Question: Can Whey Help With Stress

Question : Can Whey Help With Stress

Dear Will, I follow our articles and column every month. One article in particular I really enjoyed was about the many uses of whey, from depression to performance. It was very interesting. One thing I have suffered from is depression which seems to get worse if I am under stress, like studying for a test. Can whey also help me perform better on my school tests as well as being a great protein source for my bodybuilding efforts?

Dear Scott, The answer is...drum roll...a big maybe. There was a recent study that looked at whey and cognitive performance that may of interest to you. As mentioned in my previous articles linked on the BrinkZone (see "The New Faces of Whey in the articles section), one recent study examined whether alpha-lactalbumin-a major sub fraction found in whey which has an especially high tryptophan content-would increase plasma tryptophan levels as well reduce depression and cortisol concentrations in subjects under acute stress considered to be vulnerable to stress.

The study found the ratio of plasma tryptophan to the other amino acids tested was 48% higher after the alpha-lactalbumin diet than control getting casein, another milk based protein. This was accompanied by a decrease in cortisol levels and higher prolactin concentration. The researchers concluded that the "Consumption of a dietary protein enriched in tryptophan increased the plasma Trp-LNAA ratio and, in stress-vulnerable subjects, improved coping ability, probably through alterations in brain serotonin."

This effect was not seen in the sodium-caseinate group. The study was in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2000 Jun;71(6):1536-1544).

Recently the same group of researchers examined if whey protein could improve cognitive performance under stress. Cognitive performance declines under chronic stress exposure and it's theorized that the effect of chronic stress on performance may be partially due to reduced brain serotonin levels. As the previous study found, whey can increase serotonin levels by dramatically increasing Tryptophan levels, an amino acid which is the direct precursor to seratonin production.

The study looked at twenty three "high stress-vulnerable" subjects and 29 "low stress-vulnerable" using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. After each group was given either whey or casein (used as control), all the subjects where given a memory-scanning task and blood samples were taken to measure the effect of dietary whey or casein on plasma levels of Tryptophan vs other large neutral amino acids (aka the Trp-LNAA ratio).

The plasma Trp-LNAA ratio is considered to be an indirect indication of increased brain serotonin levels.

Similar to the other study, they found a significantly greater increase in the plasma Trp-LNAA ratio after consumption of whey diet than after the control (casein) diet.

Most interesting was a significant improvement in the memory test was observed only in the high stress-vulnerable subjects and not the low stress vulnerable-subjects. These results are very interesting and telling, as they show that people who are not naturally inclined to be particularly vulnerable to stress, didn't have an improvement in memory tasks.

However, people who are particularly prone to stress and are put under stress, may benefit greatly from the use of whey and other nutrients known to improve seratonin levels. Because whey has so many other known benefits, such a possible cancer prevention, immune enhancement, and many others, whey should be a staple food supplement in any anti aging regimen, bodybuilding nutrition, or disease protocol.

The study was called "Whey protein rich in lactalbumin increases the ratio of plasma tryptophan to the sum of the other large neutral amino acids and improves cognitive performance in stress-vulnerable subjects" and was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 75, No. 6, 1051-1056, June 2002).

About Will Brink

Will Brink has over 15 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published.Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies.

His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such 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.

Will was a former high level trainer with a rep for getting Olympic athletes, bodybuilders and fitness stars into shape and has gained a reputation for being a no "BS" industry insider who's not afraid to reveal the lies and hype found in the fat loss , muscle building & supplement industry.

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. 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.

He is the author, of Bodybuilding Revealed which teaches you how to gain solid muscle mass drug free and Fat Loss Revealed. which reveals exactly how to get lean , ripped and healthy completely naturally. Both e-books come with access to his private forums and numerous tools to aid you in either endevour.