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Health & Fitness

Benefits of Whey Protein

Why Whey is Here to Stay

 

I have recently looked into the benefits and drawbacks of whey protein. Whey is a protein that is derived from dairy and is a by-product of cheese. It turns out that whey is an extremely high-quality protein source. As early as 400 BC, Hippocrates was recommending drinking whey for its health benefits. Over the years, farmers began to recognize the nutritional value of whey after seeing its animals thriving on it -- but it wasn't until relatively recently that when protein was introduced to the health community. Below are some interesting findings regarding way and its benefits:

 

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Reduces Body Fat

  • Whey stimulates protein synthesis, which requires fat-burning energy
  • Whey improves nutrient partitioning: more calories get burned in muscle instead of being stored as fat

 

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Preserves and Increases Muscle (Lean Body Mass, or LBM) 

  • Whey increases muscle protein synthesis, creating more lean tissue in exercising individuals
  • Whey helps muscles repair and grow in exercising individuals
  • Whey preserves muscle while simultaneously losing fat – without supplementation, many studies show women lose both fat and muscle – whey prevents muscle loss

 

Antioxidant Effects

  • Whey minimizes “free radical” damage, which damages cells and DNA
  • Whey builds up our natural defense systems (Glutathione) against free radicals

 

Supports Immune Health

  • Immunoglobulins and other peptides in whey promote positive immune function
  • Whey resupplies our bodies – especially for people who engage in intense exercise - with immunoglobulins and glutamine, which help to keep our immune systems strong

 

Blood Pressure Benefits

  • Whey helps inhibit “ACE” (angiotensin-converting enzyme), which in turn inhibits vasoconstriction, thus lowering blood pressure
  • Supplementation with whey reduced blood pressure in subjects with mild hypertension

 

Blood Sugar Benefits 

  • There is a “dose-response” reduction in blood sugar with whey consumption: the more whey consumed, the greater the reduction in blood sugar response, meaning greater control of blood sugar

 

Improves Quality of Life into Old Age

  • The #1 cause of death in persons age 65 and older is falls and injuries, related to loss of muscle and bone strength
  • Whey helps improve both muscle and bone strength and consistent and continual intake helps preserve both muscle and bone mass

 

Increases Metabolism

  • Whey protein has a higher “thermogenic effect” of other proteins and nutrients, which increases our overall energy expenditure throughout the day
  • Whey (30g) induces mitochondrial biogenesis and improves oxidative capacity – in other words, whey helps create more “power plants” in the muscle cells to create more energy, which takes more energy to sustain – and increases metabolism

 

Maintains Good Bone Health

  • Whey protein works with calcium to improve calcium retention
  • Whey improves bone metabolism

 

Improves Recovery from Exercise

  • Whey contains high amounts of essential amino acids and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s), which reduces post-workout muscle soreness
  • BCAA’s accelerate glycogen synthesis, meaning it helps put energy back into your muscle for your next workout – it also improves fat loss and muscle gains

 

Lowers Appetite and Increases Satiety

  • Whey floods the blood with amino acids, which may decrease appetite
  • Whey changes nutrient partitioning: more energy to muscle and less to fat; the side-effect is more energy and less hunger

 

The More Whey a Day The More Fat Loss

  • A study showed that people consuming more whey in multiple shakes a day lost more fat, and gained more lean tissue, than people without the whey
  • The differences became more apparent especially after the 4th month of supplementation – supplementing is a marathon, not a sprint - the same can be said of eating well and exercising properly - it needs to be a lifestyle

 

Two Times as Much Weight Loss with Whey Supplementation 

  • Overweight women supplementing with whey compared to a group that did not achieved two-times the weight loss, and preserved more lean tissue
  • The group supplementing with whey lost more than 8% of their body weight in 6 months

 

Preserves Muscle While Losing Weight

  • A two-week study showed that in a group of people consuming the same number of calories, one group ate 180g protein compared to the other which ate 74g, both groups lost 3 lbs of fat
  • The higher protein group (180g) preserved lean body mass
  • The lower protein group (74g) lost 3 lbs of muscle

 

Increases Chances of Significant Weight Loss

  • More than 77% of Overweight women consuming multiple meal-replacement bars and shakes (MRPs) everyday for 12-weeks lost more than 5% of their body fat
  • Less than 50% lost the same amount of weight in overweight women who did not consume MRPs

 

What about my Kidneys?

  • It is a myth that high protein diets cause damage to the kidneys (this is only applicable to individuals with advanced renal failure)
  • “Concerns about an adverse effect of high protein intake on renal function, and in particular its decline with age, appear to be ill advised.” – Institute of Medicine
  • In a review of the available evidence that increased dietary protein inake is a health concern in terms of "the potential to initiate or promote renal disease," Martin et al. (2005) found "no significant evidence for a detrimental effect of high protein intakes on kidney function in healthy persons."
  • Chronic kidney diseases are generally due to diabetes (45% of cases) and hypertension: whey consumption improves risk factors for both diabetes and hypertension

 

Whey protein is a convenient and effective food to help people improve their body composition and overall health. There are not many supplements I would recommend, but whey is one of them.

 

References:

J Nutr. 2011 Jun 15

Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Mar;93(3):525-34

Nutr J. 2009 Oct 16;8:47.

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2011 Jul 27.

Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Feb;42(2):326-37

Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011 Sep 22;8(1):64.

Br J Nutr. 2012 Feb 7:1-9.

Nutrition & Metabolism 2005, 2:25.

 

Bob Kaplan holds advance degrees in exercise physiology and business, an undergraduate degree in nutrition, is a nationally certified personal trainer, independent nutrition researcher, and owns six Get In Shape For Women locations in Bedford, Wayland, Wellesley, Westford, Weston, and Winchester.

For more information about Kaplan's services at Get in Shape For Women in Westford, please call 978-589-0927 or visit at 142 Littleton Rd, Westford, MA  01886, or online at www.getinshapeforwomen.com for a free week trial.

 

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