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Health benefits of Whey protein *merged*

Roger&Me

Roger&Me

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Health benefits of Whey protein.

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

Whey protein has long been considered the "Gold Standard" of protein for serious athletes who work hard to develop and sustain a lean, strong and well-defined physique. Research studies support this belief. Athletes need more protein in their diet, often as much as twice the recommended daily allowance. The protein they choose makes a difference and here are several reasons why whey protein is a preferred choice for athletes of all types.

* Whey protein is a naturally complete protein, meaning that it contains all of the essential amino acids required in the daily diet. It has the ideal combination of amino acids to help improve body composition and enhance athletic performance.
* Whey protein is a rich source of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), containing the highest known levels of any natural food source. BCAAs are important for athletes since unlike the other essential amino acids, they are metabolized directly into muscle tissue and are the first ones used during periods of exercise and resistance training. Whey protein provides the body with BCAAs to replenish depleted levels and start repairing and rebuilding lean muscle tissue.
* Whey protein is an excellent source of the essential amino acid, leucine. Leucine is important for athletes as it plays a key role in promoting muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. Research has shown that individuals who exercise benefit from diets high in leucine and have more lean muscle tissue and less body fat compared to individuals whose diet contains lower levels of leucine. Whey protein isolate has approximately 50% more leucine than soy protein isolate.
* Whey protein is a soluble, easy to digest protein and is efficiently absorbed into the body. It is often referred to as a "fast" protein for its ability to quickly provide nourishment to muscles.
* Whey protein helps athletes maintain a healthy immune system by increasing the levels of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is an anti-oxidant required for a healthy immune system and exercise and resistance training may reduce glutathione levels. Whey protein helps keep athletes healthy and strong to perform their best.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Studies show that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can add years to your life and help prevent weight related complications, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Diet plays a key role in any weight management program and adding whey protein often helps make a positive difference. Here are some of the reasons why.

* The body requires more energy to digest protein than other foods (thermic effect) and as a result you burn more calories after a protein meal.
* Whey protein isolate is pure protein with little to no fat or carbohydrates. It is a perfect complement to any low carbohydrate or low glycemic index diet plan.
* Recent studies by Dr. Donald Layman, a professor at the University of Illinois, have highlighted the role of the essential amino acid leucine in improving body composition. High quality whey protein is rich in leucine to help preserve lean muscle tissue while promoting fat loss. Whey protein contains more leucine than milk protein, egg protein and soy protein.
* Protein helps to stabilize blood glucose levels by slowing the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This in turn reduces hunger by lowering insulin levels and making it easier for the body to burn fat.
* Whey protein contains bioactive components that help stimulate the release of two appetite-suppressing hormones: cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). In support of this, a new study found that whey protein had a greater impact on satiety than casein, the other protein in milk. Adding whey protein to a mid-day snack or beverage provides healthy energy and may help control food intake at the next meal.

CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

In 2001 heart disease was the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. With the average life expectancy rising each year, it becomes increasingly important to adopt a nutritious diet and regular exercise program to help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. Whey protein should be part of that nutritious diet.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke. Exciting new research has shown that whey protein may help in the battle against hypertension. Both human clinical and animal studies found that a hydrolyzed whey protein isolate assisted in reducing the blood pressure of borderline hypertensive individuals.

Elevated cholesterol is another factor associated with heart disease and whey protein has been shown to reduce cholesterol in a number of animal and clinical studies. Certain bioactive components in whey protein may be responsible for the cholesterol reduction however additional research is needed in this area.

CANCER

Cancer patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy often have difficulty in meeting their daily nutritional requirements due to nausea and lack of appetite. This may lead to weight loss, muscle loss and protein calorie malnutrition. Whey protein is an excellent protein choice for cancer patients as it is very easy to digest and very gentle to the system. Whey protein may be added to a wide variety of foods and beverages to increase the protein content without affecting taste.

As with serious athletes, cancer patients often have reduced glutathione levels and a weakened immune system. Numerous studies have shown that whey protein, rich in the amino acid cysteine, provides an extra boost to the immune system by raising glutathione levels. This may help reduce the risk of infection and improve the responsiveness of the immune system. In support of this, at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the American Cancer Society, research was presented showing that women with the highest levels of plasma cysteine had a 56% reduction in the risk of breast cancer compared to individuals with the lowest levels of plasma cysteine.

Whey protein has been shown through animal and in vitro studies to inhibit the growth of several types of cancer tumors. Dr. Thomas Badger, head of the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock, found that feeding rats whey protein resulted in their developing 50% fewer tumors than rats fed casein. The rats fed whey protein also developed fewer tumors than rats fed soy protein and the tumors took longer to develop.

DIABETES

Type 2 diabetes is a growing health problem, largely in part to the continued rise in obesity. It is not unique to adults and is becoming more of a concern for children and teenagers. The good news is that healthy nutrition practices have been shown to play a role in helping to manage, and possibly prevent, the onset of type-2 diabetes. Whey protein, a high quality, high biological value protein, is a good choice for diabetics who need to carefully manage food intake. Whey protein provides more value than equal amounts of lower quality proteins that are often higher in fat and cholesterol. In addition, whey protein helps control blood glucose levels and has been shown to be beneficial for weight management, both of which are often a concern for type-2 diabetics.

HEALTHY AGING

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that by the year 2020 approximately one out of every six Americans will be in the in the 65 and older age group. As we age, muscle loss and its negative health implications is a growing concern, both in terms of volume and medical costs. Good nutrition and adequate amounts of high quality whey protein may help maintain strong muscles during aging, especially when combined with an exercise and resistance training program. A recent study in Europe compared whey protein to casein, the primary protein in milk. They found that older men who consumed whey protein showed greater protein synthesis, or growth, which helped limit muscle loss over time.

Another benefit of whey protein for seniors is the ability to help prevent bone loss. A recent study conducted at Boston University showed that elderly individuals who consumed low levels of protein had a significant loss of bone density four years after the start of the study, especially in the hip and spine areas. A nutritious diet including whey protein may help keep bones and muscles healthy and strong.

WOUND HEALING

When the body is working to heal wounds and surgical incisions it requires increased amounts of protein. Protein and its amino acids are the building blocks that initiate the growth of new skin during the healing process. Inadequate amounts of protein or diets high in poor quality proteins, such as gelatin, may delay the healing process. Whey protein is a very high quality protein and is often the preferred choice for high protein products recommended by physicians following surgery or burn therapy.

Whey protein also contains components with protective anti-microbial properties, such as lactoferrin. In recent years companies have introduced mouthwashes and oral care products containing these protective whey protein components. The companies are taking advantage of the unique features of whey protein to create new products for diabetics and others sensitive to oral irritations. This area is expected to evolve in the future.

references

Taken from here.
 
Why do some whey protein products have a high cholesterol content? Can that create health problems?
 
^that's a sign of a very low quality protein. A good quality whey protein isolate should contain NOTHING but protein(well, and artificial sweetener and whatever flavoring you choose, of course). Good quality whey protein isolate can also be recognized by mixing VERY easily in a small amount of water with a spoon, and not causing any satiety.(doesn't make you full)
 
Did you say easy to digest? Honestly i have a hard time digesting protein. And i thought it was always known to have the side effect of constipation.. I've been only able to ingest 1 gram per pound without getting completely full of shit. I weigh 170. Most say 1.5-2 grams for building mass but i just can't do it. Any suggestions.. I do eat salads and some fruits to aid but its still there.
 
Roger,

Good to know, i will look for the pure protein. Is it true that you can screw up kidneys by eating too much protein or is it just a myth?
 
I'd love to be able to use the stuff, but it always gives me horrible gas and/or diarrhea, even the good brands I've heard recommended in Steroid Discussion.
 
C10H12N20 said:
Roger,

Good to know, i will look for the pure protein. Is it true that you can screw up kidneys by eating too much protein or is it just a myth?
Click to expand...

No, it's not true. Here is some good reading on the topic:

ISSUE #1 — Many physicians believe that high protein diets cause kidney dysfunction

RESPONSE #1 — This is FALSE according to everything science now knows to be true. This presumption states that if you take a healthy person and put them on a high protein diet, the protein will somehow negatively influence the kidney, damaging it and causing renal disease. To this end, there is absolutely no data in healthy adults suggesting that a high protein intake causes the onset of renal (kidney) dysfunction. There aren’t even any correlational studies showing this effect in healthy people.

Any studies that show a correlation between renal (kidney) dysfunction and protein intake are in those with some type of diagnosed, pre-existing renal (kidney) disease like diabetic nephropathy, glomerular lesions, etc. Even research into protein restriction for renal patients can be controversial. (Shils, Modern Nutr in Health & Dis, 1999).

Besides, you’ll likely recognize a serious pre-existing kidney condition; the signs and symptoms will clue you in long before you happen upon it with a routine blood test (especially if there's a noted family history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension).

Since an exhaustive search of the published literature will likely not yield a single study showing that the amount of protein in the diet causes, or is correlated with, the onset of renal dysfunction in otherwise healthy individuals, the fact that this notion prevails is puzzling to say the least!
But even if a doctor were to find an obscure reference that might suggest a relationship between a high-protein diet and kidney disease, there are numerous studies showing otherwise. Here are a few of them:

a) Ann Intern Med 2003 Mar 18;138(6):460-7
The impact of protein intake on renal function decline in women with normal renal function or mild renal insufficiency.
Knight EL, Stampfer MJ, Hankinson SE, Spiegelman D, Curhan GC.

b) Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2000 Mar;10(1):28-38
Do regular high protein diets have potential health risks on kidney function in athletes?
Poortmans JR, Dellalieux O.

c) Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1999 Nov;23(11):1170-7
Changes in renal function during weight loss induced by high vs low-protein low-fat diets in overweight subjects.
Skov AR, Toubro S, Bulow J, Krabbe K, Parving HH, Astrup A.

d) Eur J Clin Nutr 1996 Nov;50(11):734-40
Effect of chronic dietary protein intake on the renal function in healthy subjects.
Brandle E, Sieberth HG, Hautmann RE.

e) Am J Kidney Dis 2003 Mar;41(3):580-7
Association of dietary protein intake and microalbuminuria in healthy adults: Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. "Dietary protein intake was not associated with microalbuminuria in normotensive or nondiabetic persons."

If you’re interested, these studies can be accessed at www.pubmed.com.

ISSUE #2 — Many physicians believe that because high protein diets can worsen the condition of those who already suffer from kidney dysfunction, it only stands to reason that this should be true in healthy people.

RESPONSE #2 — This is also FALSE! Much of the speculation about kidney dysfunction associated with high protein diets comes from early nutritional studies in renal patients (patients who already have kidney disease).

In these individuals, when high protein diets are given as part of total parenteral nutrition—or tube feedings—these diets exacerbated their renal (kidney) problems. From these data, some physicians and nutritionists began to speculate (sometimes erroneously) that increased protein in the diet could be harmful to even those with healthy kidneys.

While there are hundreds of studies showing that high protein diets are bad for kidney patients, I believe that a "leap" from clinical patients to healthy patients isn't warranted. It’s this leap that has been the cause of the persistent but slowly dying (sorry for the word selection) idea that high protein diets could harm the kidneys.

Again, there's no evidence whatsoever that high protein diets will harm the kidneys of a healthy weightlifter. This is about as ridiculous as someone suggesting that because eating certain types of fiber can worsen the GI symptoms of someone with irritable bowel syndrome, fiber must cause irritable bowl syndrome in otherwise healthy people.

ISSUE #3 — Kidneys DO change to adapt to high protein diets.

RESPONSE #3 — Some studies in healthy individuals do show an alteration of kidney function with very high protein diets. However, it's important to note that these changes are not reported as negative or "adverse." Instead, they seem to be structural adaptations to increased filtration (something the kidneys are doing all the time anyway).

If the kidney didn’t respond this way, most clinicians would think something was wrong. Just like in weight training, tissues adapt to the demands put on them. Therefore, just because the kidneys have to "work" harder, doesn’t mean that this is a negative thing. After all, what happens when muscles work harder? Well, they adapt to the demands and become bigger, stronger, or more efficient. Therefore, the adaptation that kidneys undergo is reasonable and appropriate. But don’t take my word for it, check out this study (again at www.pubmed.com):

Eur J Clin Nutr 1996 Nov;50(11):734-40
Effect of chronic dietary protein intake on the renal function in healthy subjects.
Brandle E, Sieberth HG, Hautmann RE.

ISSUE #4 — What about the increased creatinine and BUN indicated by the blood test?

RESPONSE #4 — For starters, how about a quick discussion of the two markers?

Creatinine is commonly known as a waste product of muscle or protein metabolism. To this end, its level is a reflection of the body's muscle mass or the amount of protein in the diet. Low levels are sometimes seen in kidney damage, protein starvation, liver disease, or pregnancy. Elevated levels are sometimes seen in kidney disease due to the fact that a damaged kidney will not remove creatinine from the body as it should. Also, elevated levels are seen with the use of some drugs that could impair kidney filtration. Finally, elevated levels could also be seen with muscle degeneration, a high protein diet, or creatine supplementation.

With respect to creatinine measurements, it’s important to note that the amount of creatinine in the blood is regulated by the amount being produced (from protein degradation—muscle or dietary) vs. the amount that’s being removed (by the kidney). Therefore, although creatinine in the blood COULD be a marker of a damaged kidney’s inability to filter creatinine out of the body at a normal rate, it COULD ALSO be a marker of rapid protein degradation (via muscle damage from weight training or from a high protein intake).

Think of the blood as a sink. If you turn on the faucet at a low rate, the amount of water going into the sink and the amount leaving the sink should balance each other out, leading to a predictable amount of water in the sink at any moment. However, if you partially plug the drain, you’ll get more water accumulating in the sink at the same faucet flow rate. This is similar to kidney dysfunction (thinking of the water as creatinine). However, alternatively, if the drain remains unplugged but you crank up the faucet flow rate, you’ll get more water in the sink due to the higher flow. This is similar to a high protein diet.

Since weightlifters are continually breaking down muscle protein (this is a good thing), even in the absence of a high protein diet, blood creatinine concentrations tend to be elevated. Furthermore, add in a higher protein diet and creatinine concentrations in the blood will rise. Finally, since creatinine is also a breakdown product of creatine, if a weightlifter is taking creatine supplements (which most do), blood creatinine concentrations will also be high. What all of this means is that the faucet is turned up in weightlifters, not that the drain is plugged.

To address the other relevant measure, the nitrogen component of urea, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), is the end product of protein metabolism and its concentration is also influenced by the rate of excretion (as is creatinine). Excessive protein intake, kidney damage, certain drugs, low fluid intake, intestinal bleeding, exercise, or heart failure can cause increases in BUN. Decreased levels may be due to a poor diet, malabsorption, liver damage, or low nitrogen intake. Excess BUN is even more closely correlated with protein intake than is creatinine. The same argument above applies here.

So, as you can see, since both creatinine and BUN are correlated with both high protein metabolism AND kidney function, I’m not suggesting that it’s unreasonable that doctors are worried about the kidneys of your son or daughter. But it’s important for you and your doctor to realize that the increases in BUN and creatinine seen in healthy weightlifters who eat higher protein diets aren’t necessarily a function of kidney health but are much more closely correlated with their diet and training.

ISSUE #5 — Since BUN and creatinines are non-specific measures, what should we have tested, just to be on the safe side?

RESPONSE #5 — According to physician and sports nutrition expert Dr. Eric Serrano, two additional measures are important to tease out the differences between the effects of training and nutrition and the effects of kidney dysfunction. The first is the BUN to creatinine ratio. Dr. Serrano suggests that values up to the low 30’s are okay but anything higher might be indicative of problems. The second is a urinary protein test. This test is a better measure of kidney function than most others.

Considering that most comprehensive kidney function tests include the following measures (A/G Ratio, Albumin, BUN, Calcium, Cholesterol, Creatinine, Globulin, LDH, Phosphorous, Protein - Total, Uric Acid) as well as urinary analysis, it seems irresponsible to make suggestions about protein intake after a simple blood chemistry analysis measuring BUN and creatinine.

ISSUE #6 — What about the increased levels of Creatine Kinase (CK)?

RESPONSE #6 — While this misdiagnosis isn’t as common as the aforementioned ones, many doctors erroneously speculate that elevations in a muscle damage marker, CK, is indicative of a recent myocardial infarction (heart attack)! How could this be?

Creatine Kinase is a cytosolic enzyme (it floats around in the fluid portion of cells) involved in muscle metabolism. Since creatine kinase is present in all muscle tissues (including skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle), the excessive appearance of creatine kinase in the blood is indicative of some type of muscle damage (again, either skeletal or cardiac). Countless studies have shown large rises in blood concentrations of creatine kinase with heart muscle damage (via heart attack) and even large rises in creatine kinase with normal, training-induced muscle damage (this damage is critical to the growth and adaptation process).

Interestingly, a high protein diet has been repeatedly demonstrated to increase resting creatine kinase and post-exercise creatine kinase concentrations without any additional damage (in a number of different species, including humans).

Furthermore, while the standard clinical creatine kinase assay doesn’t distinguish between skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle creatine kinase isoforms, there are muscle specific tests that can be done. Therefore, if a doc is worried about elevated creatine kinase, he or she should order a creatine kinase isoform test. This will determine whether the creatine kinase was released from skeletal or cardiac muscle.

In the end, if a doc is sitting in front of a high protein eatin’ weight trainer with lots of muscle mass (skeletal muscle creatine kinase release, as you might imagine, is closely related to total muscle mass) and sees an elevated creatine kinase score, the last thing on his or her mind should be "heart attack." Here’s a reference to check out:

Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999 Mar;31(3):414-20
Effects of dietary protein on enzyme activity following exercise-induced muscle injury.
Hayward R, Ferrington DA, Kochanowski LA, Miller LM, Jaworsky GM, Schneider CM

I’ll end my argument here. I hope that I've been able to assist in your search for the facts about protein intake and renal function. However, I feel that I'd be remiss if I were to leave out the other side of the coin — an article that I've written that highlights the myriad of benefits associated with high protein intakes.

Link
 
etherdesign said:
I'd love to be able to use the stuff, but it always gives me horrible gas and/or diarrhea, even the good brands I've heard recommended in Steroid Discussion.
Click to expand...

You should buy unflavored 100% whey isolate with no artificial sweeteners or flavoring or anything and see if it still affects you that way. www.daviscofoods.com sells a protein of unsurpassed quality, they'll even give you a free sample, so you don't have to buy anything.

You should try the free sample, I pretty much guarantee that you won't have any stomach discomfort. It's NOTHING but whey protein isolate, 100% pure.
 
Originally posted by Roger&Me
No, it's not true.


Too much of anything is bad for you, including protein, although It appears that would would have to be consuming a ridiculous amount of protein for it to start overloading your kidneys. I find it interesting (and telling) how the low-carb and muscle building/performance enhancing websites insist that too much protein is not bad for you, and other health websites do not.....

It's simple, just don't eat more protein than you need. I have read and agree that anything over a gram of protein per pound of body weight is a waste anyway (even for weightlifters).
 
Roger&Me said:
You should buy unflavored 100% whey isolate with no artificial sweeteners or flavoring or anything and see if it still affects you that way. www.daviscofoods.com sells a protein of unsurpassed quality, they'll even give you a free sample, so you don't have to buy anything.

You should try the free sample, I pretty much guarantee that you won't have any stomach discomfort. It's NOTHING but whey protein isolate, 100% pure.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I just ordered my sample from the website! :)
 
Roger&Me,

Thank you for your detailed response. I have ordered a sample as you recommended.
 
Is this type of product typically sold at GNC type places or sports or health food stores?
 
I'd like to throw in that, in my opinion, though whey protein may (or may not be, depending on who you ask) the best of the readily available powdered proteins (maybe better than albumin, CERTAINLY better than that hippy pansy vegan soy crap,) I think the gold standard for protein is:

MEAT! Fish, fowl, ungulates, lagomorphs, reptiles, whatever! (Lean meat, obviously, if you're watching the fat.)

Keep in mind that when you're eating lean meat, what you are eating is the muscle tissue of the poor, adorable, doe-eyed, precious little (or big, as the case may be) animal. I find it difficult to believe that the protein found in muscle tissue near identical to our own doesn't contain a good approximation of the mix of the amino acids necessary to build muscle tissue.

Granted, I don't think whey protein supplementation is necessarily a bad idea, and there's certainly a price differential (although -- $30 dollars for @ 900 grams? You can do about that well with tuna if you get the light (eww). Not quite as good with the solid white albacore we all know and love, $30 will get you closer to 5-600 grams of protein.
 
^the reason I like whey is that it causes hyperaminoacidemia which is beneficial to people with alot of muscle mass. I mean, meat is still essential, but for bodybuilders whey is very important because we're bigger than average people and need hyperaminoacidemia in order to properly recover muscle tissue.
 
Well whey protein shouldn't be used to replace more common sources of protein out there..just supplement it. What I like about whey is that I can consume a shake and get 35+ grams of protein into my body quickly and not feel full from it.
 
Semi-Charmed said:
Originally posted by Roger&Me
No, it's not true.


Too much of anything is bad for you, including protein, although It appears that would would have to be consuming a ridiculous amount of protein for it to start overloading your kidneys. I find it interesting (and telling) how the low-carb and muscle building/performance enhancing websites insist that too much protein is not bad for you, and other health websites do not.....

It's simple, just don't eat more protein than you need. I have read and agree that anything over a gram of protein per pound of body weight is a waste anyway (even for weightlifters).
Click to expand...

Over 1g/lb body weight a waste? Wha? That all seriously depends on your goals...try telling Arnold Schwarzenegger, or ANY body builder for that matter. I GUARANTEE they consume more than 1g protein per lb body weight. I have read of certain athletes using MUCH more than that in fact, and gain a benefit from it.

Now for your average Joe just trying to get in shape and/or tone up...1g a day is fine. But if you want to build, you gotta EAT, a lot.

It all depends, everything is relative.
 
Umm, if you're an average Joe and just trying to get in shape or tone up, 1g/lb would be a ridiculously high amount of protein. For me, that would be 1100 calories from protein alone. Even assuming a 40/30/30 diet, that's 3500 calories a day. I wouldn't recommend that for "an average Joe trying to get in shape."

A gram per pound of bodyweight is probably about right for a serious athlete or someone trying hard to put on muscle tissue.
 
Originally posted by biz0r
Over 1g/lb body weight a waste? Wha? That all seriously depends on your goals...try telling Arnold Schwarzenegger, or ANY body builder for that matter. I GUARANTEE they consume more than 1g protein per lb body weight. I have read of certain athletes using MUCH more than that in fact, and gain a benefit from it.

Now for your average Joe just trying to get in shape and/or tone up...1g a day is fine. But if you want to build, you gotta EAT, a lot.

It all depends, everything is relative.


Most of those bodybuilders are also supplementing their diet with hormones or prohormones, hence they NEED the extra protein to maximize the benefits of those supplements.
 
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