Things You Didn’t Know About Whey Protein
Did you know that a by-product of cheese production forms whey Whey protein is made by isolating the globular proteins from the whey, which is then made into a powder that can be mixed with water and taken as a supplement.
Whey protein contains the highest levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s) found in any food source1.. Amino acids are commonly known as the ‘building blocks of life’ as they are needed to support cellular function. They help to build, repair and sustain the healthy function of various tissues from the heart to the brain.
Branched chain amino acids are metabolised straight into the muscle after exercise, helping to make them the most effective type of amino acid in muscle tissue production2. If your body does not get enough of these BCAA’s during exercise, energy may be taken from the muscle itself, which can lead to muscle wastage3.
One of the 20 amino acids, Leucine, is also present in Whey Protein4 . Leucine may help to speed up the the recovery of the muscle tissue after exercise.
are important more so as they cannot be produced naturally by the body. Therefore to get all that our body needs, protein rich foods must be consumed as part of our diets. Foods such as meat and eggs are typically high in protein, whilst soy beans and legumes are great alternatives for vegetarians5.
Whey protein is often taken in supplement form by athletes looking to get the most from their exercise regimes, as protein is required in higher amounts following high intensity workouts.
1 Truly Huge (2005). Whey Protein Supplement Muscle Building Review. http://www.trulyhuge.com/whey_protein.html
2 Whey Protein Institute (2008). Benefits of Whey Protein.
http://www.wheyoflife.org/benefits.cfm#performance
3 Vitamin Stuff (2009). Whey Protein Supplements.
http://www.vitaminstuff.com/supplements-whey-protein.html
4 Whey of Life (2008). Benefits of Whey Protein. http://www.wheyoflife.org/benefits.cfm
5 BBC Health (2008). Protein. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/healthy_protein.shtml