Integrated Supplements Blog

Whey Protein Q&A - Whey Protein Isolate Versus Whey Protein Concentrate Part 3 - Glycation Products in Protein Supplements

Q. What are glycation products?

A. Glycation products are altered protein structures resulting from the chemical interaction of proteins, sugars, and fats.  Glycation products can be produced both in our foods and in our bodies as well.  When the chemical changes proceed far enough, the resulting structures are called advanced glycation endproducts, or, AGEs, for short. Various glycation products and AGEs have been found to be consistently elevated in the body under conditions of aging and disease.

For example, a particular glycation product, called furosine, has been shown to be elevated in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes:

Study Link – Plasma protein glycation in Alzheimer's disease.

Quote from the above study:

Recent studies have suggested that formation of advanced glycation end–products (AGEs) in some brain proteins could be associated with Alzheimer's disease…Protein glycation was evaluated in plasma with a highly specific HPLC–UV technique, using furosine, which is the acid hydrolysis product of epsilon–deoxy–fructosyl–lysine Plasma furosine was almost two times higher in subjects with Alzheimer's disease (p<.005) than in controls, but still 50% lower than in diabetic patients (P<.02).

And similar to the glycation phenomenon which occurs in our body under the conditions of aging, certain types of food processing are known to result in the production of high amounts of furosine as well. 

As relates specifically to protein powders, the following study tested the furosine content of several commercially available sports supplements produced using milk based ingredients like whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, and casein. The furosine levels the researchers found was shockingly high in products which contained whey protein concentrate:

Study Link – Assessing nutritional quality of milk–based sport supplements as determined by furosine.

Quote from the above study:

Furosine content ranged from 2.8 to 1125.7 mg/100 g protein in commercial sport supplements being usually lower in samples containing mainly whey protein isolates or casein, as compared with whey protein concentrates. It is estimated that 0.1–36.7% of the lysine content is not available in this type of products. The use of high quality ingredients for the manufacture of sport supplements reveals important, since it could be the major source of protein intake of certain group of consumers in high or moderate training regime. Furosine is an appropriate indicator to estimate the nutritional quality of sport supplements. A reference value of 70 mg furosine/100 g protein content in dried sport supplements could be set up for controlling the quality of milk–based ingredients used in the formulation. Samples with higher levels are suspected of use of low quality milk–based ingredients or inappropriate storage conditions.

Knowing that glycation products formed in our body may be partly responsible for the degenerative effects of aging, and knowing that glycation products have repeatedly been associated with various degenerative diseases, it’s logical to think that perhaps eating these same glycated proteins may not be such a great idea if we value our long–term health.

Q.  It’s often assumed that high protein intakes aren’t particularly harmful because the body will simply rid itself of the excess.  Is this true?

A.  Some proteins which have been altered by the industrial processes we’ve been describing are likely to have vastly different toxicity profiles relative to minimally-processed protein foods.  In other words, high protein intakes, per se, aren’t likely to be problematic, but high amounts of protein supplements and industrially-processed proteins may be. 

As a bit of background, mainstream nutritionists and doctors often maintain that the average American diet contains sufficient (and, perhaps, too much) protein, and that even the protein requirements of hard-training athletes are only slightly above those of sedentary individuals.  These same experts sometimes also warn that, not only is high protein consumption unnecessary, but that excess protein intake could tax kidney function, and may, thus, actually be harmful.  The bodybuilding, fitness, and supplement communities, however, have largely ignored these warnings, citing evidence of cultures consuming high protein intakes without apparent harm. 

Slowly, some within the medical community have begun to realize that their peers may have previously underestimated the importance of protein in a healthy diet geared towards fat loss and muscle growth or maintenance.  Perhaps spurred by the low-carb and high-protein diet craze of several years ago, the value of high protein intakes has received increasing justification from the medical community.  It’s common now, in fact, to see various protein-centric diet books - and their accompanying protein-containing snack bars and concoctions - peddled by medical doctors.

But, almost universally, both the medical and fitness crowds completely ignore the uniquely toxic effects of the denatured and glycated proteins commonly found in nutritional supplements.  

As protein supplements and protein-fortified foods have become more widely used across various segments of society, it’s likely that the consumption of glycated and industrially-denatured proteins has increased commensurately.  As such, because protein supplements may have completely unique toxicity profiles relative to traditional protein-containing foods, the health effects of industrially-denatured and glycated proteins should be more widely addressed.

While the human body does possess mechanisms to rid the body of excess protein, “getting rid” of glycated proteins is exactly what the body does not do efficiently – and this is what makes many protein–based nutritional supplements uniquely toxic relative to minimally–cooked protein–rich foods.  We’ve already seen, for example, how altered protein structures may promote the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria.  In addition, eating denatured proteins and glycation products (as many users of protein powder, protein bars and ready–to–drink protein shakes unknowingly do), has been shown to add to the AGE burden of the body, and may be particularly detrimental to kidney function:

Study Link – Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) as uremic toxins.

Quote from the above study:

Dietary AGEs may contribute significantly to the total AGE load of the body, particularly in uremia.

So, while high intakes of food-based proteins have not been shown to impair kidney function in healthy individuals, there is significant reason to believe that high intakes of many common protein supplements may.

It has been found, for example, that eating glycated protein causes a major increase in systemic inflammation – including inflammatory disease markers such as C–reactive protein, even in healthy subjects:

Study Link – Diet–derived advanced glycation end products are major contributors to the body's AGE pool and induce inflammation in healthy subjects.

Quote from the above study:

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a heterogeneous group of compounds that form continuously in the body. Their rate of endogenous formation is markedly increased in diabetes mellitus, a condition in which AGEs play a major pathological role. It is also known, however, that AGEs form during the cooking of foods, primarily as the result of the application of heat. This review focuses on the generation of AGEs during the cooking of food, the gastrointestinal absorption of these compounds, and their biological effects in vitro and in vivo. We also present preliminary evidence of a direct association between dietary AGE intake and markers of systemic inflammation such as C–reactive protein in a large group of healthy subjects. Together with previous evidence from diabetics and renal failure patients, these data suggest that dietary AGEs may play an important role in the causation of chronic diseases associated with underlying inflammation.

AGEs are also known to damage blood vessels, and many researchers have implicated AGEs as the major factors responsible for the vascular damage associated with kidney disease and diabetes. Building logically from this, some researchers have proposed a very plausible connection between the ingestion of glycation products in foods and the development of diabetes and subsequent diabetic complications like kidney disease:

Study Link – Possible link of food–derived advanced glycation end products (AGEs) to the development of diabetes.

Quote from the above study:

The formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been known to progress at an accelerated rate under diabetes, and there is accumulating evidence that AGEs play a role in the development of diabetes by inducing islet beta cell damage and/or insulin resistance. Further, there are several animal studies to suggest that dietary AGEs are involved in insulin resistance, visceral obesity and the development of diabetes.

So, despite the common misconception that denatured and glycated proteins are merely inert, or “wasted,” the evidence is overwhelmingly clear that they are, instead, often mildly and cumulatively toxic.

 

Whey Protein Q&A - Whey Protein Isolate Versus Whey Protein Concentrate Part 2 - Denatured Proteins

Q. What are denatured proteins and what are their health effects?

A. In simple terms, a protein is said to be denatured when its chemical shape changes in response to heat or extremes of pH (acid or alkaline). Some proteins (many enzymes, for example) lose their biological function when denatured; and particularly fragile proteins from whey protein must remain undenatured in order to exert their full biological activity.

Studies have found, for example, that heat and pH used in processing may denature up to 53% of the whey proteins found in whey protein concentrate:

Study Link - Influence of pH and heat treatment of whey on the functional properties of whey protein concentrates in yoghurt.

Quote from the above study:

Cheddar whey was heated at pH 6.4 or pH 5.8 at 72 °C for 15 s, eventually heated further at 82 or 88 °C for 78 s, ultrafiltered, and spray dried. Resulting WPC contained 38% protein; the denaturation level of the whey protein was 10–53%. 

Whey protein is somewhat unique among proteins in that its full biological function is largely dependent upon it being undenatured.  By contrast, many common food–based proteins are known to be somewhat denatured under normal cooking conditions; and, of course, these proteins still offer nutritional benefit. For example, an egg white which stiffens and turns white when cooked, is an example of a protein denaturing right before our very eyes.  Our body is still able to break the egg white down into its constituent amino acids, and is able to absorb and utilize these amino acids for use as the building blocks of our muscles, organs, tissues, and metabolic enzymes.  Cooking egg whites also denatures and inactivates certain substances which inhibit vitamin absorption – this is one instance, therefore, where denaturing protein is actually beneficial.

Similarly, many protein-based antinutrients (e.g., trypsin inhibitors) are denatured and inactivated by cooking.  So, clearly, it’s inaccurate to say that all denatured proteins are harmful, or that all undenatured proteins are beneficial.  The protein structures that are altered by cooking and processing really need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

But, as profitable methods of processing and preserving foods exploded in the early part of the twentieth century, there was often a tendency among food producers to simply ignore the health effects of the novel protein structures which formed as a result of processing.

This oversight continues to have serious effects upon public health.

Some modern industrial processes are likely to create unique protein structures which are not formed when foods are cooked normally. The extrusion cooking process, for example, allows for the creation of foods such as “puffed” breakfast cereals and snack foods (as well as protein “crisps” from soy and whey which are now commonly used to add texture to protein bars). Not only do the chemical changes resulting from the extrusion process reduce the amount of biologically active protein in the food, but the altered protein structures formed may impart some degree of toxicity.

Study Link - Nutritional effects of extrusion-cooking.

Though the scientific research gives clear reason for concern, we rarely hear about the health risks which arise when some foods are powdered, extruded, alkali-treated, or high-heat processed.  Perhaps this is partly because even the “health food” industry employs such methods in the processing of protein powders, drinks, breakfast cereals, meat replacements, and many non-dairy milks like soy milk.  These processes give the resulting products remarkably long shelf lives, which makes them far more profitable than fresh, perishable foods.

As scientists continue to study the effects of protein processing on nutritional quality, however, some interesting studies have emerged showing that many of the unnatural proteins formed in the production of modern foods and protein supplements are likely to be at least mildly toxic.

Q. What harmful denatured proteins can be formed in the production of protein powders and protein-containing beverages?

A. Scientists have long studied various toxic substances which are known to be formed during the production of protein–containing powders and beverages.  Though it’s likely that many protein–based toxins still have yet to be discovered, there is enough evidence in the scientific literature to make any educated person wary of certain protein powders and protein-containing beverages.

Alkali–treatment of proteins (including common nutritional supplement ingredients such as soy protein isolate, and calcium caseinate/casein), can lead to the production of unnatural cross–linked amino acids like lysinoalanine (LAL).  In animal studies at least, lysinoalanine has been shown to have many negative effects on digestion and overall metabolism:

Study Link – Influence of feeding alkaline/heat processed proteins on growth and protein and mineral status of rats.

Quote from the above study:

The data suggested that LAL, an unnatural amino acid derivative formed during processing of foods, may produce adverse effects on growth, protein digestibility, protein quality and mineral bioavailability and utilization. The antinutritional effects of LAL may be more pronounced in sole–source foods such as infant formulas and formulated liquid diets which have been reported to contain significant amounts (up to 2400 ppm of LAL in the protein) of LAL.

Study Link – Interaction of lysinoalanine with the protein synthesizing apparatus.

Quote from the above study:

These results indicate that LAL is an inhibitor of both prokaryote and eukaryote lysyl–tRNA–synthetase. Furthermore, it is incorporated into protein. Both of these actions can be factors in the nephrotoxicity [i.e., kidney toxicity] of this common food contaminant.

So, according to the above studies, processed proteins containing lysinoalanine may:

• Inhibit growth

• Inhibit protein synthesis

• Inhibit digestion

• Inhibit mineral absorption

• Harm the kidneys

• And impart numerous anti–nutritional effects

It’s more than a bit ironic then, that lysinoalanine (and many similar toxic “anti–nutrients”) can so commonly be found in the ingredients used by the nutritional supplement industry in an ever–increasing number of protein powders, bars, and drinks.

Decades ago, research into the toxic effects of protein processing centered on ways to create the least toxic infant formulas, or the least toxic enteral feeding formulas for hospital settings. Industrially processed proteins were never thought of as healthy, and the products in which they were used were produced for situations in which even poor nutrition was clearly better than dying of starvation. But, in recent years many of the same (or very similar) protein ingredients have been promoted as dietary staples for health–conscious consumers (e.g., soy and casein protein powders). Since so many people are currently being misled by flashy advertising and fancy product packaging, it’s important to point out the potentially harmful effects of some of the proteins found in nutritional powders, drinks, and bars.

In addition to alkali–treatment, toxins like lysinoalanine can also be formed as a result of the high heat processes now commonly used to pasteurize protein-containing beverages. Ultra heat treatment, or ultra high temperature (UHT) pasteurization and sterilization processes are now able to produce milk and milk–based products (like protein drinks), and non-dairy milks (e.g., soy milk, almond milk, rice milk) which require no refrigeration – but the formation of lysinoalanine in some of these products has been found to be shockingly high:

Study Link – Determination of lysinoalanine in foods containing milk protein by high–performance chromatography after derivatisation with dansyl chloride.

Quote from the above study:

The LAL contents analysed in raw and pasteurised milk ranged from 4 to 24 and 17 to 69 mg kg−1 crude protein, respectively. Compared to that, UHT–treated milk and sterilised milk showed higher LAL levels up to 186 and 653 mg kg−1 crude protein, respectively.

Note: As the above study indicates, normal pasteurization processes don’t necessarily lead to the production of high levels of lysinoalanine in milk.  Despite the common assumption among some health enthusiasts, pasteurization doesn’t always alter the nutritional value of milk to a great degree.  Milk (including organic milk) which has been “ultra-pasteurized,” however, is probably best avoided.

Protein drinks and many non-dairy milks (e.g., soy milk) are produced using protein powders.  Unlike fresh milk, the powders used in the production of these beverages may already contain significant lysinoalanine, even before further heat treatment:

Study Link - Lysinoalanine Content of Formulas for Enteral Nutrition

Quote from the above study:

. . .the preparation of caseinates and the thermal stabilization of the end products are the two steps more favorable for the formation of LAL.

And it’s important to note that lysinoalanine is far from the only toxic product formed by heat and pH treatment of proteins – it’s just one of the most extensively studied:

From: Lysinoalanine in Foods and Antimicrobial Proteins

Heat and alkali treatment of food proteins widely used in food processing results in the formation of crosslinked amino acids such as lysinoalanine, ornithinoalanine, lanthionine, and methyl lanthionine, and concurrent racemization of L–amino acid isomers to D–analogs.

Although many of the byproducts produced by protein processing have yet to be studied individually, there is clear evidence in the scientific literature that heat–treated protein drinks (the kind very commonly available, from soymilks, to protein–containing sports drinks) are likely to impart a cumulatively toxic effect.

As a practical example, the following study showed that both soy and casein protein, when subjected to ultra heat treatment (UHT) caused a significant elevation in LDL cholesterol levels:

Study Link – Ultra heat treatment destroys cholesterol–lowering effect of soy protein.

Quote from the above study:

Unexpectedly, at the end of the study, low–density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were significantly increased compared with baseline in all study groups. The magnitude of this increase (17–19%) was similar in all active and placebo study groups. Soy protein supplements previously shown to be effective in reducing serum cholesterol had in this study no such lipid–lowering effect after ultra heat treatment.

Without undergoing UHT treatment, soy protein or casein either have no effect, or may even lower LDL cholesterol. With UHT treatment, however, these proteins led to a 17% to 19% increase in LDL cholesterol. The study authors concluded that the altered protein structures resulting from heat treatment were responsible, and noted that the “heart health” claim currently allowed by the FDA for soy proteins should likely be revised to exclude UHT-treated soy protein.  This study is clear evidence that changes in protein structure can markedly increase the toxicity of food proteins in humans.

Note: the above study has nothing to do with the cholesterol content of the drinks, as soy and casein (unlike whey protein concentrate) don’t contain cholesterol.  The cholesterol elevation caused by heat-treated soy and casein is evidence of the generally toxic nature of these altered proteins.

Q. It is often assumed that since stomach acid breaks down or “denatures” proteins that the denaturation of protein is no big deal.  Why are the denatured proteins from protein powders and high-heat-treated beverages uniquely harmful?

A. While stomach acid does break down, or denature proteins to facilitate their absorption, some industrial and cooking processes (e.g., spray-drying of protein powder, extrusion of breakfast cereals, high-heat cooking and pastuerization) create unique protein-based structures (not just proteins broken down into their constituent amino acids).  In addition, these processes also create unique protein structures which are likely not to be broken down by stomach acid. Glycation products formed when proteins chemically combine with sugars and fats, for example, are increasingly being seen as a significant factor in aging and disease – the reason is likely to be precisely because the most toxic of them are unable to be broken down by stomach acids.

Unlike native, undenatured proteins (protein which the body recognizes as nutritive), these foreign protein–containing substances are apt to be poorly utilized and absorbed.  And if proteins aren’t absorbed properly, they don’t simply pass through the body unscathed. Rather, in their journey through our digestive tract, altered proteins are likely to be fermented into various other toxic compounds such as phenols, cresols, indoles, amines and ammonia by the bacteria which inhabit the colon (the vast majority of digestible protein is absorbed in the small intestine, and never makes it to the colon).

This is one reason why so many protein supplements (including many of the lower–quality whey protein supplements) often cause gas, bloating, cramping, or an upset stomach – this phenomenon is likely due to the fermentation of glycated proteins by colonic bacteria, and is not simply due to lactose intolerance as some people believe.

Because they support the growth of pathogenic colonic bacteria, denatured and glycated proteins can represent a unique toxic burden:

Study Link – p–cresol: a toxin revealing many neglected but relevant aspects of uraemic toxicity.

Quote from the above study:

P–Cresol is an end–product of protein breakdown, and an increase of the nutritional protein load in healthy individuals results in enhanced generation and urinary excretion. The serum p–cresol concentration in uraemic patients can be decreased by changing to a low–protein diet. p–Cresol is one of the metabolites of the amino acid tyrosine, and to a certain extent also of phenylalanine, which are converted to 4–hydroxyphenylacetic acid by intestinal bacteria, before being decarboxylated to p–cresol (putrefaction).

The action of intestinal bacteria on proteins (especially overly–processed, altered, and poorly absorbed proteins) may explain why the consumption of certain protein–rich foods (processed meat, for example) has often been implicated in the development of colon cancer:

Study Link – Meat Consumption and Risk of Colorectal Cancer.

Quote from the above study:

Our results demonstrate the potential value of examining long–term meat consumption in assessing cancer risk and strengthen the evidence that prolonged high consumption of red and processed meat may increase the risk of cancer in the distal portion of the large intestine.

But despite the implication of some vegetarians that meats are the sole source of such protein–derived toxins, it seems that many overly processed, extensively heated, or denatured proteins are apt to produce significant amounts of toxic byproducts in the intestines. The following study found that extensively heat–treated (thermolyzed) casein, egg white, and soy proteins (the kinds of protein sources commonly found in dietary supplements) all caused a marked increase in the production of protein–derived intestinal toxins:

Study Link – Colonic Protein Fermentation and Promotion of Colon Carcinogenesis by Thermolyzed Casein.

Quote from the above study:

We found that the thermolysis of casein reduces its digestibility and increases colonic protein fermentation, as assessed by fecal ammonium and urinary phenol, cresol, and indol–3–ol. Thermolysis of two other proteins, soy and egg white protein, also increases colonic protein fermentation with increased fecal ammonia and urinary phenols.

Although the heat–treated proteins didn’t lead to the development of colon cancer in the above study (which actually surprised the researchers), the formation of toxic byproducts was significantly increased in animals who consumed the heat–treated protein supplements.

Studies by other researchers have shown that heat–treated casein does, indeed, lead to the production of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) – well–known precursors to colon cancer development:

Study Link – Promotion of aberrant crypt foci and cancer in rat colon by thermolyzed protein.

Quote from the above study:

Thermolyzed casein promotes early colonic precursor lesions in a dose–dependent and thermolysis time–dependent manner; thermolyzed casein also promotes colon cancer.

Researchers have also found that feeding mice and rats cooked combinations of casein, sugar, and fat led to the formation of microadenomas in the colon (microadenomas are small tumors, a step closer to colon cancer development than aberrant crypt foci):

Study Link – Promotion of Colonic Microadenoma Growth in Mice and Rats Fed Cooked Sugar or Cooked Casein and Fat.

Quote from the above study:

. . .a diet containing 20% of cooked sucrose, or 40% of casein and beef tallow cooked together, promotes the growth of colonic microadenomas in initiated mice and rats, and would appear to contain promoters for colon cancer.

Given the above study, it’s truly frightening to note that one of the most popular ready–to–drink protein shakes currently is a “muscle milkshake” which contains particularly high amounts of casein, sugar, and fat.  These drinks are shelf-stable (i.e, they don’t require refrigeration) which indicates that they are high-heat/UHT processed - yet it’s doubtful that the millions of people consuming this drink have the faintest idea that they may be dramatically increasing their risk of colon cancer in the process.

With regard to protein-containing foods, the existing research lends support to the idea of choosing those which are “minimally processed.”  Along these same lines, ideal protein supplements (which are significantly processed, by definition) would be those produced specifically to maintain nutritional value, and the integrity of the protein structure. 

Whey Protein Q&A - Whey Protein Isolate Versus Whey Protein Concentrate Part 1 - Oxidized Cholesterol

Q. How is Whey Protein Isolate different from Whey Protein Concentrate?

A. Whey protein concentrate contains between 34% and 80% protein, and contains relatively high levels of lactose, fat, and cholesterol.  Whey protein isolate, on the other hand, contains 90% or greater protein by weight, and negligible levels of lactose, fat, and cholesterol.

Because whey protein concentrates are often used as filler ingredients in animal feed, baked goods, and processed dairy products, great care is often not taken to protect the delicate whey protein structures in the production of whey protein concentrate.  As a result, high levels of denatured and glycated proteins are often formed when whey protein concentrate is produced.

These denatured and glycated proteins (i.e., altered protein structures, and altered protein structures formed when proteins interact with sugars and lipids) greatly compromise the nutritional quality of whey protein concentrate, and may even prove harmful.

Properly-prepared whey protein isolates, on the other hand, are produced using selective filters which rid the product of essentially all denatured and glycated proteins (as well as lactose, fat, and cholesterol).  These are just some of the reasons why, we feel, a properly-prepared whey protein isolate is the only intelligent option for use in whey protein nutritional supplements.

Note: Not all whey protein isolates offer the full benefits of filtered whey isolates – whey isolates produced by the ion exchange method, for example, lack an important whey microfraction called glycomacropeptide.  Additionally, some whey concentrates may be produced so as to minimize the formation of denatured proteins – these whey concentrates, however, would still contain lactose, fat, and most importantly, cholesterol – which is prone to oxidation during the shelf life of the powder.

Q. What is oxidized cholesterol, and what are its health effects?

A. When a cholesterol molecule interacts with oxygen, oxidized cholesterol may be formed.  While unoxidized, or native cholesterol is an important substance needed for the building of cellular structure and hormone synthesis, oxidized cholesterol is metabolized differently, and may be a unique contributor to heart disease and other types of metabolic and hormonal disruption.

Oxidized cholesterol, for example, has been implicated in the development of atherogenesis – the thickening of the arterial wall due to the build-up of fatty material – in other words, the beginning of the clogged arteries of heart disease:

Study Link - Atherogenic effect of oxidized products of cholesterol.

Quote from the above study:

Cholesterol under certain in vitro and possibly in vivo conditions may be oxidized to oxysterols, which are suspected of being initiators of atherosclerotic plaques… Dietary oxysterols are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and are selectively transported by the athrogenic lipoproteins LDL and VLDL. The oxysterols cholestanetriol and 25-OH cholesterol have been shown to be atherogenic. Oxysterols are commonly found in dried egg products, powdered milk, cheeses and in a variety of high temperature dried animal products.

As the above study indicates, cholesterol can oxidize inside our body, but it can also oxidize in the foods we eat.  While fresh cholesterol-containing foods, cooked normally, contain relatively low levels of oxidized cholesterol, cholesterol-containing dried, powdered, and “shelf-stable” foods are apt to contain relatively high levels of oxidized cholesterol.  This includes foods such as powdered eggs, powdered milk, powdered cheese, and whey protein concentrate.

Studies have shown that the oxidized cholesterol in such foods is absorbed and is taken up by the cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins, leading researchers to note that dietary sources of oxidized cholesterol may be unique contributors to atherosclerosis:

Study Link - Oxidized cholesterol in the diet is a source of oxidized lipoproteins in human serum.

Quote from the above study:

It is possible that oxidized cholesterol in the diet accelerates atherosclerosis by increasing oxidized cholesterol levels in circulating LDL and chylomicron remnants.

Because the formation of cholesterol oxides is inevitable in any powdered product which contains cholesterol, we feel that all cholesterol-containing powders (and many products made from them, like ready-to-drink protein shakes) should be avoided by any health-conscious consumer.

Studies have found, for example, that the formation of cholesterol oxides in dairy powders steadily increases during the shelf life of the powders – even when the products are stored sealed at room temperature:

Study Link - Determination of Cholesterol Oxides in Dairy Products. Effect of Storage Conditions.

Cholesterol oxidation is likely to be an even greater problem with many ready-to-drink protein shakes which are made with whey protein concentrate powder – and which are then pasteurized at high temperatures, often in the presence of oxidizing agents like unsaturated fats and minerals such as copper and iron.

Ultimately, it’s clear that oxidized cholesterol is metabolized in a fundamentally different way relative to native cholesterol, and is likely to be significantly harmful as a result. 

 

 

 

Whey Protein Q&A - Whey Protein And Weight Loss

Q. Can whey protein help with weight loss?

A. Whey protein is likely to have particular benefits for people looking to lose weight.  Out of the three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, and fat), protein is known to suppress appetite the most.  And while this is true for pretty much any protein source, whey protein may assist weight loss for several additional reasons.

The authors of the scholarly article below note that calcium, branched-chain amino acids (which whey contains in abundance), and unique whey peptides are all likely to make whey protein a powerful tool for weight management:

Study link - Role of whey protein and whey components in weight management and energy metabolism.

Quote from the above study:

…the anti-obesity effect [of whey] appears to result from calcium, high proportion of branched chain amino acids, and specific bioactive whey-derived peptides.

Whey protein has also been shown to reduce appetite particularly well – and the whey microfraction called glycomacropeptide (GMP) may be an important factor in this effect.  Studies have found that consuming whey proteins which contained GMP at breakfast led to reduced caloric intake at subsequent meals, relative to consuming whey proteins without GMP:

Study Link - Effects of complete whey-protein breakfasts versus whey without GMP-breakfasts on energy intake and satiety.

Quote from the above study:

[Energy intake] at lunch was lower after whey than after whey without GMP…GMP as a whey–fraction reduced energy intake coinciding with increased concentrations of certain amino acids, irrespective of the concentration of whey–protein. Although between different concentrations of whey–protein differences in hormone responses were observed, these were unrelated to satiety ratings or energy intake.

A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that the long-term consumption of whey protein was associated with lower body weight and lower body fat mass in overweight and obese adults.

The study subjects consumed 56 grams of either whey or soy protein daily, or an equal amount of calories as carbohydrates.  The participants otherwise consumed their normal diets.  After 23 weeks of supplementation, the fat mass of those consuming whey protein was 2.3 kilograms (just over 5 pounds) less than those consuming an equal amount of calories as carbohydrates. 

Study Link – Whey Protein but Not Soy Protein Supplementation Alters Body Weight and Composition in Free-Living Overweight and Obese Adults.

Quote from the above study:

In this study in which energy restriction was not part of the intervention, changes in body weight and composition were small but nevertheless suggest that habitual consumption of supplemental protein may result in improved body composition and incremental, but ultimately significant, weight loss. These data suggest that supplemental dietary protein may reduce the risk of unhealthy weight gain observed in many populations (i.e. 500–1000 g/y).

An interesting aspect of the above study was that the subjects consuming whey protein lost weight and fat mass without consciously restricting calories. 

Similar studies have found that whey protein may allow dieters to not only lose weight, but to maintain significant muscle mass while dieting – an important aspect of long-term dieting success:

Study Link - A whey-protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects: a randomized human clinical study.

In all, quality whey protein is likely to be an important part of any weight-management program.

Whey Protein Q&A - Whey Protein's Unique Benefits

In recent years, protein powders and protein-fortified drinks and food bars have become increasingly common staples of many people’s diets.  While a select few of these products may have nutritional benefits, many may actually do more harm than good.  In this series of Q & A articles, we’ll see how to choose protein supplements that are actually health-promoting (such as undenatured whey protein isolate).  We’ll also see exactly how to use such protein supplements to achieve maximal benefit for growth, repair, recovery, and optimal health.

Q. What is Whey?

A. Whey is the watery part of milk separated from curds during the making of cheese.  Sweet dairy whey, which is the raw precipitate from cheddar-type cheeses, contains quite a bit of lactose and fat – and relatively small amounts of protein.  Where whey was originally thought of as a mere waste product, the dairy industry often sold powdered whey for use as a cheap animal feed, but researchers eventually found that the protein portion of whey (if protected from denaturation/damage by careful extraction methods) had potentially remarkable health benefits for humans.

Q. What is Whey Protein?

A. The small amount of protein in whey is greatly concentrated when water, lipids, and lactose are removed – the resultant product is known as whey protein.  Different whey proteins may contain anywhere from 34% to over 90% protein by weight depending upon how they’re processed.

The term whey protein doesn’t just refer to one type of protein, but actually encompasses many different subtypes of protein collectively called microfrations.  Research has found that each of whey’s microfractions imparts unique and often powerfully health-promoting benefits.  Whey protein microfractions include:

Beta-Lactoglobulin

Alpha-Lactalbumin

Glycomacropeptide

Bovine Serum Albumin

Immunoglobulins

Lactoferrin

Not all whey protein products, however, contain the full array of whey’s microfractions.  Many of the most health-promoting microfractions are often damaged in the production of whey protein powders, and some whey protein production methods (e.g., the ion-exchange method) are unable to extract the full gamut of whey’s microfractions. Ultimately, only products which are produced using low temperatures and selective filters are capable of delivering the full array of undenatured and active whey proteins.

Q. How is whey protein different than the protein in foods such as eggs, chicken, or beef?

A. The protein found in eggs, chicken, and beef is generally high quality, but because of whey’s unique composition, properly-prepared whey protein is capable of offering benefits above and beyond other such protein-containing foods.  For starters, whey protein is the richest source of key muscle-building amino acids such as leucine – likely a major reason why whey protein is unsurpassed in supporting muscle growth and repair. 

But, whey protein’s benefits aren’t solely due to its amino acid composition.  Whey’s unique microfractions have functional benefits above and beyond being a source of the amino acids which make up the body’s tissues and enzymes.  These microfractions, for example, may support immune function and cellular detoxification.  Several whey microfractions have been shown to support the growth of healthy bacteria in the intestines (meaning that whey protein may support digestive health, appetite suppression and weight loss).  Certain whey peptides may support healthy blood pressure, and whey protein has also been shown to support the proper metabolism and storage of carbohydrates, thus supporting healthy blood sugar levels.

In all, whey protein is far more than just a “building block” for the body’s tissues – it may support both the structure and function of our body’s cells like no other protein available.

Q. Research shows that, for all its shortcomings, the standard American diet contains sufficient protein.  Even athletes can easily meet their elevated protein requirements with readily-available foods.  Why should people consider taking a whey protein supplement?

A. Properly-prepared, undenatured whey protein is likely to offer unique benefits above and beyond those of other protein sources.  While most sources of protein such as beef, chicken, and eggs simply supply amino acids for growth and repair of the body’s tissues, the unique peptides in undenatured whey protein impart numerous biological benefits involving immunity, antioxidant status, healthy blood sugar, bone health, blood pressure, and digestive health to name just a few.  Because of its far-reaching effects, whey protein is far more than just a means to add additional protein to the diet, and even those whose diet already contains sufficient protein can still benefit from adding undenatured whey protein.

For example, unique sulfur-containing peptides in whey may be able to enhance the production of the cellular antioxidant and detoxifier known as glutathione.  Glutathione plays an important role in the immune system and in the proper growth and repair of the body’s cells.  Numerous studies show that whey protein may be able to enhance glutathione levels in those with compromised immune systems (including athletes):

Study Link - Whole blood and mononuclear cell glutathione response to dietary whey protein supplementation in sedentary and trained male human subjects.

Quote from the above study:

The aerobic training period resulted in significantly lower glutathione concentrations in whole blood, an effect that was mitigated by WPI [Whey Protein Isolate] supplementation. A significant increase in mononuclear cell glutathione was also observed in subjects receiving the WPI supplement following the 40 km simulated cycling trial.

Study Link - Oral supplementation with whey proteins increases plasma glutathione levels of HIV-infected patients.

Quote from the above study:

In glutathione-deficient patients with advanced HIV-infection, short-term oral supplementation with whey proteins increases plasma glutathione levels.

Study Link - Improved glutathione status in young adult patients with cystic fibrosis supplemented with whey protein.

Studies have also found that, unlike casein protein (another protein in milk), whey protein may support healthy blood lipids, insulin, and blood pressure levels in overweight and obese individuals:

Study Link - Effects of whey protein isolate on body composition, lipids, insulin and glucose in overweight and obese individuals.

Quote from the above study:

The present study demonstrated that supplementation with whey proteins improves fasting lipids and insulin levels in overweight and obese individuals.

Study Link - The chronic effects of whey proteins on blood pressure, vascular function, and inflammatory markers in overweight individuals.

Quote from the above study:

This study demonstrated that supplementation with whey protein improves blood pressure and vascular function in overweight and obese individuals.

The whey microfraction, gycomacropeptide, may exert its wide-ranging biological effects via its ability to support healthy bacterial populations in the intestines.  Such an effect could lead not only to appetite reduction, but to benefits for digestive, and overall health.

In research published in the Journal of Nutrition, for example, researchers from the University of Granada School of Pharmacy found that Glycomacropeptide was able to reduce intestinal inflammation on par with anti-inflammatory drugs in a rat model of chemically-induced colitis:

Study Link - Bovine Glycomacropeptide Is Anti-Inflammatory in Rats with Hapten-Induced Colitis

Quote from the above study:

The magnitude of the anti-inflammatory effect was generally comparable to that of sulfasalazine, an established drug used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Recently, researchers have found that whey protein may possess the unique ability to stimulate bone–building cells, called osteoblasts, while at the same time reducing bone resorption, or, the breaking down of bone:

Study Link – Effect of whey protein on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts.

Quote from the above study:

This study establishes whey protein as a potent novel anabolic factor in osteoblasts, and which also reduces bone resorption.

And though the above study was conducted in vitro, animal and human studies have also shown various whey proteins to offer bone–building benefits above and beyond other types of protein. The following study, for example, found that rats fed small amounts of whey protein had higher levels of bone–specific proteins and stronger bones than those fed exclusively casein:

Study Link – Effects of whey protein on calcium and bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats.

Quote from the above study:

These data indicate that the milk whey protein influence in OVX rats is an increase in bone proteins such as collagen and enhanced bone–breaking energy.

Whey protein may also offer unique benefits for regulating blood sugar.  Because of the unique proteins it contains, whey protein in insulinogenic – meaning, that it facilitates the release of insulin and thus aids in the storage and utilization of carbohydrates.

Human studies have shown that mixtures of whey and casein protein combined with carbohydrates led to significantly greater rates of glycogen storage relative to either carbohydrate or protein alone:

Study Link - Carbohydrate-protein complex increases the rate of muscle glycogen storage after exercise.

Quote from the above study:

The rate of muscle glycogen storage during the CHO-PRO treatment [35.5 +/- 3.3 (SE) mumol.g protein-1.h-1] was significantly faster than during the CHO treatment (25.6 +/- 2.3 mumol.g protein-1.h-1), which was significantly faster than during the PRO treatment (7.6 +/- 1.4 mumol.g protein-1.h-1). The results suggest that postexercise muscle glycogen storage can be enhanced with a carbohydrate-protein supplement as a result of the interaction of carbohydrate and protein on insulin secretion.

Subsequent animal studies have found that whey protein (more so than casein) is uniquely responsible for increasing glycogen levels after exercise.  Such research gives us important clues as to how to use whey protein to maximize exercise recovery – a topic we’ll cover later in this Q&A.

Study Link - Dietary whey protein increases liver and skeletal muscle glycogen levels in exercise-trained rats.

Quote from the above study:

Total glycogen synthase activity in the skeletal muscle in the whey protein group was significantly higher than that in the casein group. The present study is the first to demonstrate that a diet based on whey protein may increase glycogen content in liver and skeletal muscle of exercise-trained rats.

An excess of iron is a common cause of the oxidative stress and free radical production found in aging and disease.  The iron-binding whey microfraction, called lactoferrin, has been associated with numerous health benefits, and It’s likely that lactoferrin may help our bodies use iron safely and efficiently:

Study Link - Milk whey protein decreases oxygen free radical production in a murine model of chronic iron-overload cardiomyopathy.

To be continued...

Integrated Supplements is a Proud Sponsor of the Fittest Loser Challenge

Integrated Supplements is proud to be a sponsor, and official nutritional supplement provider, for the 2012 Fittest Loser Challenge.

Now in its fourth year, The Fittest Loser Challenge is a 12-week body transformation contest presented by The Daily Herald - suburban Chicago’s largest daily newspaper.  Out of hundreds of entries, six contestants are chosen to have their lives transformed. These chosen few receive expert training and nutritional consultation from Push Fitness – a premier training studio located in Schaumburg, Illinois – as well as premium nutritional supplements from us at Integrated Supplements.  For the duration of the 12-week contest, the contestants have their progress chronicled in the pages of the Daily Herald newspaper, and the one losing the most weight during this time is crowned with the title of: “The Fittest Loser.”

But, the best part is, you don’t have to be a Fittest Loser contestant to join in. 

Though only six people are chosen as contestants, the challenge has inspired hundreds of individuals to lose weight, build muscle, and improve their overall health and well-being.  We want you to benefit from the same sort of expert coaching that the Fittest Loser contestants receive.  In upcoming blog articles, we’ll give you practical tips on diet, supplements, training, and you’ll join a community of like-minded people striving to be their best everyday. 

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Be inspired by reading success stories from previous Fittest Loser contestants.

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