Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Researchers found 42% lower rate of weight gain in the whey group, compared to the non-whey group (14.5% vs. 25%) and 32% lower body-fat levels in the whey group ( 16.7% vs. 24.3%).
Following a “Western diet” means consuming high levels of fat as well as refined cereals, sugars, and oils. Technological advances have changed how we produce and process food to the point that a 2005 study stated “the evolutionary collision of our ancient genome with the nutritional qualities of recently introduced foods may underlie many of the chronic diseases of Western civilization.” (1)
Two diseases that can arise from following a Western diet are type 2 diabetes (24 million Americans affected, costing $174 billion each year (2)) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (affecting 5% Americans with up to 20% more at risk (3). Now a new study in mice (4) suggests that whey protein isolate may help maintain blood sugar health and liver health for those following a Western diet.
In the study, 8 mice genetically predisposed to be at high risk for metabolic disorders, including NAFLD and T2D (C57BL/6 mice (4)) were both fed a typical Western diet (40% of calories from fat and given ad libitum where the mice could eat as much as they wanted) but one group was given regular tap water while another was given tap water with whey protein isolate (100 grams of protein per Liter of water) for 11 weeks. The mice were weighed and blood and liver samples were taken throughout the study to measure for blood sugar levels and liver health.
By the end of the study, the researchers found:
– 42% lower rate of weight gain in the whey group compared to the non-whey group (14.5% vs. 25%).
– 32% lower body-fat levels in the whey group (16.7% vs 24.3%).
-The whey-supplemented tap water led the whey mice to drink 91% more water (0.23 vs. 0.12 mL per day per gram of bodyweight) which led to 78% more protein consumption per day (0.69 vs. 0.39 kilojoules per day per gram of bodyweight).
The researchers also observed significantly better liver health in the whey group compared to the non-whey group, with the whey group having 38% fewer fat droplets in their livers (537 vs. 864 droplets/mm2 of liver). For blood sugar health, fasting insulin levels were 71% lower (39 vs. 134 picomoles/Liter) while blood sugar levels were 20% lower in the whey group (20 vs. 25 mmol/Liter) during a glucose tolerance test (6) compared to the non-whey group. Both decreased insulin levels with decreased blood sugar levels indicate improved insulin sensitivity and an overall decreased risk of diabetes in the whey mice (7).
As a possible mechanism for these results, the researchers point to the high levels of branch chain amino acids in whey protein which have been shown to decrease blood sugar levels after meals (8) and can alter gene activity in such a way to promote fat breakdown and protect the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin (9).
An obvious shortcoming to the study is it was conducted on mice, so there is a question whether the same benefits would be seen in humans. Nevertheless, the researchers went on to conclude that “whey protein may have therapeutic potential to reduce the incidence of diabetes and fatty liver diseases, especially in at-risk individuals who consume excess energy and fat and lead a sedentary lifestyle.”
Source: Shertzer, Howard G., et al. “Dietary whey protein lowers the risk for metabolic disease in mice fed a high-fat diet.” The Journal of nutrition 141.4 (2011): 582-587.
© 2011 American Society for Nutrition.
Posted May 2, 2011.
References:
- Cordain L. Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2005;(81)2:341-354.
- Number of People with Diabetes Continues to Increase” from the CDC Website.
- “Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis” – see the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease website.
- Dietary Whey Protein Lowers the Risk for Metabolic Disease in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet. J Nutr 2011; 141: 582–587
- Fraulob JC. A mouse model of metabolic syndrome: insulin resistance, fatty liver and non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease (NAFPD) in C57BL/6 mice fed a high fat diet. J Clin Biochem Nutr.2010;46:212–23.
- “Glucose Tolerance Test” – from the Medline Plus website.
- “Insulin Resistance and Diabetes” – see the WebMD, Diabetes Health Center website.
- Petersen BL. A whey protein supplement decreases post-prandial glycemia. Nutr J.2009;8:47.
- Cai Y. Akt activation protects pancreatic beta cells from AMPK-mediated death through stimulation of mTOR. Biochem Pharmacol 2008;75(10):1981-93
