Posted on 12/08/2010 7:07:56 AM PST by decimon
Low-cost protein gets big results in people with elevated blood pressure
PULLMAN, Wash.—Beverages supplemented by whey-based protein can significantly reduce elevated blood pressure, reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease, a Washington State University study has found.
Research led by nutritional biochemist Susan Fluegel and published in International Dairy Journal found that daily doses of commonly available whey brought a more than six-point reduction in the average blood pressure of men and women with elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressures. While the study was confined to 71 student subjects between the ages of 18 and 26, Fluegel says older people with blood pressure issues would likely get similar results.
"One of the things I like about this is it is low-cost," says Fluegel, a nutritional biochemistry instructor interested in treating disease through changes in nutrition and exercise. "Not only that, whey protein has not been shown to be harmful in any way."
Terry Shultz, co-author and an emeritus professor in the former Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, said the findings have practical implications for personal health as well as the dairy industry.
"These are very intriguing findings, very interesting," he said. "To my knowledge, this hasn't been shown before."
The study, which Fluegel did for her doctorate in nutritional biochemistry, notes that researchers in a 2007 study found no blood-pressure changes in people who took a whey-supplemented drink. At first, she saw no consistent improvement either. But then she thought to break out her subjects into different groups and found significant improvements in those with different types of elevated blood pressure. Improvements began in the first week of the study and lasted through its six-week course.
The supplements, delivered in fruit-flavored drinks developed at the WSU Creamery, did not lower the blood pressure of subjects who did not have elevated pressure to begin with. That's good, said Fluegel, as low blood pressure can also be a problem.
Other studies have found that blood-pressure reductions like those seen by Fluegel can reduce cardiovascular disease and bring a 35 to 40 percent reduction in fatal strokes.
Health benefits aside, researchers are excited about the prospect of improving the market for whey, a cheese byproduct that often has to be disposed of at some expense. Its potential economic impact is unclear, says Shannon Neibergs, a WSU extension economist, "but any positive use of that product is going to be beneficial."
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Several supplement makers contributed product to the study, which was funded in part by the Washington Dairy Products Commission. None of the contributors had a role in analyzing the data or writing the report.
Whey to go ping.
I have been drinking whey protein shakes every morning for years.
Would this be bad for people with type-2 diabetes?
“I have been drinking whey protein shakes...”
Has your blood pressure dropped? (if that is too personal, forget I asked)
Well, whey do they?
Whey to go!
Which Whey did they go?
Guess we will have to Whey the costs against the benefits.
Very Wheyty subject.
Care to Whey in?
I have a 100% whey isolate shake once or twice a day.
I have mine once or twice a day. Add a banana and blue berries to the mix. Delicious.
Did they track which subjects actively exercised? Typically weightlifters consume whey as part of their standard diet. I can’t imagine just the whey lowered their blood pressure, good news if true but there is no substitute for exercise.
WI resident
No whey.
Right after I finish my curds.
Health benefits aside, researchers are excited about the prospect of improving the market for whey, a cheese byproduct that often has to be disposed of at some expense.
Several supplement makers contributed product to the study, which was funded in part by the Washington Dairy Products Commission.
There's reason to be skeptical.
I drink two whey protein shakes per day (sam's club has the best price on a 5 lb bag btw)
My BP was high and but is now normal. Not sure if the whey helped. I did drop 60 lbs but my BP drop is also contributed to working out 6 days per week and eating clean.
The whey really helps to maintain muscle during dieting and helps build muscle when lifting...
No whey!
The reason I ask is that my doc says I have "pre-hypertention" - my BP consistently runs in the 130s over 85-95, and he really wants me to take medication. And I don't want to.
My 100 year old great aunt recently advised me that the key to her longevity was not taking pills - and eating chocolate every day.
Two questions. Are you overweight and do you currenty do any exercise program?
Generally supermarkets don't carry it. Sam's Club, Wal mart, and GNC have it.
Good stuff.
The combination of vitamin C and garlic oil does the same thing by causing the body to produce nitric oxide. Dropped both my upper and lower by nearly 20 points and I didn’t have high BP to begin with. Causes some vascular dialation but also rebuilds and cleans up arterial and vascular lining. Makes the lining slicker. Body builders take NOx tablets as it helps the blood supply to the stressed muscle tissue resulting in quicker recovery.
The studies I have seen were based on 2,000 mg of both C and garlic but I take 1,000mg C and 1,500 garlic at the same time and it definitely works.
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