Whey is a type of protein found in milk. It is digested and absorbed into the body very fast which has led to people suggesting its use in acute states of muscle catabolism.

What Is Whey protein?

Whey is a type of protein found in milk. It is digested and absorbed into the body very fast which has led to people suggesting its use in acute states of muscle catabolism, e.g. after a workout or upon waking in the morning.

Essentially whey protein with fat and carbohydrate (lactose) removed so that less than 90% of the product is composed of protein (i.e. less than 90g out of every 100g). Hydrolysed whey protein is where peptides are further broken down to make absorption faster.

What Does It Do?

There are a variety of benefits of consuming whey protein, these include:

• Fighting cancer (more precisely oxidant stress, as cysteine can be used to make glutathione to counter free radicals).
• Diabetes sugar control: the proteins may delay glucose absorption, and satiate the individual so they may have lower portion sizes.
• Helping infants grow and preventing disease (these are based on the fact breast-milk contains whey, the same effects are not seen with formula milk containing whey).
• Changes in body composition and muscular strength.