The Whey To Weight Loss (Part II)

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Article Title: The Whey To Weight Loss (Part II)

Author: Will Brink

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Effects on serotonin, blood sugar regulation, and more!

Although the above would probably be the major mechanisms by

which whey could help the dieter, there are several secondary

effects of whey that may assist in weight loss. For example,

whey’s effects on serotonin levels. Serotonin is probably the

most studied neurotransmitter since it has been found to be

involved in a wide range of psychological and biological

functions. Serotonin ( also called 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT)

is involved with mood, anxiety, and appetite.

Elevated levels of serotonin can cause relaxation and reduced

anxiety. Low serotonin levels are associated with low mood,

increased anxiety (hence the current popularity of the SSRI

drugs such as Prozac and others), and poor appetite control.

This is an extremely abbreviated description of all the

functions serotonin performs in the human body - many of which

have yet to be fully elucidated - but a full explanation is

beyond the scope of this article.

Needless to say, Increased brain serotonin levels are

associated with an improved ability of people to cope with

stress, whereas a decline in serotonin activity is associated

with depression and anxiety. Elevated levels of serotonin in

the body often result in the relief of depression, as well as

substantial reduction in pain sensitivity, anxiety and stress.

It has also been theorized that a diet-induced increase in

tryptophan will increase brain serotonin levels, while a diet

designed for weight loss (e.g., a diet that reduces calories)

may lead to a reduction of brain serotonin levels due to

reduced substrate for production and a reduction in

carbohydrates.

Many people on a reduced calorie intake in an attempt to lose

weight find they are often ill tempered and more anxious.

Reductions in serotonin may be partially to blame here. One

recent study (The bovine protein alpha-lactalbumin increases

the plasma ratio of tryptophan to the other large neutral amino

acids, and in vulnerable subjects raises brain serotonin

activity, reduces cortisol concentration, and improves mood

under stress. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Jun;71(6):1536-1544) examined

whether alpha-lactalbumin - a major sub fraction found in whey

which has an especially high tryptophan content - would

increase plasma Tryptophan levels as well reduce depression and

cortisol concentrations in subjects under acute stress

considered to be vulnerable to stress.

The researchers examined twenty-nine " highly stress-vulnerable

subjects " and 29 " relatively stress-invulnerable " subjects

using a double blind, placebo-controlled study design. The

study participants were exposed to experimental stress after

eating a diet enriched with either alpha-lactalbumin (found in

whey) or sodium-caseinate, another milk based protein. They

researchers looked at:

* Diet-induced changes in the plasma Tryptophan and its ratio

to other large neutral amino acids.

* Prolactin levels.

* Changes in mood and pulse rate.

* Cortisol levels (which were assessed before and after the

stressor).

Amazingly, the ratio of plasma Tryptophan to the other amino

acids tested was 48% higher after the alpha-lactalbumin diet

than after the casein diet! This was accompanied by a decrease

in cortisol levels and higher prolactin concentration. Perhaps

most important and relevant to the average person reading this

article, they found " reduced depressive feelings " when test

subjects were put under stress.

They concluded that the " Consumption of a dietary protein

enriched in tryptophan increased the plasma Trp-LNAA ratio and,

in stress-vulnerable subjects, improved coping ability, probably

through alterations in brain serotonin. " This effect was not

seen in the sodium-caseinate group. If other studies can

confirm these findings, whey may turn out to be yet another

safe and effective supplement in the battle against depression

and stress, as well as reduced serotonin levels due to dieting.

Although there is a long list of hormones involved in appetite

regulation, some of which have been mentioned above, serotonin

appears to be a key player in the game. In general, experiments

find increased serotonin availability or activity = reduced food

consumption and decreased serotonin = increase food consumption.

If whey can selectively increase serotonin levels above that of

other proteins, it could be very helpful to the dieter.

Other possible advantages whey may confer to the dieter is

improved blood sugar regulation (Frid AH, Nilsson M, Holst JJ,

Bjorck IM. Effect of whey on blood glucose and insulin

responses to composite breakfast and lunch meals in type 2

diabetic subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jul;82(1):69-75.) which

is yet another key area in controlling appetite and metabolism.

Finally, calcium from dairy products has been found to be

associated with a reduction in bodyweight and fat mass. Calcium

is thought to influence energy metabolism as intracellular

calcium regulates fat cell (adipocyte) lipid metabolism as well

as triglyceride storage. It’s been demonstrated in several

studies the superiority of dairy versus non-dairy sources of

calcium for improving body composition, and the whey fraction

of dairy maybe the key.

The mechanism responsible for increased fat loss found with

dairy-based calcium versus nondairy calcium has not is not

fully understood but researchers looking at the issue theorized

" ... dairy sources of calcium markedly attenuate weight and fat

gain and accelerate fat loss to a greater degree than do

supplemental sources of calcium. This augmented effect of dairy

products relative to supplemental calcium is likely due to

additional bioactive compounds, including the

angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and the rich

concentration of branched-chain amino acids in whey, which act

synergistically with calcium to attenuate adiposity. "

It appears components in whey - some of which have been

mentioned above - are thought to act synergistically with

calcium to improve body composition (Zemel MB. Role of calcium

and dairy products in energy partitioning and weight

management. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 May;79(5):907S-912S.).

Conclusion

Taken in isolation, none of these studies are so compelling

that people should run out and use whey as some form of weight

loss nirvana. However, taken as a total picture, the bulk of

the research seems to conclude that whey may in fact have some

unique effects for weight loss and should be of great use to

the dieter. More studies are clearly needed however.

So what is the practical application of all this information

and how does the dieter put it to good use? Being the appetite

suppressing effects of whey appear to last approximately 2-3

hours, it would seem best to stagger the intake throughout the

day. For example, breakfast might be 1-2 scoops of whey and a

bowl of oatmeal, and perhaps a few scoops of whey taken between

lunch and dinner.

If whey does what the data suggests it does in the above, that

should be the most effective method for maximizing the effects

of whey on food (calorie) intake on subsequent meals as well as

the other metabolic effects covered. If working out, the

schedule may be different however and people should follow the

pre and post nutrition recommendations made in my ebook " Muscle

Building Nutrition " or advice easily found on the 'net via the

many sports nutrition and bodybuilding related web sites.

About The Author: See Articles from Will Here:

http://www.brinkzone.com/onlinearticles.html - Will's Muscle

Building Guide: http://www.musclebuildingguide.com/ - Will's

Diet Supplements Review: http://www.dietsupplementsreview.com/

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