Whey protein helps to reduce blood pressure and improve vascular health, according to a new clinical trial by the University of Reading and dairy protein business Volac.
Consumers can reduce risk factors of heart disease and stroke by drinking whey protein, the research found. Participants with mild hypertension had an estimated 8% reduction in risk of heart disease and stroke after whey protein supplementation, the study showed, and those taking the supplement had lower blood pressure and cholesterol and healthier blood vessels.
The study is part of a five-year industry-academia partnership between Volac and the UK’s University of Reading.
The findings ‘may have important implications for public health’, the researchers concluded, with 18 million adults in the UK living with high blood pressure and more than 150,000 deaths resulting from cardiovascular disease in the UK alone every year.
Suzane Leser, head of nutrition for Volac, explained in greater detail: “Our Volactive UltraWhey90 was shown to reduce blood pressure, and this outcome contributes to Volac’s long-term ambition to prove a number of health benefits for whey protein that builds on its well-established role in muscle health.
“As we get older and require more protein to kick-start muscle protein synthesis, it is important to also consider the other barriers for nutrient use by the body, where a healthy circulatory system is crucial for the uptake of nutrients into muscles. This is in addition to all we know about the importance of reducing the risk of heart disease later in life.
“As for what is in whey protein that delivers a benefit that not all other proteins do, the study hints that this is greatly explained by the biological activity that we are able to protect during a gentle membrane filtration process.”
The study is the first to use an in-vitro digestion model to throw some light on the human trial results. The in-vitro bioactivity of the supplements was tested for angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitor activity. The ACE enzyme is renowned for increasing blood pressure by causing the blood vessels to constrict. The effect in-vitro was found significantly higher for whey protein, consistent with the results from the human trial.
The scientists said there had been little research into dairy proteins’ impact on blood pressure.
Co-lead researcher Prof Ian Givens said: “By giving people a high dose of whey protein, similar to the amount used by athletes, we were able to see a significant impact over an eight-week trial.”
The study looked at the impact of drinking two protein shakes per day for eight weeks on a range of heart and vascular health markers, including blood pressure, arterial stiffness and cholesterol. The 38 participants that took part in the double blind, randomised controlled trial drank 56g of protein each day, which Volac said is the equivalent to protein supplements used by bodybuilders.
Whey protein also reduced cell-adhesion molecules to blood vessels – a marker of atherosclerotic plaque formation that leads to cardiovascular disease, and triacylglycerol, a triglyceride, the form in which fat is stored in the body.
The protein supplements contributed 214kcal to the study participants’ daily energy intake – around 10% of their recommended daily calorie intake. However, there was no significant weight gain during the eight-week study period because the participants were asked to exchange the protein for other foods in their diet.
Co-lead researcher Prof Julie Lovegrove said: “One of the important impacts of this study is that whey protein may have a role, as part of a healthy diet, to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease, although further studies are required to confirm these results.”
And researcher Ágnes Fekete added: “The results of this trial are very exciting. It shows the positive impact that dairy proteins can have on blood pressure.
“Long-term studies show that people who drink more milk tend to be healthier, but until now, there has been little work to evaluate how dairy proteins affect blood pressure in particular.”
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