A story as old as recorded time helped discover whey. A mistake. An error made when treating goat’s milk with acid caused the solids and liquids to separate. The solid would be the next day’s cheese, and the byproduct would be whey, which would be the starter for tomorrow’s cheese.
Have you heard of the Hippocratic Oath? Hippocrates became very popular by prescribing whey to boost the immune systems of his patients. It was referred to as “the magic serum.” In ancient Rome, Galen emphasized the benefit of whey drink for good health and nutrition. It was referred to as the “healing tonic” and became even more popular in Europe. Whey baths were opened to maximize the intake of such a beneficial liquid.
In Germany in the 1800s, a man named Eugene Sandow transformed the liquid into the power we are more familiar with today. It was initially used in hospitals as medicine. This wonder powder with no taste or odor was declared by the German government to be better than meat for improving endurance and vitality. The bodybuilding industry in the 1950s delivered growth to this product market.
Protein powder can be made from hemp, soy, nuts, peas, Eggs, or whey. You can use it to blend a drink in your coffee, baked goods, homemade protein bars, sprinkle in your hot oatmeal, and more. Most whey protein powder can contain sugar. The advancement of evaporators, dehydrators, and freeze dryers has given more options for protein powder use.
- Whey protein powder can be used to fight obesity, lower cholesterol, build muscle mass, increase energy, or lose weight.
- There are mountains of evidence showing protein supplements can prevent colds and flu. Put that in your covid arsenal.
- Amino acids in whey protein help repair skin and tissue from surgery or injury and wounds.
- After 40 years of age, adults begin to lose muscle mass naturally, 2% per year for men. Regular protein intake with strenuous exercise will prevent this loss.
Your protein intake should be 1 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight. To gain muscle mass, your intake will increase to 2.3-3g/kg per day. Similar to creatine powder, this dietary supplement should be taken directly after your most strenuous activity of the day. Also, similar to creatine, it is not recommended for consumption if you are not strenuously exercising daily.
Changing your dietary intake should be researched and bounced off of your dietitian or physician before adding to your daily regimen. Discuss your goals with a professional. Assess your current diet and make changes to your daily food intake before adding supplements to a poor diet.
Some side effects are experienced with diversity. More protein results in more bowel movements; don’t be surprised. Nausea and bloating can occur with such pure protein intake. Expect loss of appetite when fuelling your body for growth. You will need to burn that energy for the body to want more. The additional gastrointestinal effort can cause tiredness or headache due to digestive blood flow priority.
Use protein powder wisely and only if you intend to burn the additional protein via physical effort.
