Whey Protein May Increase Fat Loss in the Elderly

A new study suggests that whey protein supplementation may aid fat loss in the elderly.

Whey protein is a highly digestible source of protein. It is also a popular dietary protein supplement for purposes such as immune modulation, improved muscle strength and body composition, and prevention of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. There is evidence to suggest that whey protein may act as an appetite suppressant and is a good source of protein.

The new study included 12 elderly obese participants, randomly assigned to either a whey protein and essential amino acid diet or a control diet. Both diets were about 1200 calories daily and designed for weight loss. Researchers assessed body weight, body composition and skeletal muscle protein weekly.

After eight weeks, both the whey protein group and the control group lost a similar proportion of body weight and lean muscle tissue. However, the whey protein group lost 30 percent more fat, which was significantly more than the control group.

The researchers noted that more research with a larger number of participants is warranted to confirm these results.

For more information about integrative therapies for weight loss, please visit Natural Standard's Comparative Effectiveness database.

Comments

[Tyler]

The results of this study is quite interesting! For older people, the right nutrition becomes critical. And it's good to know that whey protein is not only helping body builders but even the elder ones as well! I have also read a blog about a supplement that can actually help people gain stamina and even retain youthful metabolism. I have attached here the link: http://www.hgh-supplements.co/Articles/hgh-does-it-really-help-in-stopping-aging-in-its-tracks.html

[ML]

I have never heard of whey protein helping with weight loss. I know that bodybuilders and people who work out a lot like to drink protein beverages with whey. This study design reminds me of the Atkin’s diet where the meals consist of mostly protein. Also, both groups in the study probably lost weight due to the diet with restricted calories. More research needs to be conducted before a firm recommendation can be made.

[pc]

This article brings up some very interesting information about weight loss programs, regardless of age. As was mentioned by another poster, protein is a very important part of any diet program, as it helps people feel full longer, so they do not snack so frequently. I agree that this study should be conducted in a larger patient population with a more broad age range, as I feel it could benefit many obese individuals, not just the elderly.

[bc]

I agree with AF that another study with a larger patient population would be interesting to see if the same results arise. At the same time, I also agree with NL to consider doing a study in a younger population. I look forward to hearing the results to the additional studies that will be done in the future for whey protein in fat loss.

[MS]

I believe that protein consumption is an essential part in weight reduction in obese individuals. After reading this, I wanted to know what is so special about Whey protein. The following information is from the Natural Standard website: www.naturalstandard.com/databases/wheyprotein
Whey proteins are used in ice cream, bread, soup, infant formula, and other food product formulations. They have high levels of cysteine.

Is there a relation with cysteine levels. It would be interesting to compare the impact of different amino acids in weight loss.

[af]

It would be interesting to see a similar study conducted in a larger and younger patient population. Since obesity has become an epidemic here in the U.S., it would be great to see comparable results in younger people to aid in weight loss due to its appetite-suppressing effects and its ability to possibly increase fat loss when compared to other weight loss supplements. Since I believe being proactive is better than being reactive, I think supplements like whey protein have the potential to play a significant role in preventing diseases like diabetes and heart disease, rather than serving as treatments after these problems have already presented themselves.

[km]

Although Whey protein was known to be a good source of nutrition, there was a concern for using it for weight loss in overweight patients. That was because they might end up adding more calories to the total daily caloric intake because for normal people their work out routines may not be enough to burn off those extra calories from whey and they might end up gaining more weight. This research is very interesting as it show how Whey can aid in loosing fat while preserving muscle in inactive obese elderly. Since, the study sample was too small and the study population was limited to elderly, larger study is needed to investigate how the other age groups will response to this diet plan. However, if it found to be safe and effective, it would be an ideal supplement for weight loss.

[NL]

Im also curious about what results would look like in a younger population.

[NL]

Although this study was performed with a small sample size, its findings are interesting and beneficial. I look forward to learning about further studies and if their findings confirm this information.

[bz]

It's amazing how much more fat loss was experienced in patients who used whey protein in their diet. I also have always associated whey protein with young boys trying to gain muscle mass; I did not realize the benefits of using whey protein in a diet plan. This is certainly great news for older patients who have difficulty shedding excess pounds, though it is always important to remember these findings are in conjunction with a low calorie diet.

[Krystal]

Whey protein is found in the form of protein shakes, protein bars, and pre-formlated protein drinks. There are no food sources that contain actual whey protein at the high concentrations (80-95% protein) found in synthetic whey protein. According to the USDA, some naturally protein-rich foods include pork (~20-25% protein/3 oz), turkey (~30-40% protein/3 oz), fish (~20-40% protein/filet), eggs (~5-6% protein/egg), and cottage cheese (~25-30% protein). One advantage to whey protein is the ability to ingest large quantities of protein without maximizing fat ingestion (the FDA recommends a maximum daily intake of 0.8g/kg of fat). Check out Natural Standard's recipe collection for some great ways to increase your daily protein intake!

[SC]

When I hear Whey Protein I usually picture in mind a young male body builder at the gym with huge muscles because I have only known why protein to be used by young individuals to build muscle mass. After reading this article I searched "Whey" on Natural Standards website and under "Evidence grades" was a huge list of indications I never even knew it was used for such as prevention of allergies and for diabetes by increasing insulin response to glucose. I think it would be interesting if larger studies were performed with Whey protein on indications such as diabetes, bone density, hypertension and GERD as these effect thousands of Americans

[js]

It’s extremely interesting how both groups lost comparable amounts of weight and lean muscle. However, the subjects taking the whey protein lost 30% more fat. I wonder if this effect is limited to the elderly or could the results of this study be applied to different demographics? Finally, is the control group getting another form of protein (animal protein) or is the control diet a low protein diet? I think this could help determine if the fat loss was due to whey protein or just protein in general.