By: Brian and Donna Logue

Protein is the building block for many body tissues such as skin, hair and nails as well as muscles, tendons, and ligaments.  Whey protein is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all the essential amino acids required in the daily diet.   Whey protein is an excellent protein choice to help maintain and improve health and is imperative for healthy immune function.  It is a good choice for individuals of all ages who value a healthy diet. Whey is lactose reduced, is derived from milk during cheese manufacturing and has the highest biological value of any food.  Whey protein is easy to digest and is efficiently absorbed into the body.  It is convenient, tastes good and requires no cooking. 

Whey protein was used mostly by athletes to maintain a healthy immune system by increasing levels of glutathione in the body.  Exercise and resistance training may reduce glutathione levels; an antioxidant required for a healthy immune system.  High quality whey helps to preserve lean muscle tissue while promoting fat loss.  It helps to stabilize blood glucose levels, which in turn helps to reduce hunger by lowering insulin levels, thus making it easier for the body to burn fat.  

Most people believe that whey protein is just for athletes but there are many benefits for its use for other health issues.  Research is being done on the benefits of cancer patients using whey protein.  It has been found to inhibit the growth of cancer cells and most importantly some patients showed a regression in some tumors when using 30 grams of whey protein (equivalent to 1-2 scoops of whey protein) per day.  It has been found that whey protein depletes cancer cells of their glutathione, making them more susceptible to cancer treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy.  Whey based diets in patients with cancer and Crohn’s disease resulted in enhanced nitrogen retention and protein utilization, showing that healthy body weight could be preserved in those conditions.  Cancer patients undergoing radiation and chemotherapy often have difficulty eating due to nausea and lack of appetite.  This may lead to weight loss, muscle loss and protein calorie malnutrition.  Whey protein is an excellent choice for cancer patients as it is easy to digest and gentle to their systems. 

Whey protein improves immune function and fights infections.  HIV infected patients had dramatic increases in glutathione levels in healthy cells and whey helped them in reaching their ideal body weight, limiting the usual tissue wasting syndrome.  Research has discovered that whey protein blocked the aids virus from infecting other cells.

Researchers believe that whey could be a treatment for chronic wounds, especially ulcerations from diabetes and hypertension.   Amino acids found in whey protein are essential for tissue growth and repair.  They promote the healing of bones, skin and muscle and also regulate blood sugar levels.  Whey yields a highly bio available form of calcium without the fat and lactose of dairy products and contains minerals and nutrients such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc needed for optimal bone formation and metabolism.  Research suggests that higher calcium intakes are associated with lower blood pressure and other positive effects on health.  Higher calcium levels has also been linked to reduced body fat levels and may help to shift the metabolism to fat breakdown and decrease the formation of fat. 

Whey also contains the amino acid proline, which aids in the production of collagen, heals cartilage and strengthens joints, tendons and cardiac muscle.  Whey is beneficial in individuals with osteoporosis since it helps to reduce bone loss. Whey protein also contains many of the same components found in human breast milk, and for this reason is a key ingredient in a wide variety of infant formulas. 

Hypertension is one of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke.  Research has shown that whey protein may help in the battle against hypertension.  Whey protein assisted in reducing the blood pressure of borderline hypertensive individuals.  Elevated cholesterol is another factor associated with heart disease.  Whey protein has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels.

As we age, muscle loss is a concern.  Good nutrition and adequate amount of high quality whey protein may help maintain strong muscles, especially when combined with exercise and resistance training.  Studies have proven that whey protein helped in protein synthesis limiting muscle loss over time. 

As you can see, whey protein is extremely valuable to individuals of all ages and health.  It is not just a product for athletes.  Whey protein is truly a life-extension protein. The best way to get whey protein is to choose a good whey protein powder that tastes great – that way you’ll end up using it consistently to get the full benefit. We like to have a few different flavours available in our kitchen, so no matter which flavour we’re in the mood for, it’s there ready for us!