Good quality whey has tremendous benefits for the body. Ranging from anti-aging, to calming intestinal discomfort; high quality protein can comfort and support your body’s daily needs. With information gathered by our Chief Science Officer Dr Jean Francois Lesgard, we explore 8 ways in which whey optimizes your body and boosts your health.
The right quality of whey, that is grass fed, cold filtration processed, goes well beyond the traditionally perceived benefits such as muscle growth and repair; it supports virtually every system in the body.
1. Strengthen immunity and reduce inflammation
With its exceptional richness in essential amino acids (EAAs), particularly in sulfur amino acids (cysteine, methionine), whey can boost our immune system and our anti-inflammatory defenses. Thus it can prevent and be efficient at fighting inflammatory processes and diseases that can be linked to certain food habits (such diets high in sugar & saturated fat or poor in nutrients), lifestyle or environmental aggressions, lack of physical activity, chronic psychological stress, or excess smoking and pollution.
2. Anti-aging (a reduction in cellular oxidation)
Ageing, associated with a loss of resistance to oxidative stress, is an inevitable biological process that affects everybody. Our diet, however, can greatly improve this genetic and physiological process. Glutathione is the master antioxidant in the body which can slow down the ageing process. Whey has been shown to be one the greatest sources in food to replenish glutathione thanks to its richness in sulfur AAs (cysteine, methionine) that are the precursors to glutathione production by the body.
3. Muscle recovery and synthesis
This is more commonly known, but whey can help maintain or increase muscle mass, especially when paired with resistance training. This is well known amongst athletes and athletic individuals, but it can in fact benefit everybody. Indeed whey protein is one of the best and highest-quality proteins given its very high branched-chain amino acids content (BAAs: leucine, isoleucine and valine) and rapid digestibility to support muscle synthesis.
4. Protects against sarcopenia
Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. Indeed, long term muscle loss can be a consequence of the progressive loss of antioxidant potential. This promotes what scientists call inflammaging. Whey is rapidly becoming the proposed protein source of choice to maintain muscle strength in the elderly. Seniors should consume up to 1.5g of protein per kg of body weight per day. Whey (in association with antioxidants from fruits like the ones also present in our products) can significantly reverse this loss of muscle and improve inflammaging.
5. Regulate sugar and prevent cardiovascular diseases
Studies in humans show that whey protein can be used in medical/nutritional therapy to regulate blood sugar (hyperglycemia). It can also lower triglycerides, reduce blood pressure and the risk of hypertension and consolidate arterial health. Once again whey, especially in associations with certain vitamins, can be beneficial to the health of your heart.
6. Intestinal comfort
Whey is also rich in glutamic acid, an AA that can easily convert into glutamine. Glutamine participates in the regeneration of intestinal cells, intestine health and digestion. Thus whey can improve intestine operation and digestive comfort.
7. Regulates body clock, sleep cycles & fights stress
Hormones are very important in the regulation of mood & stress as well as sleep quality. Among them, serotonin has a central importance of regulating our stress response and mood. Melatonin is necessary to reach and maintain proper sleep cycles. Fatigue and stress can lead to many other illnesses and cause inflammatory reactions in the body. This can easily be minimised with the proper protein intake so that our bodies can get the right amino acids necessary to naturally create serotonin and melatonin. The EAA Tryptophan is an unavoidable key precursor of the formation of these two hormones and is less common than other AAs in food proteins. Guess what? Whey also has a very high content in tryptophan AA in comparison to many sources of proteins.
8. Can support weight loss or gain
Whey is a perfect tool to manage weight loss or gain. As it supports lean muscle mass, it can be used as a light snack alone or added to any snack for added nutrition. For weight management or loss, it helps curb sugar cravings and stabilises blood sugar levels. Clinical studies now also show that whey can be of great help in pathologies associated with weight loss.
A diet supplemented with the right quality quality of protein powder can do more than boost your immune system or increase muscle mass. It can completely and holistically optimise every system in your body!