Whey protein - proceed with caution

Dairy products are ubiquitous in our foods. They coat our cereal in the morning, sweeten our mid morning coffee, add bite to a sandwich, fuel our muscles post workout and smother our desserts. The honest fact of the matter is that their taste is only rivalled by their versatility. 

Milk products have a wonderful reputation as a health food. So much so that many consider consuming them to be essential for a balanced diet. In truth they contain an ideal cocktail of vitamins, minerals and macro-nutrients. They contain everything that is needed to support life. 

A calf's life

Lactose

One of the main sugars in milk is lactose, and in order to digest into into it's constituent parts the enzyme lactase is required. As we get older, beyond the point of weaning, the amount of lactase our body produces decreases. This makes it more difficult for us to digest milk products and can lead to irritation of our intestines. This irritation comes in the form of inflammation and makes it difficult for us to be healthy. 

But this is not always the case because some people, in the 10,000 years or so since we started drinking milk, have developed the ability to continue to generate lactase during adulthood. This phenotype is called lactase persistence. It is almost entirely found in Northern Europeans and it means that they can consume milk products without irritation. 

So how do you know if this is you?

Well this is where it begins to become complicated because lactose intolerance is not as black and white as other intolerances. Some people will get very severe digestive discomfort when they consume milk, in others it will be very mild. 

Symptoms to look out for 

• Wind
• Bloating
• Soft stools

All of these may be a result of your consumption of milk products. 

Processing

Milk is a processed food. It is homogenised and pasteurised, meaning it lasts longer on the shelves and the cream doesn't rise to the top. Whichever way you look at it. that's not good. If it kills the bacteria in the food then it's likely to kill the bacteria in your gut. 

Whey Protein

Whey protein is without a doubt the best protein for inducing a training response. The proteins in whey induce a large insulin response which allows for best absorption after working out. Also the amino acid ratio of whey is the best of any powdered protein. 

However when you take into account the drawbacks of commercially available dairy products, whey protein may be causing inflammation, toxic build up and digestive distress which after a workout is not really a good idea and offsets the benefit drink. 

The only truly hypoallergenic whey protein available is Poliquin's Whey Stronger 2.0, which is not available in the UK. So in the meantime, I'd stick to a vegan protein. 

Alternatively if you feel you can tolerate whey, then pick a protein which is low in additives and is as unprocessed as possible.