Once again, we're back to the nagging beliefs about whey protein. You've heard it before: protein powders are dangerous for the heart. Introducing whey or whey-like products into the diet is said to increase the risk of heart attack, and a number of body-builders have been known to give up the ghost while doing their bench press.
Rest assured! As we've already explained, consuming a healthy protein powder poses no danger to your health. By respecting the indicated doses and, above all, opting for an additive-free product, sportsmen and women can protect themselves against the side-effects attributed to protein powders, notably the risk of cardiovascular and/or kidney disease.
When combined with regular physical activity, whey consumption can even have a beneficial effect on the heart. Studies tend to prove that practising a sport or weight training improves the metabolism as a whole.
What is whey?
To dispel any doubts about whey's danger to health, we need to look again at the manufacturing process of this protein powder. Contrary to popular belief, this product is not the result of a long succession of chemical reactions. We cover this in our article on the definition of whey, but here are a few important points...
It issimply obtained from milk by mechanical filtration. Micro-filtration and ultra-filtration are used to isolate whey proteins. This whey is then dehydrated to obtain the finished product.
Whey is therefore not the result of any enrichment. This dietary supplement is ofnatural origin, derived from milk, and its consumption presents no danger to your health. Consuming whey is in a way equivalent to consuming a dairy product, finally purified of lactose. To date, there are no studies showing that this type of food increases the risk of heart attacks. In this sense, it would be absurd to think that taking whey could be dangerous for your heart.
From a nutritional point of view, whey is not quite comparable to a common food. It has a high protein content and an excellent amino acid profile. What's more, its high bioavailability makes it ideal for post-workout supplementation. Its speed of absorption means that it rapidly supplies the body with useful nutrients, optimizing the repair of damaged muscle fibers immediately after exercise.
Why are there rumours that whey is dangerous?
These rumours are due to a lack of knowledge about whey and protein powders. Even today, many athletes associate supplementation with doping. Since most doping substances are chemicals, many consider whey to be a dangerous chemical by association.
Apart from the fact that whey is, after all, of natural origin, this dietary supplement doesn 't dope. This protein powder doesn't boost your physical performance to the point of overtaxing your heart. Its role is simply to optimize the results of your workouts. For this reason, endurance athletes should aim for a protein intake of around 1.3 to 1.6 g/kg/d of protein. Muscle-builders, on the other hand, should aim for 2 g/kg/d for optimal muscle development during the period of mass gain.
In any case, exceeding these doses exposes consumers to certain metabolic disorders, and even to an overload of the renal system. By abusing these products, and failing to follow an appropriate, balanced diet, top-level athletes can put on unwanted weight in the form of body fat. Excess protein is burned off and stored by the body as fat. It's these extra kilos that threaten the athlete's health. Overweight people are exposed to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Good to know: apart from being overweight, over-consumption of protein powder exposes you to kidney disease. Above a certain dose (well over 2 g/kg/d), the body forces out excess protein. This puts a strain on the kidneys, especially if you don't drink enough water. Don't worry! An excessively high-protein diet is extremely rare. In practice, it's hard to break the 2 g/kg/d barrier, especially as protein powders are highly satiety-inducing.
In addition to the metabolic and cardiovascular problems associated with over-consumption of whey, there are also risks associated with certain whey products, even when used rationally. Indeed, even in Europe, many wheys are contaminated1 by undesirable products (doping agents such as steroids), which are of course not indicated on the label and are prohibited. These contaminations can be of various kinds, exposing consumers to health risks they may not even be aware of.
What effect does whey have on the heart?
Ultimately, whey should be considered like any other food. Like fish, eggs and meat, whey has no adverse effect on the heart when consumed as part of a normal diet. However, when consumed in the context of physical activity, this dietary supplement will improve your state of health.
Sporting activities increase your lean body mass/fat mass ratio and boost your physical abilities. As well as building muscle mass, you also improve your cardiovascular capacity. On the whole, sport increases life expectancy. Studies even show that regular exercise postpones disability by 2 to 3 years in older people.
Your sporting activities "muscle" and train your heart. In the end, they protect you from various disorders, particularly arrhythmias, both at rest and during exercise. In principle, regular exercise combined with whey intake protects against the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
Remember that taking protein powder optimizes the results of your training and physical effort. Whey provides useful amino acids for repairing micro-injuries caused by exercise. Protein is also used to synthesize stronger muscle fibers, enabling muscle strengthening. In itself, consuming whey will help you achieve better health and avoid heart disease.
How to choose your whey to protect your health?
Protein supplementation is an essential part of bodybuilding and sports. However, not all protein powders are created equal. To keep your body running smoothly, you need to choose the right whey.
With this in mind, we encourage you to take a closer look at the fine print on the back of the pack, and in particular at the composition of these dietary supplements. Interested parties should pay close attention to the list of ingredients, and avoid protein powders containing additives. Some compounds impair the digestibility of protein powder, while others may jeopardize your overall health in the long term.
To leave nothing to chance, choose an additive-free whey produced in France. With such a composition and impeccable traceability of every ingredient used, consumers are unlikely to be affected by any metabolic disorders. To help you, consult our article on choosing the most suitable brand of whey.
What's more, these dietary supplements generally have a less intense, less nauseating taste. The beneficial effects can then be seen quickly, when whey is used as part of a varied, balanced diet and sports activities.
On the same subject:
- Should you take whey to boost your recovery?
- Do you know the risks of cheap whey?
- Can protein deficiency cause pain?
- Can whey be taken during breastfeeding and pregnancy?
