Read this Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ) on Whey Proteins (Taken from RedTerror)

[Hiatus]

Whey Protein Question & Answer

Whey Protein Q&A - Become a Whey Protein Expert


Q. In simple terms, what are the differences between Whey Concentrate and Whey Isolate?

A. Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) is the cheapest and most common form of whey protein used in whey protein supplements today. It is higher in lactose, fat, cholesterol, and denatured (structurally altered) proteins than the best whey protein isolate. Whey concentrate is commonly used not only in nutritional supplements, but as filler in the baking industry, and also in pet food and animal feed. Because it is so inexpensive, nutritional supplement companies will go to any lengths to use as much whey concentrate as they can get away with. Because whey concentrate contains cholesterol, and whey isolate for the most part does not, consumers should notice the cholesterol content of their protein supplement. The more cholesterol a whey product contains, the more whey concentrate is being used. Because of these factors, my bottom line recommendation is that if whey concentrate is listed in the ingredient list, the product is unfit for human consumption as a nutritional supplement.

A well made whey isolate will contain minimal lactose, fat, cholesterol or denatured proteins. Few people seem to realize how harmful some denatured proteins can be to the body. Whey proteins in particular are very fragile and prone to denaturation under the conditions used to produce many protein powders. Think of whey protein structures as keys that fit locks in the body. Fitting these "locks" correctly accounts for whey's many biological benefits including improving immune function, and increasing lean tissue. When these protein "keys" are bent, twisted and broken due to harsh processing, it's no wonder they lose much of their biological function and possibly become toxic. It's important to realize that whey's biological activity is dependent upon intact whey proteins (called microfrations). This is different from other proteins whose activity is dependent upon its amino acid profile. In other words whey proteins are more than just "building blocks" for cells, they can actually modulate cellular activity to create a more positive environment for growth and protection of the cell. Different production techniques used to produce whey concentrates will contain different levels of denatured proteins. The state of the nutritional supplement industry being what it is, there is a decided economic interest in producing the cheapest products possible. Therefore I personally would not use, or recommend any products containing whey protein concentrate. Denatured whey proteins cannot be discerned by reading the label, as all proteins denatured or not will be included in the protein total. Only a low temperature ceramic filtration technique such as CFM? maintains the highest levels of undenatured, active proteins.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. You mention that most Whey Protein Concentrate is unfit for human consumption as a nutritional supplement. Few would argue that Whey Isolates are certainly better than Whey Concentrates, but are Whey Concentrates really that harmful? What if somebody is on a limited budget and is looking for a cheap protein source?

A. Whey protein concentrate is a filler used in a variety of processed foods like baked goods and "spray cheese"-in-a-can type products, its nutritional quality isn't what the general supplement consumer thinks it is. Small amounts in food probably aren't a big deal, (except for the fact that if whey concentrate is in a food, it's probably highly processed, nutritionally poor food) but to consume WPC as a nutritional supplement makes no sense.

A little history lesson is probably in order here. Back in the early 1990's the first commercial whey protein product, a name that was (and still is) almost synonymous with whey protein, contained predominantly whey protein isolate. It was a good product, especially for the time, and enjoyed great success among consumers. Soon though, unscrupulous companies began to flood the market with 5 lb tubs of whey concentrate at a sharply discounted prices. The general consumer, under the impression that all whey protein was the same, obviously chose to save a few bucks and buy the less expensive "knock-off" products. Soon dozens and dozens of companies were selling large tubs of whey concentrate, all trying to be the cheapest, and dramatically compromising quality in the process. In reality, whey protein concentrate should NEVER have made it to the nutritional supplement marketplace, the fact that it did is simply because some companies saw a chance to make a quick buck by selling a decidedly inferior product at a cheaper price. This practice continues today. And as for that "original" producer of whey protein mentioned earlier, sadly they caved in under market pressure, and now produce a predominately whey concentrate product under the same name at a cheaper price. It's a classic case of "name recognition" being more important than producing a quality product. Buyer beware.

I mention in my protein article that if the food processing industry wants to sell you a product that they would otherwise throw away, be VERY suspect of that foods' quality. In years past whey was merely a waste product from cheese production. Because of its high organic content and high biological oxygen demands the dairy companies did a lot of damage when they dumped whey directly into the environment. Stricter environmental laws now prevent this practice. In the mad scramble to find ways to safely dispose of whey, it was largely used as cheap animal feed. Somebody eventually figured out that the protein portion of whey (if protected from denaturation) had potentially remarkable health benefits. What you see everywhere in the supplement industry now is companies producing low quality products, while trying to capitalize on research done with the highest quality whey products. What they don't tell you is that only a very carefully produced whey imparts health benefits, while other types of whey are loaded with undesirable components.

One of these undesirable components is cholesterol. I tell consumers to always look at the cholesterol counts of their whey supplements. If the product contains cholesterol, (as the whey concentrates do) the product will be detrimental to ones health. The spray drying process which whey undergoes can potentially oxidize a portion of the cholesterol in a product. Oxidized cholesterol has been implicated as a necessary step in the development of atherosclerosis. This is NOT the same cholesterol molecule as would exist in minimally cooked meats or eggs, the oxidized cholesterols are produced via harsh processing conditions. (note: some evidence suggests that cholesterol can oxidize due to long storage conditions as well, as in the shelf life of a protein powder.)

Oxidized cholesterol and unknown amounts of denatured proteins make whey concentrate undesirable in any amount and at any price. Empirical observation indicates increased stomach upset in users of whey concentrate. Lactose could certainly play a role in this response, but often people who are not lactose intolerant still notice severe gastrointestinal disturbances from whey concentrate possibly due to high levels of protein denaturation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. What is Ion-Exchange Whey Isolate?

A. Ion Exchange whey isolate is a chemically treated whey isolate separated on the basis of the proteins' electrical charge. The resultant protein is low in lactose, fat and cholesterol, but its' microfraction profile is compromised in the process. The whey fraction beta Lactoglobulin predominates, while sacrificing Glycomacropeptides, proteins with possible appetite suppressing immune boosting effects. A well made Ion Exchange Whey Isolate is not nearly as problematic as the whey concentrates, but it is not quite up to the quality of a quality filtered whey isolate.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. How have nutritional supplement companies been able to sell such low quality proteins to so many unsuspecting consumers?

A. The sports nutrition side of the nutrition industry has been responsible for producing some of the most egregiously non-nutritious, and potentially harmful nutritional supplements ever known, while aggressively (often fraudulently) marketing them to uneducated consumers. The vast majority of protein powders on the sports nutrition market are largely comprised of whey concentrate because the average consumer does not recognize the fact that there is a difference in protein quality, and as long as consumers aren't educated enough to demand quality, these companies make more money.

Nutritional supplement companies engage in what I call "selective promotion." They will tout the benefits of a product out of context, and they will not tell you about the potential negatives of using a product long term. The consumer has no way of knowing that higher quality products exist. Even well meaning, honest people can be greatly mislead by this sort of selective promotion. I've talked to health food store associates, personal trainers, nutritionists, and doctors who know nothing about whey science, and unknowingly recommend low quality whey proteins to their customers, clients, and patients. Until now, very few writers have highlighted the potential health damaging effects of many whey protein concentrates.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. In your article you noted that Hydrolyzed Whey could be toxic. How big of a concern are hydrolyzed proteins?

A. Some hydrolyzed whey products could be toxic to the brain if the hydrolyzation process frees up excitotoxic amino acids like glutamate or aspartic acid. Others may not be toxic if the enzymes used to cleave the protein are more selective. I've yet to see any company that produces a hydrolyzed whey that also addresses the excitotoxicity issue. A safe hydrolyzed whey may exist, but to me it's a moot point. Hydrolyzed whey often loses all biological value of the microfrations mentioned earlier. Without those microfractions you don't have a functional protein. It's like buying a car and receiving all the components of a car disassembled in fifty million pieces. You'd be going nowhere fast. Certain whey fractions when separated from whey via hydrolyzation may have biological effects, but those peptides are not found in most supplements. Most commercial protein powders would never use high amounts of hydrolyzed whey anyhow because they taste horrible, but many online bulk suppliers do offer hydrolyzed whey which I would not recommend buying.

One interesting area where hydrolyzed whey is showing up more and more is in protein bars. Whey protein produces pretty distinct formulation challenges for the makers of protein bars, it absorbs water and reduces shelf life as the bar hardens and turns into a "brick" on the shelf. One of the ways around this is to use denatured hydrolyzed whey in the formulations. The denatured proteins are not soluble, and therefore do not absorb water. This may give a bar a longer shelf life, but much, if not all of the functional benefit of whey is lost in many of the bars on the market because of this. Again, buyer beware.

[Hiatus]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. I've seen some companies selling organic whey protein which they claim is free of Bovine Growth Hormone, antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. What do you make of this?

A. Usually organic food is a great choice, and I highly recommend it. But I don't think an organically produced whey concentrate is better than a quality whey isolate. WPC still has higher levels of lactose, fat and cholesterol than a quality whey isolate, and the fear of hormones, antibiotics and pesticides in whey isolate is probably unfounded. A filtered whey isolate, as I've discussed contains very little fat, and therefore negligible fat-soluble hormones or pesticides. Bovine growth hormone (rBST) is a peptide (protein-based) hormone, but I've yet to see any research indicating that an organic whey protein powder contains less rBST than a non organic one. Data extrapolated from milk production seems to indicate that there would be no difference between the two.

As for antibiotic residues, I've yet to see any evidence that whey protein isolate contains antibiotic residues. An excellent article on whey contaminants (or lack thereof) can be found here: brinkzone(.)com/hormonesinwhey(.)html

Organic Whey Concentrate powders may be produced using lower temperature processes which may protect whey fractions, but the powdered cholesterol may be prone to oxidation, if not in the production process, then in storage conditions (the average protein powder may be many months, if not years old from the time it is made to the time that it is consumed.) Since none of the producers of these products seem to be addressing these issues by analytical testing, a well made whey isolate is still my top recommendation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. You repeatedly refer to "quality whey isolate" or "well made whey isolate" in your writings. What would be an example of a quality whey isolate, and how is it produced?

A. It is unfortunate how many fancy-sounding but meaningless terms have emerged in the selling of protein supplements. Companies have a vested interest in confusing people, or else they wouldn't be able to sell such low quality products. Consumers should look for whey protein isolate produced via the CFM? method. CFM? is a registered trademark for a patented ceramic filtration technique used to produce the highest quality whey protein isolate, it is owned by Glanbia Nutritionals. Even generic terms like: whey isolate, or cross flow microfiltered whey isolate, are no indication of the highest quality, look for the CFM? logo. This ensures that highly selective ceramic filters and low temperature processing is used.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. In your protein article, you go out of your way to emphasize the fact that many people can benefit from a whey protein, not just athletes and bodybuilders. This flies somewhat in the face of "conventional wisdom." What are some of the most common misconceptions people have about protein supplements?

A. Many people (women especially) fear that they'll become bulky or musclebound by taking protein supplements. Because of this, and similar misconceptions many people unknowingly deprive themselves of the very nutrients necessary to achieve optimal health. For example, women, probably due to estrogenic factors have generally lower thyroid and liver function than men. The thyroid, the main regulator of metabolic rate, and liver, the main detoxicative organ of the body function poorly without adequate dietary protein (and a host of other nutrients.) Proteins (and certain fats) help to regulate blood sugar, and adrenal function preventing hypoglycemia, reducing adrenalin and blood sugar "highs and lows" that invariably come with a low protein diet.

Whey protein, as I've discussed, also contains microfractions which can modulate immune function, not only helping recovery from workouts but enhancing resistance to infection as well.

Cachexia, or muscle wasting as caused by various disease states can also be improved by the immune modulating effects of whey. This has implications for the elderly, or cancer patients whose appetites may not enable them to eat the necessary amounts of animal-based protein.

Bariatric, or gastric bypass patients may certainly benefit from a whey protein based drink in order to more easily meet their protein needs. Quality protein becomes even more important for these individuals whose drastically lowered food intake can border on starvation.

As a side note, protein supplements should be used as part of a varied diet, and not as the sole or even predominate source of protein in ones' diet. It's easy to lose sight of this fact in the face of incessant marketing to the contrary. A quality whey protein, as we've been speaking of, imparts remarkable benefits in relatively low doses. Depending upon body weight and dietary protein intake, usually 20-80 grams of CFM? are necessary per day, the higher doses being reserved for larger athletes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. You really go out of your way to formulate products without any artificial ingredients, especially artificial sweeteners. Why is this so important?

A. Believe me, it's MUCH easier and cheaper to formulate nutritional supplements with artificial ingredients. Artificial sweeteners cost a fraction of what high-intensity natural sweeteners cost, and are much easier to work with. It's the same story over again. Until the supplement consumer demands quality, they'll continue to get the products that are the cheapest and easiest to make, with quality invariably sacrificed. I'm proud to have created what I feel is the best tasting protein supplement on the market using only all natural ingredients.

To chronicle all of the health concerns and unanswered questions regarding artificial sweeteners is beyond the scope of this article, but realize that the public has been GREATLY mislead if they believe ANY artificial sweetener has been proven safe. In fact, a recent study written up in the European Journal of Oncology demonstrated a direct and dose-dependent association between aspartame (an artificial sweetener) consumption and lymphomas and leukemia in female rats. In the study, the female rats given a dose of aspartame mimicking a dose which many humans exceed had a 62% increase in lymphoma and leukemia, and incidence was increased with higher doses. The public has been told for decades that aspartame has been "proven safe," and those who publicly question aspartame's safety have been labeled as alarmists, "conspiracy theorists" or worse. Honestly, as someone who has been warning people of the dangers of artificial sweeteners for years, you might think I feel vindicated by this study (and others like it.) I don't. I wish the results were different. It scares the daylights out of me to think that such a compound is in such wide use in the food supply, and that's one of the reasons Integrated Supplements' formulations contain NO artificial sweeteners.

On a related note, despite what many people seem to believe, sucralose (found in Splenda?), the current darling of the artificial sweetener crowd, is NOT a natural substance. It is a chlorinated sugar molecule (aka chlorinated hydrocarbon) which hasn't been tested NEARLY enough for my liking. No one knows what the long-term consequences of ingesting this compound will be. Some people in fact, noting the chemical structure of sucralose, have described a striking similarity between it and other chlorinated hydrocarbons, for example, pesticides and know poisons like DDT. In fact, sucralose was tested as a pesticide before it found its way into our food. Recently, the use of sucralose in the United States' food supply surpassed that of aspartame. In my humble opinion, people who use sucralose-containing products are gambling with their health, and are unwittingly enrolling themselves in one of the grandest-scale scientific experiments of all time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. You've added the amino acid Glycine to the formula. Why is that?

A. Whey protein contains relatively higher amounts of the amino acid Tryptophan than many other protein sources. Most people are familiar with Tryptophan as the amino acid in turkey that gives us that sleepy feeling after Thanksgiving dinner, but few people realize that whey protein contains a higher ratio of tryptophan to large neutral amino acids than turkey. Large neutral amino acids can be thought of as antagonists to tryptophan uptake and metabolism.

Since dietary Tryptophan can increase serotonin levels in the body, mood, cognition, stress response, inflammation, longevity, training response, growth rate, and muscular and nervous disorders can all be influenced by dietary Tryptophan. Despite a culture that tends to glorify the serotonergic system with serotonin reuptake inhibitor "anti-depressants" and "natural" alternatives like Saint John's Wort or pure l-tryptophan, the effects of a tryptophan-heavy diet, and increased serotonin levels can in essence accelerate the degenerative process of aging. Excess serotonin has been linked to:

-increased inflammation
-increased cortisol
-lower testosterone
-cancer
-fibrosis
-depression
-neurological and muscular dystrophies
-learning disorders
-hypertension
-poor blood sugar control

In addition, animals fed low tryptophan diets have been shown to have greater longevity than those fed high tryptophan diets.

Glycine can be thought of as somewhat of an antagonist to Tryptophan. Glycine has been noted to have anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and generally antitoxic effects.

It has been postulated that much of the fatigue effect associated with athletic (over)training is caused by a relative serotonin surplus. Although they have not been shown to improve performance, the branched chain amino acids or gelatin, which is rich in Glycine (and Proline,) could be a good addition to a pre-workout drink containing whey protein. The BCAAs, Glycine and Proline may help to reduce the increases in serotonin associated with whey protein ingestion.

"EXPOSING THE DIRTY SECRETS OF THE NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY"

[Hiatus]

What are your guys' thoughts/feelings on this post? Is it still relevant?

[Starkk]

Looks retarded to me! Thanks OP, repped!

[lucia316]

Sales pitches are fun!

[Hiatus]

So you guys are saying this is complete trash?

[Starkk]

So you guys are saying this is complete trash?

you might as well read a mcdonalds ad and take what it says for scientific fact

[justfive]

Ive been living off of spray cheese for years now. have not touched a vegetable since

[lucia316]

So you guys are saying this is complete trash?

Was the sarcasm not thick enough? LOL

Ive been living off of spray cheese for years now. have not touched a vegetable since

Spray cheese, the cornerstone of any nutritious meal.

[justfive]

actually I have touched a vegetable, but only when I go for my monthly visit to the nunnery

never ingest though

[Hiatus]

Lol well realize Im absolutely new to the whole area of supplements and such so this seemed pretty legit to me.

Can someone explain why the post is rubbish? (not trolling, i really want to learn)

Thanks!

[deejelkins]

In to read later

[lucia316]

Lol well realize Im absolutely new to the whole area of supplements and such so this seemed pretty legit to me.

Can someone explain why the post is rubbish? (not trolling, i really want to learn)

Thanks!

As I said it's because...

Sales pitches are fun!

It's an "expert interview" meant to be a sales pitch for the "expert's" brand of protein.

[Hiatus]

As I said it's because...



It's an "expert interview" meant to be a sales pitch for the "expert's" brand of protein.

Ok, so even if it was a sales pitch, doesn't it hold at least some truth to it?

[snorkelman]

What a load of crap.

[lucia316]

Ok, so even if it was a sales pitch, doesn't it hold at least some truth to it?

Not much truth, lots of salesy BS. If you want to believe it, believe it.

[penchest]

I read the first few sentences and thought I may be in for a good read. Then I went on to find out how everything I've been putting into my body is going to soon kill me, give me cancer, or make me sh*t out my organs. I've never conducted any research myself, but I'm a nutrition nerd and a bit of a hypochondriac so I make sure everything I ingest has been backed by many credible research based findings that actually contain references. I don't buy cheap supplements or anything close to cheap so I don't have to worry about MOST of what you said. I do get a kick on your rip on hydrolyzed whey though. You haven't found a true hydrolyzed whey yet? Really? Here's a tip: If you're hydrolyzed whey contains a large amount of di-tri peptides and makes you say why is it that much more expensive? It's probably a safe hydrolyzed whey. And to cap off the article the rant on artificial sweeteners makes me laugh, only because you used the "uninformed consumers" line all throughout your article yet went on to blast aspartame which has been "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the FDA has ever approved". I'm not saying I'm the biggest fan of the FDA or aspartame for that matter, but don't be so ridiculous to include the research done on rats and act as if it applies to humans. Many rats are given doses 5,000+ mg/kg per day over their lifetimes for these research findings. Even then almost all lab findings come back as inconclusive or are called into question by the FDA or EFSA. Do you think if I shoved 5,000+ mg/kg of "natural sweeteners" and sugar into a rats body everyday throughout their whole life that they would be absolutely fine?
I understand if people want to take extra precaution and stay away from aspartame. Like I said I'm a hypochondriac and chose to use products containing sucralose even though I'm sure it causes rats to grow a second head.

I hope you "inform" these uninformed consumers out there with some credible references and professional research behind EVERYTHING you're selling.

***Just read that it's from the RedTerror label and not something the OP is selling... ahhhh makes more sense.