The Health Benefits of Whey and its Use in Sports

Whey is a by-product of cheese manufacture resulting from drainage of liquid from the curd. It contains lactose, protein, ash, and lipids. The protein concentration at this stage of processing is about 67% protein. Whey proteins can be fractioned and concentrated via a process called micro-filtration to yield whey protein concentrates (WPC). The protein concentration can be as high as ~ 95% protein after the removal of the fats and lactose. WPC's are an excellent source of nutrition and are high in lactalbumin, minerals, and vitamins. It possesses a number of functional advantages such as solubility, high water retention, foaming and gelation. As a result of these qualities, whey protein concentrates (WPC) have been used in a wide range of food products such as the formulation of dairy foods, egg white replacement, beverages, surimi and comminuted meat products.

Whey protein concentrates are of particular interest to the practitioner due to their wide-range and near full-blend of essential and non-essential amino acids, which are commonly referred to as the building blocks of life. Linked amino acids combine to form proteins. These protein comprise nearly every tissue and organ in the body, therefore any supplementation of the diet with proteins may be beneficial to injury repair, metabolism, and general health.

The importance of whey products has gained prominence within the last 5 years. Asia is the leading exporter of whey produce, exporting an estimated 15,680,683 kg in 1992 and 16,184,519 kg in 1995. This represents~ 60% of all worldwide exports. The leading importer of whey is North America, which in 1995 brought in an estimated 26,444.593 kg . This amount represents a 5 fold increase in imported product over a four year span and nearly 90% of all worldwide imports of whey.

The real nutritional value of WPC's lies in their abundance of amino acids. For example the typical WPC contains up to 18 amino acids, which nearly represents the full blend.

Alanine, arginine, and aspartic acid are three common amino acids found in numerous whey proteins. Alanine aids in the metabolism of glucose, whereas arginine causes retardation of tumors and assists in the release of growth hormones and the maintenance of a healthy immune system. It also provides an environment for an increase in muscle mass and body fat reduction, in addition to being an essential ingredient for protein synthesis.

Aspartic acid increases stamina, therefore it is good for fatigue. It also aids in RNA/DNA synthesis.

Cysteine/ cystine are perhaps two of more important amino acids found in WPC. The are helpful in detoxifying toxins and are precursors to the body's most potent antioxidant, glutathione. They promote the burning of fat and are useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and bronchitis. Due to the possible toxic effects of cysteine at high levels, cystine is the preferred supplemental agent.

Glutamic acid and glutamine are essential to nervous tissue function. Glutamic acid is a neurotransmitter for retinal neurons and is commonly referred to as "brain fuel" since the brain converts it to a compound that regulates brain cell activity. It is also a precursor to glutathione. Glutamine is important to cellular nitrogen retention and is important in alcoholism, mental ability, impotence and maintaining a healthy digestive tract.

Glutathione (GSH), a potent antioxidant, is important for the safe metabolism of the hydrogen peroxide free radical. It helps protect against radiation and oxidative damage and is the body's best defense against the formation of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), cancer, and immunity.



The essential amino acids are well represented in most WPC's. They can't be manufactured by the body and therefore must be obtained through dietary consumption. They consist of the branched-chained amino acids, lysine, phenylalanine, methionine, and tryptophan. The three branched-chained amino acids are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are essential to tissue growth and repair. They promote the healing of bones, skin, and muscle, They also regulate blood sugar levels, so they must be taken in a balance to insure proper regulation.

Phenylalanine is often used to treat depression. It is a precursor to the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine and aids in memory. It should be avoided by phenylketonurics (PKU).

Lysine, methionine and tryptophan are also found in many WPC's. Lysine is an essential building block for all protein and helps to maintain proper nitrogen balance.

The body uses methionine to derive the brain food, choline. It also aids in digestion, as well as serving as a fat burner. It can interact with other substances to detoxify harmful agents, and is essential for the production of cysteine and taurine.

L-Tryptophan acts as an sleep aid, as demonstrated by the drowsy feeling we sometimes experience after Thanksgiving dinner (turkey meat has a relatively high amount of tryptophan.). It is also necessary for the production of niacin and is used by the body to make the neurotransmitter, serotonin.

A large number of weightlifters and bodybuilders use WPC's during their training regimen. They sometimes utilize a three step process which consists of stacking, "cycling", and "cutting". The initial stage, stacking involves taking two or more compounds at one time to maximize results. They may take WPC and or creatine or chromium. This is then followed by cycling, in which large doses of a supplement is used to change the level of body fat. Some will use 10 or more one ounce WPC servings a day. This should be approached with caution since large doses of protein consumption may present challenges to the liver. The final stage, cutting, involves maximizing the muscle bundles for visualization. This is the point in which the bodybuilder aspires to achieve that "cut up" appearance.

It is important to consult a physician before attempting any of these extreme methods.

Austrialian researchers claim that whey extract could become a standard treatment for chronic wounds, especially ulcerations from diabetes and hypertension. Initial experiments using a whey extract containing a number of natural growth factors excelled at spurring cells to grow thus prompting this essential step in the body's normal repair of injuries. The compound also encouraged rapid wound healing in rats and pigs.

Two major theories of oncology both implicate GSH as a putative protective factor due to its dual role as a antioxidant and detoxifying agent. Free radical accumulation is thought to be a major factor in tumor formation. In fact at least twelve (12) carcinogens have been identified that are detoxified by GSH conjugation. These are: aflaxotoxin B1, N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene, benzanthracene, benzopyrene, benzidine, dimethyl-hydrazine, 1-nitropyrine dimethylnitrosamine, ethylmethane sulfonate, N-methyl-4-aminobenzene, 7-methylbenzanthracene and 3-methyl-cholanthracene.



Further evidence supporting the anti-tumor forming capacity of whey protein is illustrated by a University of Wisconsin study in which hormones known as androgens are responsible for depleting GSH levels in the prostate. This relatively GSH-free environment is thought to promote prostate carcino-genesis in men. This condition can be reversed in vitro by increasing colonial levels of GSH via continuous whey protein supplementation.

As in carcinogenesis, free-radical accumulation has been implicated in producing a variety of diseases associated with aging. These maladies result from the toxic accumulation of these materials due to the absence or reduced levels of GSH. Diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and arteriosclerosis all appear to be preceded or associated with cellular organ or organ system reductions in GSH. Therefore much speculation has arisen regarding the potential benefits supplementation with whey protein may provide in these cases. If results obtained from other organ system studies are of any indication results could be promising.

This study compared the effects of a whey-rich diet (20 g/100 g diet), with that of Purina mouse chow or casein-rich diet (20 g/100 g diet), on the liver and heart glutathione content and on the survival of old male C57BL/6NIA mice. The study was performed during a limited observation period of 6.3 months. In mice fed the whey protein-rich diet between 17 months and 20 months of age, the heart tissue and liver tissue glutathione content were enhanced significantly above the corresponding values of the casein diet-fed and Purina-fed mice. Mice fed the whey protein diet at the onset of senescence at 84 weeks exhibited increased longevity as compared to mice fed Purina mouse chow over the 6.3-month observation period extending from the age of 21 months (corresponding to a human age of 55 years) to 26-27 months of age (corresponding to a human age of 80 years), during which time 55% mortality was observed. The corresponding mean survival time of mice fed the defined casein diet is almost identical to that of Pur ina-fed controls. Body weight curves were similar in all three dietary groups. Hence a whey protein diet appears to enhance the liver and heart glutathione concentration in aging mice and to increase longevity over a 6.3-month observation period.

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