Whey protein, a component of milk, is co-product of cheese-making and casein manufacturing process in the dairy industry. Whey protein powder and whey components are seen as value-added ingredients in clinical nutrition formulas, sports nutrition foods and beverages, and other food products.

There has been continuous research in the area of benefits of whey protein powder and number of studies support its goodness on a wider spectrum of illness to wellness. Mentioned below are 10 such benefits of whey protein powder which prove its superiority among all proteins

1. Source of High Quality Protein

The quality of protein is determined by the presence of 9 essential amino acids (EAAs). Maximum the number of EAAs, higher is the quality of protein. In case of whey protein powder, it has all 9 EAAs present in it making it the highest quality protein amongst all.

Whey protein also ranks highest in biological value (104 for whey against 100 for egg) which proves that it is completely digested and utilized by body.

2. Promotes Muscle Growth

Whey protein is absorbed fastest among all proteins which makes it an ideal supplement for post workout. Whey protein powder has highest amount of Leucine and BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids which are Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine) both of which are the most important amino acids which play a major role in muscle growth.

These amino acids are initiators of muscle protein synthesis. When whey protein powder is consumed post workout after exercising the muscles, the leucine and BCAAs are fastest to reach the site of muscle repair and initiate the process of building muscle with speed.

This process help build lean muscles much faster than any other source of protein.

3. Promotes Fat Loss

The process of building muscle as explained above leads to increase in body’s overall metabolism. This rise in metabolism requires energy to be consumed.

When exercise is clubbed with a high protein diet where whey protein powder is taken post workout and carbohydrate consumption is reduced, body targets the stored fat to be converted to energy to meet its extra metabolic demands.

This in turn leads to correction of body composition like improved muscle and reduced fat percentage. Thus whey protein powder can help in management of obesity.

4. Optimum Recovery of Lean Tissue

Whey protein powder is not just limited to weight loss industry but is very much researched in the area of disease related clinical nutrition as well. Any type of hospital admission leads to poor nutrition status which, if not treated with right nutrition may have a negative impact on health and recovery of the individual.

Because of presence of all 9 essential amino acids, whey protein powder helps build lean muscle in hospitalized patients and well as patients at home on recovery. Building of lean tissue during treatment of illness has proven benefits like decreased length of stay in hospital, less complications and infections and faster recovery of patient.

5. Helps Manage Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease which disturbs the normal blood sugar regulation. The most important organ which helps the process of insulin and sugar regulation is muscle. More the muscle mass, more effective will be the blood sugar control.

Whey protein powder with its profile of all 9 essential amino acids, makes sure that muscle mass is increased, maintained and the insulin sensitivity is also improved for better management of blood sugar. There are number of researches which the benefit of whey protein powder in type 2 diabetes.

6. Enhance Body’s Antioxidant Defenses

Whey protein is a rich and balanced source of the Sulphur containing amino acids that serve a critical role as raw materials to the potent intracellular antioxidant glutathione. Whey protein powder contains three to four times more bioavailable cysteine than other proteins.

Cysteine is important for the biosynthesis of glutathione, which is an antioxidant, anticarcinogen (fights cancer cells), and has immunity building properties. Whey protein also has number of bioactive compounds other than amino acids, which help strengthen body’s host immunity.

7. Beneficial for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Number of studies have proven benefits of whey protein powder in gut health. The immune modulating components of whey have shown to reduce the inflammatory markers in IBD and improve the gut environment.

Consuming whey protein powder as per dosage suggested by a healthcare expert may definitely help manage IBD better. 

8. Best source of Protein in Pancreatitis Disease

Digestion of food requires help of enzymes and enzymes are manufactured by pancreas. In any pancreatitis disease, the production of enzymes is disturbed which can make it difficult for food to be digested as a normal process.

Whey protein powder also comes in peptide form which does not require any digestion and can be easily absorbed to provide the nutrition and help recover faster. There is enough evidence to support the benefit of whey protein peptides in pancreatic insufficiency.

9. Maintains a Positive Nitrogen Balance

A positive nitrogen balance of body means the body is in process of anabolism, which means, it is building lean tissue, repairing, building immunity and recovering. Negative nitrogen balance is the state of break down which can negatively impact health and recovery.

Body maintains a positive nitrogen balance with adequate amount of high quality protein like whey. Whey protein powder as a part of regular diet or during recovery phase or during growth phase, ensures a healthy outcome because of its highest quality ranking and presence of all 20 amino acids with 9 essential amino acids.

10.  Role in Child’s Growth and Immunity

Whey protein powder because of its composition has a major role to play during the growth years of child. The presence of all amino acids along with higher Leucine makes whey protein powder, the most ideal protein for growing muscles and daily wear and tear of tissues in children in their growth stage.

The higher amount of cysteine helps production of glutathione which is a natural antioxidant in body. Other bioactive components of whey protein make sure body’s defenses are strong which can help the child fall less sick and reduce the number of sick days at school. 

Thus whey protein powder leads the game by providing the strongest protein composition in any given state of health. With its highest quality rankings and diverse role in different disease segments as well as wellness, whey protein is definitely a promising protein that we have in the market.

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