Whey Protein Importance
by Hamoon Arbabi
zone3
Studies on whey demonstrate it's an even better protein supplement than
previously thought. Although whey protein's health benefits have only
recently been elucidated, the use of whey protein for medicinal purposes
has been prescribed since the time of Hippocrates. In fact, there are two
ancient proverbs from the Italian city of Florence that say, "If you want
to live a healthy and active life, drink whey," and, "If everyone were
raised on whey, doctors would be bankrupt."
In previous issues, we've chronicled the extensive research showing the
many potential health benefits of whey protein concentrate. The majority
of that research was done in the 1980s and early 1990s, and was extremely
persuasive. Scientists have continued their research on whey proteins with
even more impressive results. What follows is some of the more current,
interesting and useful research on whey proteins.
Whey and Cancer
Additional studies have been done on animals regarding cancer-causing
chemicals to see what effects whey protein concentrate would have on
cancer prevention or treatment. Scientists fed rats various proteins and
then subjected them to the powerful carcinogen dimethylhydrazine.
As with the previous research, the rats fed whey protein concentrate
showed fewer tumors and a reduced pooled area of tumors (tumor mass
index). The researchers found whey protein offered "considerable
protection to the host" over that of other proteins, including soy.
1. Even more exciting, in vivo research on cancer and whey showed whey
protein concentrate inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells at low
concentrations (Baruchel S. and Vaiu G., Anti Cancer Research, 1996).
Finally, and most importantly, a fairly recent clinical study with cancer
patients showed a regression in some patient's tumors when fed whey
protein concentrate at 30 grams per day.
2. Whey and Glutathione
This new research using whey protein concentrate led researchers to an
amazing discovery regarding the relationship between cancerous cells,
glutathione (GSH) and whey protein concentrate. It was found that whey
protein concentrate selectively depletes cancer cells of their
glutathione, thus making them more susceptible to cancer treatments such
as radiation and chemotherapy.
It has been found that cancer cells and normal cells will respond
differently to nutrients and drugs that affect glutathione status. What is
most interesting to note is the fact that the concentration of glutathione
in tumor cells is higher than that of the normal cells that surround it.
This difference in glutathione status between normal cells and cancer
cells is believed to be an important factor in cancer cells' resistance to
chemotherapy.
As the researchers put it, "Tumor cell GSH concentration may be among
the determinants of the cytotoxicity [poisonous to cells] of many
chemotherapeutic agents and of radiation, and an increase in GSH
concentration appears to be at least one of the mechanisms of acquired
drug resistance to chemotherapy."
They further state, "It is well-known that rapid GSH synthesis in tumor
cells is associated with high rates of cellular proliferation. Depletion
of tumor GSH in vivo decreases the rate of cellular proliferation and
inhibits cancer growth."
The problem is, it's difficult to reduce glutathione sufficiently in
tumor cells without placing healthy tissue at risk and putting the cancer
patient in a worse condition. What is needed is a compound that can
selectively deplete the cancer cells of their glutathione, while
increasing, or at least maintaining, the levels of glutathione in healthy
cells.
This is exactly what whey protein appears to do. In this new research
it was found that cancer cells subjected to whey proteins were depleted of
their glutathione, and their growth was inhibited, while normal cells had
an increase in GSH and increased cellular growth.
These effects were not seen with other proteins. Not surprisingly, the
researchers concluded, "Selective depletion of tumor GSH may in fact
render cancer cells more vulnerable to the action of chemotherapy and
eventually protect normal tissue against the deleterious effects of
chemotherapy." The exact mechanism by which whey protein achieves this is
not fully understood, but it appears that it interferes with the normal
feedback mechanism and regulation of glutathione in cancer cells.
It is known that glutathione production is negatively inhibited by its
own synthesis. Being that baseline glutathione levels in cancer cells are
higher than that of normal cells, it is probably easier to reach the level
of negative-feedback inhibition in the cancer cells' glutathione levels
than in the normal cells' glutathione levels.
Whey and LDL Cholesterol
The positive health benefits of whey protein concentrate does not end
with its effects on immunity and cancer prevention and treatment. Whey
protein concentrate also was found to be a potent inhibitor of oxidized
low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Current research suggests that the
conversion of LDL to oxidized LDL is the trigger that leads to
atherogenesis... the formation of the plaque and lesions associated with
atherosclerosis.
Therefore, any substance that prevents the oxidation of LDL is thought
to be anti-atherogenic. Though animal-based proteins have traditionally
been implicated as being pro-atherogenic, whey proteins appear to be an
exception to the rule. whey protein is made up of several minor and major
fractions, such as beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, albumin,
lactoferrin and immunoglobulin. It was discovered that the minor
constituent responsible for the ability of whey protein concentrate to
prevent the oxidation of LDL appears to be the lactoferrin fraction of the
protein.
3. Lactoferrin In Whey
When the lactoferrin was removed from the protein, the ability of the
whey-protein concentrate to prevent LDL oxidation was greatly reduced,
leading the researchers to speculate, "Our results suggest that LF
(lactoferrin) is the main factor responsible for the inhibitory effect of
whey protein (on LDL) and it may function synergistically together with
other factors in the whey protein, for example, alpha-lactalbumin."
Another study using rats examined the effects of whey protein
concentrate and casein on cholesterol and the risk factors of heart
disease. Though casein (another milk-based protein commonly used in
research) is known to raise cholesterol in humans and animals, whey
protein has the opposite effect, leading the researchers to note, "At the
high dietary protein level [300 gram per kilogram of feed] , whey protein
significantly lowered plasma and liver cholesterol and also plasma
triacylglycerols."
4. The cholesterol-lowering effects of whey protein concentrate in this
study also was associated with a reduction in LDL cholesterol. Most
interesting was the fact that this effect on cholesterol was not seen when
the animals were fed amino acid mixtures that simulated whey protein, so
it is clear that there are properties within the whey that have these
effects beyond that of its amino acid profile.
Whey and Bone Growth
Finally, whey protein appears to play a direct role in bone growth.
Researchers found that rats fed whey protein concentrate showed increased
bone strength and bone protein such as collagen. This discovery led
researches to test whether or not whey protein directly stimulated
osteoblast (bone cell) growth in vitro.
Whey protein was found to stimulate, dose dependently, total protein
synthesis, DNA content, and increased hydroxyproline contents of bone
cells.
5. It should be noted that not all whey protein concentrates are
created equal. Processing whey protein to remove the lactose and fats
without losing its biological activity takes special care by the
manufacturer. The protein must be processed under low temperature and low
acid conditions so as not to "denature" the protein. Maintaining the
natural state of the protein is essential to its biological activity.
These research findings, combined with the previous decade of study on
whey protein, should convince anyone that whey protein concentrate is
truly the life-extension protein.
Higher Glutathione Levels and Whey
A decade-and-a-half of findings on the benefits of whey protein are
far-reaching.
Previous Studies Include The Following:
Whey protein concentrate dramatically raises glutathione levels.
Glutathione is an essential water-soluble antioxidant in the body that
protects cells and serves as a primary detoxifier of harmful compounds
such as peroxides, heavy metals, carcinogens and other toxins.
Glutathione also is intimately tied to immunity, and reduced
glutathione levels have been associated with disease such as AIDS,
atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, to name only
a few. In fact, glutathione levels appear to be one way of modulating
immunity.
6. Whey protein concentrate was found to consistently raise this
extremely important immune stimulating antioxidant beyond that of any
protein studied (including soy) to higher than normal levels in multiple
animal studies.
7. A small pilot study with HIV-positive men who were fed whey protein
concentrate found dramatic increases in glutathione levels of all the
study participants, with two out of three men reaching their ideal body
weight.
8. In fact, there have been several U.S. and international patents
granted for the treatment of AIDS and improving immunity with whey protein
concentrates.Whey protein improves immune function and fights infections.
Animals fed whey protein concentrate consistently showed dramatic
enhancement of both the humoral and cellular immune response to a variety
of immune challenges, such as salmonella, streptococcus pneumonia 9 and
extreme cancer-causing chemicals. This effect on immunity was not seen
with other proteins. So proof Whey protein concentrate fights cancer!!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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