WHEY PROTEIN–CHOOSE THE BEST

Whey Protein Concentrate –

A Brief Summary
By: Michael Colgan
The quality of whey protein concentrate supplements depends on:
1. Breeding and nutrition of the cows.
2. Method of extraction of the protein.
3. The proportion of whey in the supplement.
1. Breeding and Nutrition of the Cows
Breeding and nutrition of the cows determines the quality of the protein in the milk. Most
whey proteins today come from CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations), concrete
yards in which the animals are fed largely on waste fat, corn, and pelleted plant refuse.
CAFO animals and their proteins are poor because cows are ruminants with a highly
evolved fermentation tank, the rumen, holding a resident population of microbes specifically
designed to ferment grass and humus. The rumen is not designed to use fat, corn, and
plant refuse, which is largely why the cows also have to be fed antibiotics and hormones,
just to keep them alive.
Some labels say “grass-fed” which legally means that the animals in the CAFOs are fed a
certain proportion of pelleted dried grass clippings, the proportion depending on state and
local regulations. These are still inferior animals, because the cow system is designed to
eat fresh grass and humus, with its rich content of phytochemicals and enzymes that are
destroyed by drying and pelleting the grass.
Some labels say “organic” which legally means that the cows can still be fed on corn and
fat, but must have access to a narrow strip of pasture. Some I have seen are not pasture
any more, but just trampled mud with nary a speck of grass left. Others I have seen are
gated to protect the meagre amount of grass, with the cows given one hour a day to feed on
pasture. Ruminants that evolved to be continuous grazers do not fare well on this scheme.
Best proteins come from pasture-fed free-range animals, where their miraculous system,
which co-evolved with the pasture, can have its natural diet. New Zealand is one of the few
places that still raise most milk cows on pasture. Eleven thousand small dairy farmers form
the cooperative that sells New Zealand whey protein concentrate today. I did research on
the milk proteins there for what was then the New Zealand Dairy Board, while at the
University of Auckland.
2. Method of Extraction of the Protein
In science, the constituents of milk are determined after removing the water.
Milk is 27% protein: 22% of milk is the main milk protein called casein;
5% of milk is whey protein;
1 gram per 20 grams of dried milk.
Milk is 37% lactose (milk sugar).
Milk is 30% fat.
The rest 6% is calcium, other minerals, and ash.
Total 100%
(Some readers may note that the above figures do not agree with the way milk is labelled
for commercial purposes. When you buy full fat milk, the label says 4% fat, but that is
because they are counting the water content as well. Without the water, “4% milk” is
actually 30% fat, a high fat food.)
Many cheap protein concentrates are hydrolyzed, that is, the milk is broken down and
proteins extracted by heat, and/or acids or salts. These proteins are then termed
“denatured”. The amino acid content remains the same, but biologically, the protein
molecule is damaged. The worst damage is the destruction of the bonds between pairs and
trios of amino acids.
These bonds create the unique chemical shapes, the information “keys” which fit the
enzyme “locks” in your body to turn on protein functions. Without these keys, you can eat
all the denatured whey protein concentrate you like, but hardly any gets turned into body
tissue. This problem was discovered in the 1980s, from whey protein use in hospitals. Only
the undenatured whey worked to prevent sarcopenia in patients with wasting diseases.
Undenatured whey protein concentrate is now the hospital protein of choice, not only
because it improves nitrogen balance, but also because of its ease of digestion and lack of
detrimental effects on the compromised organs of patients.1
The way to extract milk proteins undamaged was largely developed in New Zealand, and is
termed cross-flow membrane extraction technology. I have successfully used whey
proteins extracted in this way with many world champion athletes over the last 25 years.
3. The Proportion of Whey in the Supplement
Whey protein concentrate powders come in more than 100 different mixes. The early mixes
were dried skim milk powders. They are still used for multiple products. Skim milk powders
are semi-sweet because they are more than 50% lactose (milk sugar). Not desirable.
Today, to legally to call a powder “whey protein concentrate” it has to contain at least 29%
whey protein. There are dozens of these whey protein mixes, used for specific food making
purposes. The whey protein content ranges from 29% to 89%.
The less the whey, the more lactose, fat, and casein. Yet they are all labelled “whey protein
concentrate” when sold in tubs and drinks as nutritional supplements. Buyer beware.
High quality supplements for human muscle, immunity, insulin metabolism, and increased
production of, glutathione, our major endogenous antioxidant, contain 70-89% whey protein.
Whey protein isolate is further refined to contain 90% to 95% whey protein. You can work it
out from the label.
A vanilla supplement for example, with a serving size of 23 grams, may be labelled to
provide 18 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbohydrate (milk sugar) and 1.5 grams of fat.
The remaining 1.5 grams is minerals and ash, and any added chemicals such as lactase
and flavoring. With this level of extraction, the protein contains about 1.0 grams of casein
and 17 grams of whey protein. The proportion of whey is thus 17 divided by 23 = 74%.
This is a whey protein concentrate I would use.
How much Whey?
From 30 years of working with athletes, protein needs for an athlete in training are 1.5-1.9
grams per kg lean mass per day. Body fat does not need protein to sustain it, so you
should not count your body fat weight.1
Taking the lower level of the range, if you are 80kg (176 lbs), at 10% body fat (8kg, 17.6
lbs), you have 72 kg (158 lbs) of lean mass. To optimize your training, you need 72 x 1.5 =
108 grams of first quality protein daily. Whey protein concentrate will reduce body fat,
increase lean mass, and optimise nitrogen balance better than other meat or vegetable
proteins.1-17 It has a higher biological value. Today that is measured by the Protein
Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). High quality whey protein
concentrates have scores of 104-114 in science, compared with the 100 score of whole
egg, the next best protein. On labels, however, you cannot claim scores of over 100.
The body can absorb only 30-40 grams of whey protein concentrate at a meal, so you have
to split the intake over several meals per day. If you are working out, the best split is a
shake in the morning, then one immediately after workout, with a smaller supplementary
shake in the evening.
Whey protein concentrate at the same level as used by athletes (1.5 grams per kg) works
just as well for people trying to lose weight. It is shown to increase fat oxidation through
thermogenesis, improve insulin function, maintain lean mass on reduced calorie diets, and
reduce appetite and net food intake.1-17
Research also shows that high quality whey protein concentrate improves lipid profiles, and
reduces levels of C-reactive protein, the main inflammatory marker of heart disease.1-17 It is
a food that’s hard to beat.
Visit our website and see the products with the Right Whey Protein,
1. Colgan M. The Right Protein for Muscle and Strength. Vancouver: Apple Publishing,
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The digestion rate of protein is an independent regulating factor of postprandial protein
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