Why Protein Has Many Health Benefits

Body builders and athletes are generally familiar with whey protein and it’s benefits but the average person may not be familiar with it. Whey protein has many health benefits for everyone young and old.

It’s always been known that whey protein had health benefits but recent studies have shown that the benefits are even better than was previously believed.

Although you might think whey is the new kid on the block, nothing could be further from the truth. Whey protein has been around since the time of Hippocrates. In fact there is an ancient proverb that says “If you want to live a healthy and active life, drink whey.” So why has it taken so long for modern medicine to recognize its value?

Whey protein also enhances physical performance which is why it’s been used by athletes and body builders for years. Athletes need more protein in their diets and whey provides an excellent useable source of protein. But we aren’t all athletes so what’s the benefit to the rest of us?

Whey has been shown to reduce the risk of developing cancer. Studies done on rats that were fed whey protein and then exposed to the carcinogen dimethylhydrazine. These recent studies confirmed previous studies that showed rats that had ingested whey protein had a substantially lower rate of tumor development.

A study done in 1996 by Baruchel and Vaiu showed even more promising results for breast cancer reduction. Whey protein was shown to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, even when the whey protein was at minimal concentrations. Even more exciting a recent study fed cancer patients 30 grams of whey protein per day and a substantial reduction in tumor size was noted. Wow! Now that’s promising!

What was found is that whey protein depletes cancer cells of the glutathione which is the growth element. It also showed that because of the depletion of glutathione patients saw better results from traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation treatments.

Whey protein is also an excellent choice for weight management. The body uses more energy to digest protein than any other food source. Burning more energy means burning more calories. Because whey protein is pure protein with no fat or carbs it compliments a low carb diet. Whey helps burn fat while preserving and feeding your lean muscle mass. It also helps stabilize blood sugar levels which then reduce hunger and the amount of food you eat. A win win for weight management.

It has also been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart attack and stroke. Recent studies are showing that whey protein might help fight hypertension. It was successful in reducing borderline hypertension to normal levels.

Whey protein has also some promising results for Type II diabetes which is largely related to obesity. Whey helps control blood glucose levels which is beneficial to both weight management and those suffering from Type II diabetes.

What most people aren’t aware of is that whey protein contains many of the same compounds found in breast milk which is also a key ingredient in most infant formulas. Whey reduces colic in infants and provides infants with a healthy nutritious platform for growth. And at the opposite end of the scale it has been shown to slow the aging process by maintaining healthy muscles, and preventing bone density loss.

Whey protein has many healthy benefits. Athletes and bodybuilders have known this for years. Perhaps it’s time the rest of us realized the health benefits and added whey protein to our diets.

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.