Although there are several types of proteins found in milk, they are clustered into two primary groups known as whey protein and casein protein. Whey protein is a fast-digesting protein, whereas casein protein is slow-digesting. Incorporating milk protein into your diet has several benefits.
Rehydration After Exercise
Milk protein might be effective for rehydration after exercise, according to a study conducted by researchers at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom. Scientists assigned subjects to 65 grams of carbs or 40 grams of carbs with 25 grams of milk protein after they performed intermittent exercise in the heat. Researchers observed that those in the milk protein group had better fluid retention, and therefore better rehydration after exercise compared with those in the carb only group. The findings were reported in the September 2010 issue of the “British Journal of Nutrition.”
Muscle Breakdown
Casein protein found in milk may prevent muscle breakdown. Researchers at the Universite Clermont Auvergne in France studied the impact of whey and casein proteins on muscle breakdown. Subjects were assigned to a meal with whey or casein protein. Over the next seven hours, participants in the casein protein group experienced a 34 percent decrease in muscle breakdown compared with those who had whey protein, according to research reported in the December 1997 issue of "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A."
Blood Pressure
Scientists at Tulane University School of Public Health examined the impact of dietary protein on blood pressure in adults with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension. Subjects were assigned 40 grams of soy protein, milk protein and carb supplementation daily for eight weeks. At the end of the study, which was published in the July 2011 issue of “Circulation,” researchers found that those in the soy and milk protein groups experienced decreased blood pressure compared with those in the carb group.
Sepsis
Bovine lactoferrin is one of the casein proteins found in milk that may prevent late-onset sepsis in very low-birth weight infants. Sepsis is a serious illness in which your body is in a constant inflammatory state due to bacteria in the bloodstream. Scientists at the University of Torino in Italy discovered that infants assigned to receive 100 milligrams of bovine lactoferrin reduced their risk of developing late-onset sepsis compared with infants who had a placebo. The research was reported in the 2009 issue of the “Journal of the American Medical Association.”
References
- "British Journal of Nutrition"; Effect of Milk Protein Addition to a Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Rehydration Solution Ingested After Exercise in the Heat; L.J. James et al.;
- "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A."; Slow and Fast Dietary Proteins Differently Modulate Postprandial Protein Accretion; Y. Boirie et al.; December 1997
- "Circulation"; Effect of Dietary Protein Supplementation on Blood Pressure: A Randomized, Controlled Trial; J. He et al.; July 2011
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; Bovine Lactoferrin Supplementation for Prevention of Late-Onset Sepsis in Very Low-Birth-Weight Neonates: A Randomized Trial; P. Manzoni et al.; October 2009
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