PROTEIN INNOVATION
Research backing up the whey that’s right for you
Whey is a protein-rich liquid component of milk that is produced as a byproduct of the cheese-making process. When the water, fat, and lactose are removed from whey through various processes, the result is a whey protein concentrate or whey protein isolate, which usually takes a powdered form.
Whey protein is also extremely versatile. It is used in powdered drink mixes, sports bars, meal replacement shakes, healthy baked goods, flavored waters, and many other products. Including whey protein in your daily diet with such products is one of the best ways to increase your overall health and well-being. Whey protein is the ultimate “functional food”.
Whey protein comprises a full range of elements scientifically researched and clinically demonstrated to have a beneficial impact upon the well-being of people of varying ages, lifestyles, levels of physical activity and overall health.
WEIGHT LOSS
Whey Protein Reduces Appetite and Food Intake Compared to Other Proteins
A series of four studies conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto investigated the effects of different types of proteins on appetite and food consumption.
They found that whey protein and soy protein suppressed voluntary food consumption one hour later, while egg protein did not. Only whey protein consumed as either the intact protein or as peptides, suppressed food consumption a full two hours later. Soy protein did not.
Research Summary: Whey protein reduces appetite and voluntary eating more effectively than egg and soy proteins.
Whey Protein Reduces Weight Gain
This study investigated whether feeding insulin-resistant rats a high-protein diet (32%) containing whey protein concentrate would reduce body weight and tissue lipid levels and increase insulin sensitivity more than a diet containing red meat. Rats were fed a high-fat diet (300 g fat/kg diet) for nine weeks, then switched to a diet containing either 80 or 320 g protein/kg, provided by either whey protein or red meat, for 6 weeks. The rats were then killed after overnight food deprivation.
High dietary protein reduced energy intake and visceral, subcutaneous, and carcass fat. Increasing the dietary density of whey protein, but not of red meat, reduced body weight gain by four percent. Dietary whey protein also reduced plasma insulin concentration by 40 percent and increased insulin sensitivity, compared to red meat.
Research Summary: These findings support the conclusions that whey protein is more effective than red meat in reducing body weight gain and that increasing insulin sensitivity and a high-protein diet reduces energy intake and adiposity.
Whey Protein Consumed Before a Meal Increases Fullness and Controls Hunger This study investigated the effects of two milk protein types, casein and whey, on food intake and subjective ratings of hunger and fullness, and on postprandial metabolite and gastrointestinal hormone responses. Two studies were undertaken.
The first study showed that "ad libitum" (or "all you can eat") energy intake from a buffet meal was significantly less 90 minutes after a liquid preload containing 48 g whey, compared with an equivalent casein preload.
In the second study, the same whey preload led to a 28 percent increase in postprandial plasma amino acid concentrations over three hours compared with casein. Blood levels of three satiety hormones-cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide were increased by 60, 65, and 36 percent respectively following the whey preload compared with the casein. The whey preload also slowed the rate of stomach emptying compared to casein. In addition, greater subjective satiety followed the whey test meal.
Research Summary: These results implicate post-absorptive increases in satiety hormones as potential mediators of the increased satiety response to whey and emphasize the importance of considering the impact of protein type on the appetite response to a mixed meal.
MUSCLE MAKING & STRENGTH BUILDING
A Better "Whey" to Muscle Gains and Fat Loss
This study compared the effects of supplementation with hydrolyzed whey isolate and casein (another dairy protein) on strength, body composition, and plasma glutamine levels during a 10-week resistance-training program. Thirteen men supplemented their normal diet with either whey or casein for the duration of the program. Maximum strength in three lifts, body fat percentage, and plasma glutamine levels were assessed in the week before and the week following training. Members of the whey group gained 11 pounds of lean mass and lost more than three pounds of fat, on average, while members of the casein group gained only two pounds of lean mass and lost no body fat.
The whey group also achieved significantly greater improvements in strength compared to the casein group in all three lifts.
Research Summary: Whey protein supplementation significantly increases muscle mass gains, body fat loss, and strength increases resulting from resistance exercise compared to casein supplementation.
Combined Whey and Creatine Supplementation after Resistance Exercise Maximizes Muscle Gains
This study investigated the effects of various supplements on strength, body composition, and glutamine levels in resistance-trained men. Thirty-three resistance-trained men were matched for strength and placed into one of four groups: creatine/carbohydrate, whey protein isolate, creatine/whey isolate or carbohydrate only. All subjects undertook the same fully supervised resistance-training program three times per week and consumed 1.5 g of supplement per kg body weight per day. While all groups demonstrated increases in strength, lean mass and muscle girth, the creatine-carbohydrate, whey and creatine-whey groups all demonstrated significantly larger gains in strength and lean mass and greater increases in type II muscle fiber size. Additionally, the creatine-whey group demonstrated a greater increase in strength, lean mass, and fiber size than the whey group.
Research Summary: A combination of whey protein and creatine consumed after resistance exercise maximizes strength and muscle gains compared to other post-workout supplementation options.
SPORTS AND EXERCISE PERFORMANCE
Improve Muscle Performance and Reduction in Oxidative Stress is Good News for Every Sport
Oxidative stress (i.e. tissue damage caused by oxygen free radicals) contributes to muscular fatigue during exercise.
Glutathione is the major intracellular antioxidant, the biosynthesis of which is dependent on the availability of the amino acid cysteine. This study investigated whether supplementation with a whey-based cysteine donor designed to augment intracellular glutathione would enhance performance.
Twenty healthy young adults (10 men, 10 women) were studied before supplementation and three months after supplementation with either a whey protein supplement or casein placebo. Muscular performance was assessed by whole leg isokinetic cycle testing, measuring peak power and 30-second work capacity. Both peak power and 30-second work capacity increased significantly in the whey protein group, with no change in the placebo group. Lymphocyte glutathione also increased significantly in the whey protein group with no change in the placebo group.
Research Summary: This study demonstrated that prolonged supplementation with a whey protein product designed to augment antioxidant defenses resulted in improved muscular performance.
BETTER MUSCLE RECOVERY IMPROVING YOUR PERFORMANCE
Whey Supplementation Increases Muscle Glycogen Stores
This study investigated the effect of different types of dietary protein on glycogen content in the liver and skeletal muscles of exercise-trained rats. Twenty-four male rats were divided into sedentary or exercise-trained groups with each group being fed either casein or whey protein as the source of dietary protein.
Rats in the exercised groups were trained during two weeks using swimming exercise for 120 minutes per day, six days per week. Exercise training resulted in an increase in the skeletal muscle glycogen content. Furthermore, the whey protein group significantly increased the skeletal muscle glycogen content compared to the casein group. The increase in glycogen content in the liver was significantly greater in rats fed the whey protein diet compared to those fed the casein diet.
Research Summary: This study demonstrated that a diet based on whey protein may increase glycogen content in the liver and skeletal muscles of exercise-trained rats.
Jarheads Find a New Whey to Shut Down Muscle Soreness
This study investigated the long-term impact of post-exercise protein supplementation on health, muscle soreness, and muscle function. Healthy male U.S. Marine recruits from six platoons were randomly assigned to three treatments within each platoon. They received either a carbohydrate supplement, a carbohydrate-whey protein supplement, or a placebo each morning after physical training.
Compared to the placebo and carbohydrate groups, the carbohydrate and whey protein-supplemented group had an average of 33% fewer total medical visits, 28% fewer visits due to bacterial/viral infections, 37% fewer visits due to muscle/joint problems, and 83% fewer visits due to heat exhaustion. Muscle soreness immediately post-exercise was reduced by protein supplementation versus placebo and control groups.
Research Summary: This study demonstrated that post-exercise protein supplementation has significant potential to positively impact health, muscle soreness, and tissue hydration during prolonged intense exercise training, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for the prevention of health problems in severely stressed exercising populations.
Here's Your "Secret" Cellular Salvation
Glutathione is the body's most powerful antioxidant. It protects the cells against free radical damage during exercise. The effects of a whey protein supplemented diet on glutathione concentrations were investigated over a six-week period in male subjects involved in arduous aerobic training. Blood was collected prior to and following a 40 km simulated cycling trial. The aerobic training period resulted in significantly lower glutathione concentrations in whole blood, an effect that was mitigated by whey protein supplementation. A significant increase in mononuclear cell glutathione was also observed in subjects receiving the whey protein supplement following the 40 km simulated cycling trial.
Research Summary: This study demonstrated that whey protein supplementation attenuates decreases in glutathione caused by prolonged exercise.
MENTAL PERFORMANCE AND HEALTH
Hidden Brain Booster Stomps Stress
This study tested the effects of alpha lactalbumin-one of the major fractions found in whey-on stress. The researchers found that a diet high in lactalbumin helped subjects perform better mentally under stressful conditions. Furthermore, they found that the high lactalbumin diet helped reduce cortisol levels, which typically increase in response to stressful conditions. This effect of alpha lactalbumin could also be beneficial for body composition, because fat storage generally increases with cortisol levels.
Research Summary: Supplementation with the whey peptide alpha lactalbumin improves mental functioning under stressful conditions and blunts the cortisol response to stressors.
ANTI-AGING
Attention All AARP: Whey Discovered to Reverse Muscle Aging This study investigated the effects of amino acids and whey protein on muscle synthesis in elderly individuals. Net muscle protein synthesis in healthy elderly individuals (65-79 years) was measured following ingestion of a whey protein supplement or an essential amino acid supplement. Both the essential amino acid and whey protein supplements stimulated muscle protein synthesis.
Research Summary: Essential amino acids and whey protein are equally effective in stimulating muscle protein synthesis in elderly individuals.
Whey Works Better As You Get Older
This study investigated whether a whey protein isolate consumed immediately after supervised strength-training exercise in younger and older men increases strength and genetic changes related to muscle growth. Skeletal muscle biopsy samples were taken from the thighs of untrained young and older men after a single bout of exercise and again following 12 weeks of supervised resistance training with repeated whey protein or placebo supplementation.
The anabolic response was measured by the increase in knee extensor strength, the activation of key translation initiation proteins and the expression of genes regulating muscle hypertrophy/atrophy. Older participants consuming the whey protein supplement demonstrated greater synthesis of a translational factor related to muscle growth after 12 weeks of training compared to the placebo group. In addition, older adults consuming whey protein showed a seven times greater increase in a genetic helper related to muscle growth compared to the placebo group.
Research Summary: These findings provide molecular evidence of enhanced activation of genetic factors related to muscle growth when whey protein intake and chronic resistance training are combined in older individuals.
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