What is whey protein used for?

Medical nutrition and functional foods

Functional foods can be defined as those that provide adequate nutritional effects and, at the same time, offer additional benefits in one or more physiological functions, improving health and well-being or reducing the risk of disease.(1) Whey Protein plays a key role in promoting health and supporting the recovery and treatment of people with both acute and chronic diseases.(2)

In the clinical setting, a common contributing factor to the loss of muscle mass and muscle function in hospitalized patients is insufficient protein intake and malnutrition. This is often due to decreased appetite, difficulty consuming solid foods, or poor absorption of essential nutrients.(3) During periods of bed rest, whey protein supplementation has been shown to help counteract muscle loss by stimulating muscle protein synthesis and promoting muscle growth.(4) In addition, cancer patients who follow a whey protein-supplemented diet appear to better tolerate the adverse effects of chemotherapy.(5)

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, have become a major global concern. Globally, NCDs cause approximately 41 million deaths each year, accounting for 71% of all deaths, with cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes being the leading causes.(6) In the European Union, NCDs are the leading cause of preventable mortality, with an estimated disease burden of 80%.(7)

Thanks to its valuable components, such as essential amino acids, antioxidants, functional peptides and immunoglobulins, whey protein offers a wide range of benefits in the prevention and management of NCDs, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic disorders and osteoporosis.(8)(9) Several studies have shown that whey protein inhibits the development of different types of tumors and cancers and is therefore considered to possess anti-cancer properties.(10) Taken together, this evidence suggests that whey protein has a relevant role in addressing and preventing the most common NCDs affecting the world’s population.

Sports nutrition

Building muscle mass and overall strength has become an essential component of many people’s physical activity routines and is considered one of the most effective strategies for promoting and maintaining muscle mass. (11) The positive effects of strength training combined with protein supplementation are reflected in multiple aspects of overall health and well-being.

The benefits of improved muscle health are often felt through reduced pain associated with sedentary lifestyles and muscle wasting, as well as increased ease in performing everyday physical activities. Strengthening the body also contributes to the development and maintenance of muscle tone and lean muscle mass, which naturally begin to decline with age as lean tissue is progressively replaced by fat. (12) It is widely established that a high-protein diet combined with resistance training effectively counteracts the age-related loss of muscle mass, known as sarcopenia. (13)

Weight management

The fundamental principle of weight management is to achieve a negative energy balance by consuming fewer calories than the body expends. However, when the body detects a caloric deficit, it activates hunger signals to stimulate greater energy intake. During weight loss processes, it is essential to consume adequate amounts of protein and essential amino acids to avoid the degradation of muscle tissue caused by caloric restriction, which could lead to muscle loss instead of the desired fat loss. High-protein diets promote longer satiety, providing the body with the energy needed to preserve muscle mass even in situations of caloric deficit, while promoting fat loss. (14)

Specific dietary requirements

• Lactose intolerance: Whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate contain little to no lactose, making them a convenient and well-tolerated protein source for people with lactose intolerance.

• Gluten intolerance / celiac disease: Whey protein is naturally gluten-free and therefore safe for consumption by people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

• Vegetarians: Whey protein is an excellent option for vegetarians and flexitarians who want to reduce meat consumption while ensuring adequate protein intake to meet dietary needs and prevent protein deficiencies.

Sources:

1. Andrade Batista, M., Cruz Arantes Campos, N., Pinto Coelho Silvestre, M., & Yildiz, F. (2018). Whey and protein derivatives: Applications in food product development, technological properties and functional effects on child health . Cogent Food & Agriculture , 2(1). March 2018.
2. Marik, PE (2015). Feeding critically ill patients the right “whey”: Thinking outside of the box. A personal view . Annals of Intensive Care , 5(11). May 2015.
3. Landi, F., Camprubi-Robles, M., Bear, DE, Cederholm, T., Malafarina, V., Welch, AA, & Cruz-Jentoft, AJ (2019). Muscle loss: The new malnutrition challenge in clinical practice . Clinical Nutrition , 38(5), 2113–2120. October 2019.
4. Coker, RH, & Wolfe, RR (2012). Bedrest and sarcopenia . Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care , 15(1), 7–11. January 2012.
5. Cereda, E., Turri, A., Klersy, C., Cappello, S., Ferrari, A., Filippi, AR, Brugnatelli, S., Caraccia, M., Chiellino, S., Borioli, V., Monaco, T., Stella, GM, Arcaini, L., Benazzo, M., Grugnetti, G., Pedrazzoli, P., & Caccialanza, R. (2019). Whey protein isolate supplementation improves body composition, muscle strength, and treatment tolerance in malnourished advanced cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy . Cancer Medicine , 8(16), 6923–6932. November 2019.
6. World Health Organisation. (2021). Non-communicable diseases – Fact sheet . April 2021.
7. European Commission. (n.d.). Public health overview of non-communicable diseases . European Union.
8. Patel, S. (2015). Emerging trends in nutraceutical applications of whey protein and its derivatives . Journal of Food Science and Technology , 52(11), 6847–6858. November 2015.
9. Sousa, GTD, Lira, FS, Rosa, JC, de Oliveira, EP, Oyama, LM, Santos, RV, & Pimentel, GD (2012). Dietary whey protein reduces several risk factors for metabolic diseases: A review . Lipids in Health and Disease , June 2012.
10. Bounous, G., Batiste, G., & Gold, P. (1991). Whey proteins in cancer prevention . Cancer Letters , 57(2), 91–94. May 1991.
11. Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review of advanced resistance training techniques and methods . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 16(24), 4897. December 2019.
12. Siparsky, PN, Kirkendall, DT, & Garrett, WE Jr. (2014). Muscle changes in aging: Understanding sarcopenia . Sports Health , 6(1), 36–40. January 2014.
13. Frestedt, JL, Zenk, JL, Kuskowski, MA, Ward, LS, & Bastian, ED (2008). A whey-protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects: A randomized human clinical study . Nutrition & Metabolism , 5(8). March 2008.