SECTION 1: Introduction...
● The 3 foundations of a healthy Student.
SECTION 2: Maintain a 4.0 GPA!
● Exploiting your strengths and study tips.
● Dealing with Stress...
SECTION 3: Stay Healthy!
● Keeping Healthy in Process
● Why working out relieves stress, and helps your GPA!
● Finding a good workout regime
● Creating a Healthy Diet Plan
● Supplements - What works, what doesn't and why.
SECTION 4: Keeping a healthy Bank Account...
● Why having a set part-time job may affect your GPA...
● Money Savers for University Students
● Online SCAMS!
● The truth about most review sites!!!
● Using a webpage to create revenue!
● Finding Scholarships and Financial Aid...
CREATING A HEALTHY DIET
"The
Whey It Is"
By Will Brink, author of:
Muscle Building Nutrition
http://www.musclebuildingnutrition.com
Muscle Gaining Diet, Training Routines by Charles Poliquin & Bodybuilding
Supplement Review
Diet Supplements Revealed
http://www.aboutsupplements.com
Real World Fat Loss Diet & Weight Loss Supplement Review
"The
Whey It Is"
If there is one thing that continues to perplex me, it is the disparity
between how popular whey protein is (thanks in large part to yours truly)
and how much confusion there is regarding this immensely popular
supplement. Why are people so confused about whey? I have to conclude that
it's part deceptive advertising by some unscrupulous supplement companies,
poorly researched articles put out by self proclaimed "guru" types, and
the fact that whey is indeed a complicated protein. In this article I will
endeavor to clear it all up once and for all…lift the vale of secrecy,
strip away the myths, and shatter the hyperbole surrounding this ultra
popular supplement.
By the time you are through
reading this article, you will know all you need to know regarding the
differences in whey, such as concentrates vs. isolates, micro filtered vs.
ion exchange, and many other answers to questions that seem to persist no
matter how hard wise-guy writers like me have tried to dispense with all
the myths and misinformation/disinformation surrounding whey. Read this
article carefully, put it to memory, and you will be the resident whey
expert in the gym and amaze your friends at the next cookout if whey
becomes a topic of discussion (in which case you go to some boring
cookouts!).
What is whey?
When we talk about whey we are actually referring to a complex ingredient
made up of protein, lactose, fat and minerals. Protein is the best known
component of whey and is made up of many smaller protein subfractions such
as: Beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, immunoglobulins (IgGs),
glycomacropeptides, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and minor peptides such as
lactoperoxidases, lysozyme and lactoferrin. Each of the subfractions found
in whey has its own unique biological properties.
Up until quite recently,
separating these subfractions on a large scale was either impossible or
prohibitively expensive for anything but research purposes. Modern
filtering technology has improved dramatically in the past decade,
allowing companies to separate some of the highly bioactive peptides -such
as lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase-from whey.
Some of these subfractions are only found in very minute amounts in cow's
milk, normally at less than one percent. For example, although it is one
of the most promising subfractions for preventing various diseases,
improving immunity and overall health, lactoferrin makes up approximately
0.5% or less of whey protein derived from cow's milk (whereas human milk
protein will contain up to 15% lactoferrin). Over the past few decades,
whey protein powders have evolved several generations from low protein
concentrates to very high protein isolates.
What's so great about whey?
Whey protein has become a staple supplement for most bodybuilders and
other athletes, and for good reason: it's a great protein with a wide
variety of benefits. Whey has more recently caught on with the
anti-aging/longevity-minded groups also.
A growing number of studies has found whey may potentially reduce cancer
rates, combat HIV, improve immunity, reduce stress and lower cortisol,
increase brain serotonin levels, improve liver function in those suffering
from certain forms of hepatitis, reduce blood pressure, and improve
performance, to name a few of its potential medical- and sports-related
applications. Whey also has an exceptionally high biological value rating
and an exceptionally high Branch Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) content.
One of whey's major effects is its apparent ability to raise glutathione (GSH).
The importance of GSH for the proper function of the immune system cannot
be overstated. GSH is arguably the most important water-soluble
antioxidant found in the body.
The concentration of intracellular GSH is directly related to lymphocyte's
(an important arm of the immune system) reactivity to a challenge, which
suggests intracellular GSH levels are one way to modulate immune function.
GSH is a tri-peptide made up of the amino acids L-cysteine, L-glutamine
and glycine. Of the three, cysteine is the main source of the free
sulfhydryl group of GSH and is a limiting factor in the synthesis of GSH
(though the effects of whey on GSH is more complicated than simply its
cysteine content).
Because GSH is known to be essential to immunity, oxidative stress, and
general well being, and because reduced levels of GSH are associated with
a long list of diseases, whey has a place in anyone's nutrition program.
Reduced GSH is also associated with over training syndrome (OTS) in
athletes, so whey may very well have an application in preventing, or at
least mitigating, OTS. Pertaining directly to athletes, some recent
studies suggest whey may have direct effects on performance and muscle
mass, but this research is preliminary at best. Some studies have found
oxidative stress contributes to muscular fatigue, so having higher GSH
levels may allow you to train longer and harder, as some recent data
suggests.
Different types of whey
Most of the confusion surrounding whey appears to be in understanding the
different types of whey: concentrates, isolates, ion exchange, and others.
In the following sections, I will attempt to clear it all up for the
reader.
Whey Protein Concentrates:
First generation whey protein powders contain as low as 30-40% protein and
high amounts of lactose, fat, and undenatured proteins. They are
categorized as a whey concentrate and are used mostly by the food industry
for baking and other uses. Modern concentrates now contain as high as
70-80% protein with reduced amounts of lactose. This is achieved through
ultra-filtration processing, which removes lactose, thus elevating the
concentration of protein and fat in the final product. Although much
maligned by companies who have invested heavily in marketing isolates, a
well made concentrate is still a high quality source of whey protein,
though it will contain higher levels of lactose, ash, and fat then an
isolate.
The pros and cons of isolates, and the micro filtered vs. ion exchange
debate
Whey Protein Isolates (WPIs) generally contain as much as 90-96% protein.
Research has found that only whey proteins in their natural undenatured
state (i.e. native conformational state) have biological activity.
Processing whey protein to remove the lactose, fats, etc. without losing
its biological activity takes special care by the manufacturer.
Maintaining the natural undenatured state of the protein is essential to
its anti-cancer and immune-modulating activity. The protein must be
processed under low temperature and/or low acid conditions as not to
"denature" the protein. WPIs contain >90% protein content with minimal
lactose and virtually no fat.
The advantage of a good WPI is that it contains more protein and less fat, lactose, and ash than concentrates on a gram-for-gram basis. However, it should be clear to the reader by now that whey is far more complicated than simple protein content, and protein content per se is far from the most important factor when deciding which whey to use. For example, ion exchange has the apparent highest protein levels of any isolate.
Does that make it the best choice for an isolate? No, but many companies still push it as the holy grail of whey. Ion exchange is made by taking a concentrate and running it through what is called an ion exchange column to get an "ion exchange whey isolate." Sounds pretty fancy, but there are serious drawbacks to this method. As mentioned above, whey protein is a complex protein made up of many sub fraction peptides that have their own unique effects on health and immunity. Some of these subfractions are only found in very small amounts. In truth, the subfractions are really what ultimately makes whey the unique protein it is.
Due to the nature of the ion
exchange process, the most valuable and health-promoting components are
selectively depleted. Though the protein content is increased, many of the
most important subfractions are lost or greatly reduced. This makes ion
exchange isolates a poor choice for a true third-generation whey protein
supplement, though many companies still use it as their isolate source due
to the higher protein content. Ion exchange isolates can be as high as 70%
or greater of the subfraction Beta-lactoglobulin, (the least interesting
and most allergenic subfraction found in whey) with a loss of the more
biologically active and interesting subfractions. So, the pros of an ion
exchange whey is for those who simply want the very highest protein
contents per gram, but the cons are that the higher protein content comes
at cost; a loss of many of the subfractions unique to whey. Not an
acceptable trade in my view, considering the fact that the actual protein
differences between a micro filtered type isolate is minimal from that of
an ion exchange.
This segues us nicely into looking at the micro filtered whey isolates.
With the array of more recent processing techniques used to make WPIs-or
pull out various subfractions -such as Cross Flow Micro filtration (CFM®),
ultra filtration (UF), micro filtration (MF), reverse osmosis (RO),
dynamic membrane filtration (DMF), ion exchange chromatography, (IEC),
electro-ultrafiltration (EU), radial flow chromatography (RFC) and nano
filtration (NF), manufacturers can now make some very high grade and
unique whey proteins.
Perhaps the most familiar
micro filtered isolate to readers would be CFM®*. Although the term "cross
flow micro filtered" is something of a generic term for several similar
ways of processing whey, The CFM® processing method uses a low temperature
micro filtration technique that allows for the production of very high
protein contents (>90%), the retention of important subfractions,
extremely low fat and lactose contents, with virtually no undenatured
proteins. CFM® is a natural, non-chemical process which employs high tech
ceramic filters, unlike ion exchange, which involves the use of chemical
reagents such as hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. CFM® whey isolate
also contains high amounts of calcium and low amounts of sodium.
To sum this section up:
- The pros of ion exchange isolates are extremely low fat and lactose
levels, with the highest protein levels (on a gram-for-gram basis). The
con-which outweighs the pros in my view-is the loss of important
subfractions in favor of higher amounts of Beta-Lac.
- The pros of well-made micro filtered isolates are a high protein content
(90% or above), low lactose and fat levels, very low levels of undenatured
proteins, and the retention of important subfractions in their natural
ratios. There really are no cons per se, unless the person wants the
additional compounds discussed in the next section.
* = CFM® is a trademark (hence the annoying trade mark symbol next to
whenever I write CFM) of Glanbia Nutritionals, a large dairy company based
in Ireland with production in the US.
New directions/the future for whey
There are several interesting directions in the development and processing
of the next generation of whey proteins.
Bioactive whey fraction protein
A new generation of whey products known as Bioactive Whey Fraction (BAWF)
protein is soon to hit the market place, and has the potential to be a
worthwhile addition to an athlete's diet. These new BAWF proteins provide
the benefits of high protein levels (>70%) accompanied by greatly
increased levels of bioactive health-promoting compounds. This innovative
product contains all sorts of interesting compounds not found in
significant concentrations in either whey isolates or concentrates. BAWF
protein contains far higher total growth factor levels comprised from
IGF-1, TGF-ß1, and TGF-ß2. It contains much higher levels of various
phospholipids and various bioactive lipids, such as conjugated linoleic
acid (CLA), phosphotidyl-serine, phosphtidyl-choline, sphingomyelin, and
higher levels of immunoglobulins and lactoferrin.
Although data is lacking,
studies will likely be completed to demonstrate BAWF protein's effects
related to athletes' muscle mass or performance. Current studies do
suggest these compounds can improve immunity and intestinal health, and
have many other effects that both athletes and less active people alike
may find beneficial. The differences in the levels of these compounds
between this BAWF protein compared to standard concentrates and isolates
is not minor. For example when comparing a BAWF protein to a typical
concentrate (e.g. WPC 80), the BAWF protein has 350% more lactoferrin,
400% more CLA, 200% more PS more and PC and 150% more IGF as found in the
concentrate. The differences are even larger between BAWF protein and an
isolate as isolates have only trace amounts of PS, PC, and CLA.
Optimizing subfraction ratios
Another fairly new development in whey processing is the ability to
isolate certain bioactive subfraction proteins on a large scale from whey
proteins, such as lactoferrin or Glycomacro peptide, using some of the
processing methods mentioned above. This was not possible to do on a large
scale just a few years ago, but can be done today with modern filtering
techniques employed by a small number of companies. This allows for a
truly tailored protein supplement; the ability to add back in certain
subfractions in amounts that can't be found in nature. Take for example
the subfraction lactoferrin. In many whey products, it is nonexistent due
to the type of processing employed. The best whey products will contain
less than 1% lactoferrin-and more like 0.5%-of this rare but important
micro-fraction. Some companies are now able to add in a specific
subfraction to get a truly "designer" protein. One company is also working
on making an isolate that will have higher levels of the beneficial
subfraction alpha-lactalbumin, and lower levels of the more allergenic and
less nutritive subfraction Beta-lactoglobulin. "High alpha-lac" whey
isolates would be potentially superior to what is currently on the market
in large scale production.
Hydrolyzed proteins make a comeback
Most people remember hydrolyzed proteins were all the rage a few years ago, then dropped off sharply. "Hydrolyzed" basically means the protein has been broken down partially into peptides of different lengths. Because the protein is already partially broken down, it is absorbed faster, which may have positive effects under certain circumstances, and certain metabolic conditions (i.e., burn victims or people with certain digestive disorders and pre-term infants). Whether or not hydrolyzed proteins are truly an advantage to athletes has yet to be proven.
The hype over hydrolyzed proteins was largely based on one rat study that found fasted rats given Hydrolyzed protein had higher nitrogen retention then rats fed whole protein. Human studies have shown that whey peptide-based diets in patients with cancer and crohn's disease result in enhanced nitrogen retention and utilization. To date, no one has followed up with a human study with healthy athletes showing the same thing.
Regardless, the reason
Hydrolyzed protein supplements never became more popular was due to the
fact they tasted awful, were expensive, and lacked enough data to really
support their use. The way they were produced at the time also denatured
the protein heavily. One company has a method for Hydrolyzing whey protein
that uses an enzymatic process that tastes OK and does not denature the
protein. It also appears to be fairly cost effective. This type of
Hydrolyzed whey may have some interesting, albeit poorly researched,
applications for bodybuilders and other athletes.
Got milk minerals?
Another potentially useful product to bodybuilders and other athletes is a process for extracting milk minerals from the milk. This yields a highly bio available form of calcium without the fat and lactose of dairy products, and also contains other minerals and nutrients, such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, needed for optimal bone formation and metabolism. Recent research suggests that higher calcium intakes are associated with lower blood pressure and other positive effects on health.
Most interesting to
bodybuilders and other athletes, however, is a growing body of research
that has found that higher calcium intake leads to reduced body fat levels
and may help shift the metabolism to increased lipolysis (fat breakdown)
and decrease lipogenesis (formation of fat). Though bodybuilder types
don't tend to suffer from bone density issues, many may not be getting an
optimal intake of calcium to see changes in body fat levels. This new milk
mineral product added to various protein formulas might be just what the
anabolic doctor ordered for athletes looking to minimize body fat and
maximize muscle mass.
Conclusion
Well there you have it. I hope this article finally clears up the major
confusion people have surrounding whey, so you can now be an educated
consumer when you go to buy that next can of whey. Don't be fooled by the
hype. Whey is great stuff for many reasons, but you won't "add mounds of
muscle in ultra short time" from the simple addition of whey to your diet.
I also suggest people keep an eye out for some of the newer developments I
outlined above that will probably be finding their way into the next
generation of whey-based formulas.
About the Author - William D. Brink
Will Brink is a columnist, contributing consultant, and writer for various
health/fitness, medical, and bodybuilding publications. His articles
relating to nutrition, supplements, weight loss, exercise and medicine can
be found in such publications as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag
International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside
Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body International, Power, Oxygen,
Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter For Doctors.
He is the author of Priming The Anabolic
Environment and Weight Loss Nutrients Revealed. He is the Consulting
Sports Nutrition Editor and a monthly columnist for Physical magazine and
an Editor at Large for Power magazine. Will graduated from Harvard
University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a
consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies.
He has been co author of several studies relating to sports nutrition and
health found in peer reviewed academic journals, as well as having
commentary published in JAMA. He runs the highly popular web site
BrinkZone.com which is strategically positioned to fulfill the needs and
interests of people with diverse backgrounds and knowledge. The BrinkZone
site has a following with many sports nutrition enthusiasts, athletes,
fitness professionals, scientists, medical doctors, nutritionists, and
interested lay people. William has been invited to lecture on the benefits
of weight training and nutrition at conventions and symposiums around the
U.S. and Canada, and has appeared on numerous radio and television
programs.
William has worked with athletes ranging from professional bodybuilders,
golfers, fitness contestants, to police and military personnel.
See Will's ebooks online here:
Muscle Building Nutrition
http://www.musclebuildingnutrition.com
A complete guide bodybuilding supplements and eating to gain lean muscle
Diet Supplements Revealed
http://www.aboutsupplements.com
A review of diet supplements and guide to eating for maximum fat loss
He can be contacted at: PO Box 812430
Wellesley MA. 02482.
BrinkZone.com
Email: will@brinkzone.com
● Unified Theory of Nutrition: WILL BRINK
● Proprietary blends: WILL BRINK
● Creatine, Not just a sports nutrition supplement: WILL BRINK
● Creatine, More than a sports nutrition supplement: WILL BRINK
● The Whey to Weight loss: WILL BRINK
● The Truth About Counting Calories And Weight Loss: TOM VENUTO
● The Glycemix Index (GI) - Key To Fat Loss Or Just Another Diet Gimmic: TOM VENUTO
● Banking Calories - Eat Less Now To Pig Out Later?: TOM VENUTO
● Building A Better Body One Brick At A Time: TOM VENUTO
● Nutrition Or Training - Which Is More Important? TOM VENUTO?
● Turn Super-Sizing To Your Advantage: TOM VENUTO
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