Faster digesting protein is desirable immediately before and after exercise to help fuel recovering muscles, but slow digestion and absorption may be more beneficial at other times - including bedtime when your body typically goes for hours without food. Casein proteins are acid sensitive and tend to thicken in the stomach. Compared to some other proteins, it can take longer for our Gold Standard 100% Casein to be broken down into its amino acid subcomponents. Gold Standard 100% Casein is also free of artificial flavors, sweeteners, and synthetic colors and uses only protein from premium micellar casein to create a protein formula that’s truly time-released.