this means looking beyond one headline number and asking several questions:
How much protein does the serving actually provide?
How much leucine does it provide?
How many essential amino acids are present?
Is the amino acid profile disclosed?
Is the protein source appropriate for the intended use?
Does the serving meaningfully contribute to the athlete's total daily protein requirement?
That is the standard against which we believe a performance protein should be evaluated.
WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS
In 2007, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) published its first position stand devoted to the science and application of dietary protein intake. Subsequently, this paper has been accessed more than 200,000 times and continues to serve as a key reference on the topic. In the past ten years, there have been continued efforts to advance the science
and application of dietary protein intake for the benefit of athletes and fitness-minded individuals. This updated position stand includes new information and addresses the most important dietary protein categories that affect physically active individuals
across domains such as exercise performance, body composition, protein timing, recommended intakes, protein sources and quality, and the preparation methods of various proteins.
Thanks to seminal work by pioneering research groups, by the 1990’s it was clear that exercise and macronutrient consumption interact synergistically to provide a net anabolic effect far greater than either feeding or exercise alone. In the absence of feeding, muscle protein balance remains negative in response to an acute bout of resistance exercise. Tipton et al. were one of the first groups to illustrate that an acute feeding of amino acids significantly increases rates of muscle protein synthesis (MPS).
Later, Burd et al. indicated that the combination of acute, exhaustive resistance exercise increases the muscle’s anabolic responsiveness to whey protein provision for up to 24 h. In
addition to heightened anabolic sensitivity that stems from the combination of resistance exercise and protein/amino acid feeding, the importance of the EAAs with respect to muscle protein growth has also been elucidated. Tipton et al. first indicated that
nonessential amino acids were not necessary to stimulate MPS. Subsequently, these conclusions were supported by Borsheim and Volpi. The study by Borsheim also documented a dose-response outcome characterized by a near doubling of net protein balance in response to a three to six gram dose of the EAAs;
1. An acute exercise stimulus, particularly resistance exercise, and protein ingestion both stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and are synergistic when protein consumption occurs before or after resistance exercise.
2. For building muscle mass and for maintaining muscle mass through a positive muscle protein balance, an overall daily protein intake in the range of 1.4–2.0 g protein/kg body weight/day (g/kg/d) is sufficient for most exercising individuals, a value that falls in line within the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range published by the Institute of Medicine for protein.
3. Higher protein intakes (2.3–3.1 g/kg/d) may be needed to maximize the retention of lean body mass in resistance-trained subjects during hypocaloric periods.
4. There is novel evidence that suggests higher protein intakes (>3.0 g/kg/d) may have positive effects on body composition in resistance-trained individuals (i.e., promote loss of fat mass).
5. Recommendations regarding the optimal protein intake per serving for athletes to maximize MPS are mixed and are dependent upon age and recent resistance exercise stimuli.General recommendations are 0.25 g of a high-quality protein per kg of body weight, or an absolute dose of 20–40 g.
6. Acute protein doses should strive to contain 700–3000 mg of leucine and/or a higher relative leucine content, in addition to a balanced array of the essential amino acids (EAAs).
7. These protein doses should ideally be evenly distributed, every 3–4 h, across the day.
8. The optimal time period during which to ingest protein is likely a matter of individual tolerance, since benefits are derived from pre- or post-workout ingestion; however, the anabolic effect of exercise is long-lasting (at least 24 h), but likely diminishes with
increasing time post-exercise.
9. While it is possible for physically active individuals to obtain their daily protein requirements through the consumption of whole foods, supplementation is a practical way of ensuring intake of adequate protein quality and quantity, while minimizing caloric intake, particularly for athletes who typically complete high volumes of training.
10. Rapidly digested proteins that contain high proportions of essential amino acids (EAAs) and adequate leucine, are most effective in stimulating MPS.
11. Different types and quality of protein can affect amino acid bioavailability following protein supplementation.
12. Athletes should consider focusing on whole food sources of protein that contain all of the EAAs (i.e., it is the EAAs that are required to stimulate MPS).
13. Endurance athletes should focus on achieving adequate carbohydrate intake to promote optimal performance; the addition of protein may help to offset muscle damage and promote recovery.
14. Pre-sleep casein protein intake (30–40 g) provides increases in overnight MPS and metabolic rate without influencing lipolysis.”
PROTEIN TIMING
The “Anabolic Window” Is Wider Than a Few Minutes After Training
One especially useful part of this paper is the nuance around protein timing.
The authors acknowledge the value of consuming protein around training but do not reduce muscle growth to a narrow post-workout window.
They report that muscle can remain sensitized to protein feeding for at least 24 hours after resistance exercise.
They also state:
“At this point, whether any particular time of protein ingestion confers any unique advantage over other time points throughout a 24-h day to improve strength and hypertrophy has yet to be adequately investigated.”
This makes the practical message more nuanced.
Protein consumed near training can be useful, but total daily protein intake, protein quality and repeated protein feedings throughout the day remain fundamental.
The authors therefore recommend distributing appropriate protein servings approximately every three to four hours.
WHY THIS MATTERS
A Protein Shake Is Not Defined by Protein Quantity Alone
Two products may both be marketed as whey protein while providing different:
- amounts of protein per serving;
- concentrations of essential amino acids;
- leucine contents;
- digestion characteristics;
- calorie profiles;
- levels of formulation transparency.
The ISSN paper shows why those differences matter.
Its position does not support judging a protein only by the largest number printed on the front of the package.
Instead, the evidence points toward a combination of factors:
total daily protein intake
meaningful protein quantity per serving
essential amino acid availability
adequate leucine
high-quality protein sources
appropriate distribution across the day
resistance exercise
And importantly, the paper also rejects an oversimplified interpretation of protein supplementation.
A whey shake does not independently “build muscle.”
Resistance exercise creates the training stimulus. Adequate nutrition provides the amino acids and energy necessary to support recovery and adaptation.
HOW OVRL APPLIES THIS STANDARD
Protein Quantity, Leucine and Essential Amino Acids Are Declared — Not Hidden Behind the Word “Whey”
Several characteristics of OVRL's whey formulations align directly with the nutritional principles discussed in the ISSN position stand.
OVRL Whey Protein ISO — Chocolate Royal
Per serving, the formula provides:
23 g protein
4.18 g leucine
15 g essential amino acids
7.9 g BCAAs
The 23 g protein serving falls within the ISSN's general 20–40 g per-serving recommendation for high-quality protein.
The formula also declares its leucine and EAA content rather than requiring the consumer to assume amino acid quality from total protein alone.
Its 15 g of EAAs sits at the upper end of the 9–15 g EAA range discussed in the research reviewed by Jäger and colleagues in relation to increased net protein accretion around resistance exercise.
Its declared 4.18 g of leucine also demonstrates the high relative leucine content of the serving.
This does not mean that OVRL Whey Protein ISO itself was tested in the studies reviewed in this position stand. Rather, its declared nutritional profile can be compared transparently with the nutritional characteristics emphasized by the authors.
OVRL Pure Whey 100 — French Vanilla Cream
Per current OVRL product information, Pure Whey 100 provides:
22 g protein per serving
14 g essential amino acids per serving
The 22 g protein dose also falls within the ISSN's general 20–40 g protein per-serving range.
Its declared 14 g EAA profile falls within the range of EAA quantities discussed in the research reviewed by the position stand.
As a whey-based protein, it also belongs to the category described by the authors as rapidly digested and naturally rich in essential amino acids.
Again, this correspondence should be understood as a comparison between the characteristics of the OVRL formulation and principles described in independent research, not as evidence that Jäger, Antonio or the ISSN tested or endorse OVRL products.
DAILY INTAKE STILL MATTERS
One Serving Is Part of the Strategy — Not the Entire Strategy
An important part of the OVRL Quality Standard is not overstating what one serving of whey can accomplish.
The ISSN recommends a total daily intake of approximately:
1.4–2.0 g protein/kg/day
for most exercising individuals seeking to build or maintain muscle mass.
For an 80 kg athlete, this corresponds to approximately:
112–160 g of protein per day.
A 22–23 g serving of OVRL whey therefore contributes meaningfully toward this daily intake, but it does not replace a complete nutrition strategy.
Similarly, the paper's recommendation of approximately 0.25 g/kg per serving would correspond to around:
20 g for an 80 kg individual.
Both OVRL whey servings exceed this example amount.
However, the authors explicitly state that optimal serving requirements vary according to factors such as age, body weight and recent resistance exercise, so one fixed serving should not be presented as universally optimal for every athlete.
RESEARCH AT A GLANCE
Lead author: Ralf Jäger
Senior author: Jose Antonio
Publication: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Year: 2017
Article type: International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand
Primary population addressed: Healthy, exercising individuals, athletes and fitness-minded individuals
Primary research areas reviewed: Exercise performance, muscle protein synthesis, body composition, protein timing, daily protein requirements, per-serving protein intake, protein quality, essential amino acids, leucine, protein sources and pre-sleep protein intake
General daily protein recommendation: 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day for most exercising individuals
General serving recommendation: Approximately 0.25 g/kg or 20–40 g of high-quality protein
Leucine recommendation: 700–3000 mg per acute dose and/or a higher relative leucine content
Protein distribution: Approximately every 3–4 hours
Key protein characteristic: Rapid digestion combined with high EAA and adequate leucine content
Key physiological outcome: Muscle protein synthesis
Important qualification: Optimal intake depends on factors including age, body size, exercise stimulus, overall diet and total daily protein intake.
READ THE ORIGINAL RESEARCH
International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise
Jäger, R., Kerksick, C. M., Campbell, B. I., Cribb, P. J., Wells, S. D., Skwiat, T. M., Purpura, M., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Ferrando, A. A., Arent, S. M., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Stout, J. R., Arciero, P. J., Ormsbee, M. J., Taylor, L. W., Wilborn, C. D., Kalman, D. S., Kreider, R. B., Willoughby, D. S., Hoffman, J. R., Krzykowski, J. L., & Antonio, J.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Volume 14, Article 20 (2017)
Published: 20 June 2017
DOI: 10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
Licence: CC BY 4.0 — Open Access