50 The Doctors’ Prescription for Healthy Living / Volume 8, Number 11

Na

tura

l Fo

rce

sW H E Y P R O T E I N S U P P L E M E N T S

Literary allusions aside, there’s noquestion whey protein is a choicesupplement for bodybuilders, ath-

letes, and growing children alike. This isdue to the fact that whey protein con-tains branched chain amino acids(BCAAs), the building blocks for thebody’s muscles. Included in the list ofthose people who will receive health div-idends from whey are the elderly, whotend to lose muscle tone as they age, andalso people who are losing muscle due todiseases such as AIDS and cancer.

This article will expand on the ben-efits of using whey protein in your diet,the differences in whey proteins, andhow they are processed.

There are no known side effects orrisks to whey protein supplements.Whey is simply one of the healthiestnutrients you can provide for your body.

HUMBLE ORIGINS,

AWESOME ABILITIES

It would amaze you to know whey pro-tein is a liquid by-product of the cheeseindustry and that it was formerly con-sidered to be waste. When liquid wheyis filtered and purified, it becomes wheyprotein. Dehydrated whey has a veryhigh protein content, yet very little fatand lactose.

On the Protein Digestibility Cor-

rected Amino Acid Score, whey pro-tein ranks off the charts, at a 1.14.

The maximum score for this rat-ing is a 1.0. Whey protein alsohas the highest biological value(the amount of protein retained

from the absorbed protein) ofany protein at 100, and a high pro-

tein efficiency ratio of 3.2 (the qual-ity of a protein by showing the balancebetween the eight essential aminoacids, those which the body cannotmanufacture but must get from food),second only to egg protein, whichscored slightly higher with a 3.9.

WHEY’S ABILITIES AGAINST CANCER

AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Whey protein can be very helpful for peo-ple undergoing treatment for cancer.When a patient with cancer goes throughradiation treatments, it is very difficult toprovide the body with the nutrientsneeded to be stronger and healthier.Whey protein is an excellent addition toa cancer patient’s diet because it is so easyto digest. So easy, in fact, that it is also fedto premature infants.

As mentioned before, the BCAAsfound in whey are the active aminoacids responsible for building the body.There are three specific components ofthe BCAAs that are the most impor-tant to the body: l-leucine, l-isoleucine,and l-valine. These components are theones that are responsible for 33 percentof muscle protein. When l-glutamine,another essential amino acid, is addedto these BCAAs, then the benefits areeven greater. There are increases innitrogen retention, boosts in proteinsynthesis, and added protection formuscles. L-glutamine is a buildingblock for glutathione, one of the mostimportant water-soluble antioxidantsin the body.

Whey protein also provides theamino acid cysteine, which can helpsupport the weakened immune systemsof cancer patients. Whey protein canalso slow down the production in somecancerous tumors via the glutathione(GSH) pathway, the principal protec-tive mechanism of the cell and a crucialfactor in the development of theimmune response by the immune cells(Anticancer Res, 2003;23[2B]:1411-5).Antioxidants like glutathione fightagainst free radicals, which are knownto harm cells and sometimes kill them.

Hydrolyzed whey proteins are saidto reduce blood pressure, according toan article written by the Whey Pro-tein Institute. This provides anoption for people with hypertensionwithout the side effects that drugsproduce. A study was conducted atthe University of Minnesota in June2004 where people with mild hyper-

Fortunately, you don’t need to be Arnold Schwarzenegger to feel entitled to use whey protein.Children and adults alike will appreciate its following qualities:

Children will love it! Rather than nagging and fighting with your kids about eating more meatand protein, let them enjoy a whey protein chocolate shake. Children will drink the shakes withdelight and moms can rest assured that they are drinking an excellent source of protein.

PART II of a Series

The Whey to Better Health

Little Miss Muffet sat on a

tuffet, eating her curds and whey.

Along came a spider, who sat down beside

her and frightened Miss Muffet away!

Had the original writer of this nursery rhyme taken into account that whey assists the body in

building and maintaining strong muscles andimmune health, Little Miss Muffet might as

well have become Ms. Olympia.

Whey protein is amazing; it is truly the way to health.

• The use of whey protein supplements helpto build lean, strong muscles. For a grow-ing child who prefers not to eat any meat,this is essential.

• Whey protein is often used in infant formulasbecause it is easy to digest and is similar tobreast milk.

• Whey protein contains all of the essential aminoacids needed for a healthy growing body.

• Whey protein can be purchased in powderform and blended into a delicious shake.These powders often come in child-friendlyflavors like vanilla and chocolate.

• Whey protein is low in fat and cholesterol.• According to the Whey Protein Institute,

whey proteins enhance physical perform-ance, aid in weight loss, and promote cardio-vascular health.

tension were asked to take whey pro-tein supplements for six weeks andmake no other changes in their exer-cise and eating habits. According tothe study, “Treatment resulted in asignificant reduction in blood pres-sure levels by the end of the first weekof treatment. This effect was main-tained throughout the study.”

WHEY PROTEIN: AN EXCELLENTADDITION TO ANYONE’S DIET

Whey protein supplements are notjust for bodybuilders anymore. Wheyprotein can also benefit those withdiabetes. Diabetics must watch whatthey eat very closely. Whey protein isthe best natural protein source theywill find. Red meat, for example, ishigh in fat and cholesterol. Whey pro-tein has very low fat and cholesterolcontent. Soy protein, which doeshave low fat and cholesterol, justdoesn’t compare in nutritional valueto whey protein. Soy doesn’t containthe amino acid cysteine, which booststhe immune system.

Whey for Children…There are a growing number of

mothers who are supplementing theirchildren’s diets with whey protein aswell. Some children often resist eatingthe most common sources of protein—eggs, steak, chicken, pork, and numer-ous other types of meat.

However, children need protein togrow healthy, strong muscles as well asto mend injuries. Mothers are fre-quently at a loss in these difficult cases.Whey protein supplements are anexcellent solution to that problem.Rather than nagging and fighting witha child about eating more meat andprotein, let him or her enjoy a wheyprotein chocolate shake. Children willdrink the shakes with delight andmoms can rest assured that they aredrinking an excellent source of protein.

THE WHEY IT COMES ABOUTOf course, now that we’ve discussedwhey protein’s benefits, you’ll be hardpressed to figure out which whey proteinproduct is of the best quality. We canstart by focusing on the methods of pro-cessing whey into whey protein.According to William D. Brink, who is

an authority on the topic, there are twocommon methods for processing wheyprotein today. They are ion exchangefiltration (IEF) and cross-flow micro-filtration (CFMF).

Whey protein needs to be processedat low temperatures to avoid denatur-ing, or impairing the benefits of, theprotein. Often during processing, thewhey protein loses some of its compo-nents that provide the benefits listedabove. IEF can unintentionally filterout a few of the special componentswith the great health benefits listedabove. However, this type of filtrationproduces greater protein content withlow fat and low lactose levels, highamounts of calcium, and low sodium,which are all good. CFMF, on the otherhand, is a natural process that is chem-ical-free and does not remove the won-derful benefits of the whey. It producesa high protein supplement that main-tains its healthy benefits. It also pro-duces a low-lactose and low-fat protein.So be sure your whey involves the bestof both IEF and CFMF processes withan emphasis on CFMF, the more natu-ral process.

Once processed, whey protein iseither an isolate or a concentrate. Wheyisolates are superior to whey concen-trates. Whey isolates are the more pureof the two. They have higher proteincontent, less fat, and less lactose.

When it comes to choosing yourwhey protein supplement, All-NaturalWhey™ is an excellent consumerchoice. Available from trustedMRM (Metabolic Response Modifiers),All-Natural Whey™ is fortifiedwith l-glutamine, the building block forthe super antioxidant glutathione. It isall-natural and contains no artificial

sweeteners orflavors. It mixesgreat and tastesdelicious! MRMutilizes the“highly special-

ized” cross-flow filtration and ionexchange process, allowing the highestprotein levels without harming the spe-cial amino acids. The fat content in All-Natural Whey™ is a mere 1.5 grams.There are a total of 4 carbohydratesand a whopping 18 grams of proteinin just one serving. ■

Full, unabridged article with references available at www.freedompressonline.com.

All-Natural Whey™ —The All-Natural ChoiceHere is why we’ve picked All-Natural Whey™

as a Healthy Livingsmart shopper’s choice.

1 All-Natural Whey™uses only natural, nontoxic ste-via. It has no artificial colors or other addi-tives, either. Very smart.

2 The protein in All-Natural Whey™ israted extremely high for essential amino acids.

3 All-Natural Whey™ is very low in fat(only one gram per serving), mixes instantlyand tastes great.

4 All-Natural Whey™ is economicallypriced at about $29.95 for 36 servings.Because it provides great quality with lowprice, it is a true shopping value.

ResourcesAll-Natural Whey™ is available at health food stores,natural pharmacies and from health professionals nationwide. Ifyour natural health center isn’t yet stocking All-Natural Whey™have them contact Metabolic Response Modifiers andorder for you. Their toll-free number is (800) 948-6296.

Whey Protein and Chronic Hepatitis

In an open study, the clinical efficacy of milkserum (whey) protein isolated from fresh milkand purified without heating was evaluated in25 patients with chronic hepatitis B or C.Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activitywas reduced, and plasma glutathione (GSH)levels increased in 6 and 5 of 8 patients withchronic hepatitis B, respectively, 12 weeksafter the start of the supplement. Serum lipidperoxide levels significantly decreased, andinterleukin (IL)-2 levels and natural killer (NK)cell activity significantly increased. (H owever,there were no significant beneficial changesin 17 patients with chronic hepatitis C.) Thesefindings suggest that the long-term supple-mentation of whey protein alone may beeffective for improving liver dysfunctions inpatients with chronic hepatitis B.

Volume 8, Number 11 / The Doctors’ Prescription for Healthy Living 51

W H E Y P R O T E I N S U P P L E M E N T S c o n t i n u e d