What is Whey Protein?

Whey protein is a high quality protein powder from cow's milk. Milk has two proteins: Casein (approximately 80%) and Whey Protein (approximately 20%). Whey protein is more soluble than casein and also has a higher quality rating. It is often referred to as the "Gold Standard" of protein as it is the most nutritious protein available.

Where does Whey Protein come from?

Whey protein is a co-product of the cheese making process. After the casin or curd is seperate out to make cheese the remaining liquid is the whey. The liquid whey goes through a series of fine, specialty filters to separate the whey protein from the lactose and other ingredients in the liquid whey. Concentrated liquid whey enters an ion exchange tower to further concentrate and purify the whey protein. Ion exchange is a gentle process and does not denature, or "break down", the whey protein. Next, the product enters a drying tower to remove water. The final step is to package the pure whey protein isolate powder into various size containers for use.

Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?

Whey protein is very, very important for bodybuilders, dieters, and shoot, just about everybody! Since athletes and bodybuilders work out often, protein levels become depleted. By being a direct precursor to building muscle and essential amino acids, such as glutamine (a muscle enhancer, endurance builder, and muscle deterioration reducer), the content from high quality whey protein not only can, but will help one's muscles recover and grow faster by bring up the levels of protein. With dieting and those wishing to lose some extra fat, whey protein can be very useful because a good intake of protein balances blood sugar levels, while carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate. When the blood sugar levels stay balanced, one is not as prone to rampant eating and has more energy and greater fat loss. Whey protein allows a person to control his or her diet effectively. Most people who want to change their body for the better could benefit from whey protein supplementation; however, since protein is naturally found in many food items deficiency is usually not a problem.

How much should be taken? Are there side effects?

Training athletes often consume roughly one gram of protein per pound of body weight to maintain there muscle mass and tone. Of that amount 25-50 grams of whey protein should be consumed after each training session, per day. Bodybuilders that want more mass gains (and are burning serious calories), generally consume 100-150 grams per day spaced out over 3 - 4 different servings. Extremely high doses of whey protein (for that matter any protein) is not recommended, as this will cause the body's digestive (stomach) and cleansing (liver) process to be overloaded and you won't get the same benefits as with a consistent lower amount taken three to five times per day.

Is whey protein compatible with a low-carbohydrate diet?

Yes. Whey protein is not only compatible with low-carbohydrate diets it is an ideal choice. Be sure to select whey protein isolate which provides high quality protein without the carbohydrates and fat often limited in low carbohydrate diets.

Will whey protein help me lose weight?

Adding whey protein to the diet is a great way to jump-start a weight loss program. Whey protein is a key ingredient in numerous weight loss and meal replacement products and whey protein isolate (with no fat or carbohydrates) is often the preferred choice. Studies have found that individuals who combine diets with leucine rich protein foods, like whey protein, and exercise have more lean muscle tissue and they lose more body fat. As they lose fat their metabolic rate increases and they naturally burn more calories each day. Another way that whey protein helps manage weight is by promoting satiety, or a feeling of fullness. One recent study showed that whey protein was superior to casein, the other protein in cow's milk, in promoting satiety.

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.

These are just two of there areas in which Whey Protein can help your life and those around your. Below is a list of some of the areas being studied with the use of whey protein.