Learn all about Whey Protein
What is Whey Protein?
Build lean muscle & recover faster with quality whey protein. Complete protein with all the building blocks (amino acids) needed. Reach your fitness goals!
Benefits of Whey Protein
"Whey protein provides the ideal quick burst of protein building blocks (amino acids) for muscle recovery because it digests fast and is high in leucine, which triggers muscle building (via mTOR). Besides sports, whey helps keep muscle when losing weight and benefits older adults who need more leucine to stimulate muscle growth."
- Dr Stuart Phillips, PhD, Director of the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Research at McMaster University (source)
How to use Whey Protein
Dosage
Usually 20-30g per serving. Athletes might aim for 1.6-2.2g total protein per kg bodyweight daily (from all food and supplements).
Timing
Best taken within 2 hours after exercise for muscle repair (the 'anabolic window'). Can also be used before workouts, between meals, or before bed.
Notes
Whey Isolate (90%+ protein) has less milk sugar (lactose) than Concentrate (70-80%) and is often better for those sensitive to lactose. Hydrolysate (pre-digested) absorbs fastest but costs more.
Who should take Whey Protein?
- Weight lifters and athletes aiming for muscle growth (hypertrophy) and strength.
- Runners, cyclists, etc. needing help with recovery and keeping muscle.
- Active people wanting an easy way to add protein to their diet.
- Older adults fighting age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia).
- People on diets (calorie restriction) trying to lose fat while keeping muscle.
- Vegetarians who eat dairy and want more protein.
- Anyone needing extra protein due to illness or recovery.
- Busy individuals needing convenient, high-quality protein.
How does Whey Protein work?
Whey works mainly because of its protein building blocks (amino acids), especially leucine (about 11%). Leucine acts like a switch to turn on muscle building via a cell signalling pathway (mTOR). Whey digests quickly, causing a fast rise in amino acids in the blood (60-90 mins), much quicker than other proteins. This speed, plus having all essential amino acids, creates ideal conditions for building muscle. Whey also contains other beneficial parts (bioactive peptides) formed during digestion that might help with insulin levels, gut health, and immunity. Its high level of cysteine helps make glutathione, the body's main internal antioxidant, potentially aiding recovery from exercise stress.
Frequently asked questions
Natural sources of Whey Protein
Whey protein is naturally found in milk (about 20% of milk protein, the rest is casein). Cow's milk is about 1-2% whey protein. It's concentrated in the liquid that separates when making yoghurt or cheese. Commercially, whey powder comes from this liquid leftover from cheese making. It's filtered and dried to create different types (concentrate, isolate, hydrolysate) with more protein and less fat/lactose. Some types are even pre-digested. True whey protein only comes from dairy, despite some 'plant-based whey' claims.
Potential side effects & risks
Warnings
Avoid if you have a dairy allergy (different from lactose intolerance). Check with a doctor before using protein supplements if you have kidney disease. If lactose intolerant, whey isolate might be okay, but start carefully. Read labels for added sugars or artificial ingredients. Drink enough water with high protein intake to reduce kidney stone risk if you're prone to them.
Side effects
Generally safe. Some get digestive issues (bloating, gas, cramps, diarrhoea), especially from whey concentrate with more milk sugar (lactose). Very high protein intake (over 2.2g/kg/day) might stress kidneys if you already have kidney problems. Check labels for added ingredients (sweeteners, etc.) that might cause issues for you.
Interactions
May affect how the body absorbs certain Parkinson's medication (levodopa) and some antibiotics (tetracyclines, quinolones) if taken together. Could influence blood sugar if taken with diabetes medication.