Protein
The Sacred Cow of Proteins
Whey protein is among the highest-quality proteins available, offering far more than just amino acids. From lactoferrin to glutathione, the biological activity of whey is remarkable.
Protein
Whey protein is among the highest-quality proteins available, offering far more than just amino acids. From lactoferrin to glutathione, the biological activity of whey is remarkable.
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Whey protein is the sacred cow among proteins. Together with casein, it comprises the main component of cow's milk proteins. Human breast milk actually contains far more whey than casein. In what follows, of course, we're primarily discussing whey from cow's milk.
Whey is the milk serum left over after cheese-making — and whey protein is the protein extracted from it. By the most modern method for assessing nutritional value in humans, whey protein ranks among __the highest-quality proteins __available.
On the one hand, it contains all essential amino acids, and on the other, it demonstrates very high digestibility. These two properties of a protein form the basis of the PDCAAS score, the gold standard for assessing protein quality.
But whey is far more than just a protein. It is a sophisticated protein system designed to give newborns the best possible start in life. That's why nature packs many special protein fractions into whey.
Whey is therefore not one protein, but rather a protein mixture grouped under the umbrella term whey. Research shows that this protein mixture, derived from milk, possesses unparalleled biological activity.
Example: 0.5–2% of whey protein consists of lactoferrin. Lactoferrin naturally occurs not only in breast milk but also in various human body secretions. It is one of the most renowned antimicrobial proteins in the body.
Lactoferrin steals iron from pathogens, inhibiting their metabolism. It also has the ability to directly dissolve pathogen components—such as cell walls. Additionally, lactoferrin directly stimulates the human immune response.
It demonstrates substantial biological activity even in minimal amounts—the quantities in whey (approximately 100–500 mg per serving) are sufficient to make whey an effective lactoferrin delivery vehicle.
Whey is furthermore exceptionally rich in the amino acid cysteine. This is considered the rate-limiting factor for glutathione, the body's most important antioxidant and "detoxification agent." This is precisely why whey reliably elevates glutathione levels within cells in studies.
Exception: cancer cells. For years, studies have shown that whey protein selectively depletes glutathione from cancer cells. Cancer cells themselves love using glutathione to protect themselves against external attacks—such as cancer therapy. Researchers conclude:
"Taken together, whey supplementation can selectively reduce glutathione levels in the tumor and therefore represents a promising strategy for overcoming treatment resistance in cancer therapy."¹
Sensational. Equally sensational is that whey contains antibodies, technically termed immunoglobulins. The infant is supposed to be protected from infections through passive immunization—just as breast milk does for newborns.
In short: antibodies circulating in the mother animal enter the milk and thus protect the newborn. This includes many pathogens, especially bacteria and viruses. A recent study² showed that milk from New Zealand grass-fed cattle contains antibodies directed against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.
The cows were not infected with COVID-19—instead, they were possibly naturally exposed to viruses with very similar structure. One might wonder whether the COVID antibodies found in whey would also protect humans if they consumed whey.
Whey is a fascinating protein (mixture). It stands out distinctly from many other food proteins because it displays far above-average bioactivity with compelling health effects that have been thoroughly described in studies.
Whey comes as whey concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysate. Additionally, in special variations—such as clear whey. It can come from industrial farming—or from (organic) pasture-raising, like our whey.
It's worth trying. While bioactivity does differ between various processing methods, in the end we benefit from each form.
Not everyone tolerates every whey protein equally well. Some do better with concentrate, while others prefer isolate or clear whey. It's worth trying.
Because: whey protein is the sacred cow among proteins.
