Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, ARNP, EdD

Why are whey and soy proteins important?

Whey and soy protein may have an important role in reducing cancer risk in women. Whey, a protein complex derived from milk, and soy, derived from soybeans, have both been shown to enhance metabolic systems that prevent activation of carcinogens and inactivate those that are already in process. Whey and soy seem to be particularly helpful in protecting you from liver and breast cancers.

What is whey?

When I was a little girl, we lived near a dairy. The owner saved the milk and bottled it for sale. He also saved the curds and sold it as cottage cheese. The whey, he let run down the alley. Whey is a translucent liquid that separates from the curd when milk coagulates during the cheese-making process.

Ages ago whey was believed to be an elixir, but recently it has been discarded as waste---witness my experience as a child. Savvy farmers knew it would benefit young farm animals and often utilized it as feed. Weightlifters and bodybuilders discovered that high-protein diets allows them to increase muscle mass and reduce fat.

Soy and soya isoflavones have long been touted as a functional food with a number of health benefits.

But what is so significant about whey?

Whey is a complete and balanced protein that contains all the essential amino acids. While soy has anti-cancer effects because of its phytochemicals, it does not meet the World Health Authority's minimum protein standards for children; two amino acids---L. Methionine and L-taurine---must be added to infant formulas.

The biological components of whey, including lactoferrin, beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, glycomacropeptide, and immunoglobulins, demonstrate a range of immune-enhancing properties. It is your immune system that protects you from becoming ill. In addition, whey has the ability to protect you from environmental toxins, high blood pressure, tumors, elevated cholesterol, and infections. Whey also acts as a chelating agent, cleaning your blood vessels and other organs of accumulated wastes or toxins. Whey also has a stress reduction function. One study found that participants experienced less depression and an improved ability to cope with their environment by increasing the availability of tryptophan in the brain, increasing the synthesis of serotonin.

Granted, many of the studies backing whey as an important food substance were conducted on animals, but the one human study, although small, had very positive results on a very ill population. The researchers gave 20 patients with stage IV (end-stage) cancer (bladder, breast, prostate, lung, colon, ovarian, gastric, brain or bone) whey protein and other nutritional factors. After six months 16 of the 20 were still alive, a much better result than could be expected without treatment.

How can whey be so helpful?

The primary mechanism by which whey is thought to exert its effects is by converting the amino acids (protein building blocks) cysteine to glutathione, a potent antioxidant. The glycine in whey has been used to calm the central nervous system and shows promise in controlling acute panic attacks. Glycine can also help with memory and thinking.

Whey also contains IGF-1 and 2, growth factors, that have been shown to accelerate wound healing in the intestines. Whey protein have also been shown to protect against stress-induced ulcers.

A number of clinical trials have successfully been performed using whey in the treatment of cancer, HIV, hepatitis B, heart or cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and as an antimicrobial (anti-infection) agent. Whey can help you ward off flu as well as cancer of the esophagus, lung, bladder, colon, liver and breast. The lactoferrin in whey has also been shown to protect against post-surgical complications and bone breakdown in osteoporosis. Whey protein has also exhibited benefit in the arena of exercise performance and enhancement. If you have acid reflux, drinking a whey shake in the morning may reduce the secretion of acid and provide relief. If you want to lose weight, a whey shake in the morning can curb your appetite until lunch. (Artificial sweeteners such as saccharin interfere with the triggering mechanism that is supposed to signal your brain you're full, but whey doesn't.)

Whey shakes are also helpful for hospitalized or recovering patients. One study found that when patients' diets are supplemented with protein, they lose less weight during their hospital stay and experience fewer complications such as infection and pneumonia, and they are less likely to die.

Where can you find whey?

Cows used to feed off grass and transfer the anticancer compounds in their food to milk and meat. Now, cows are often fed prepared feeds, so the only way to obtain these anticancer compounds is to use concentrated whey protein powder.

Dr. David Williams recommends 18 grams of high quality whey protein a day, and that the easiest method is to mix the powder with either skim milk, water, juice or other liquid, plus a little ice and put it in the blender. You can add fresh or frozen fruit. If you're lactose intolerant, mix with whole milk, breakfast cereal or yogurt.

Now that whey has been shown to be a precious substance, it can be found in health food stores, and some pharmacies and supermarkets. Check labels to make sure the can does not contain artificial sweeteners or sugars.

This article is for information purposes only. For treatment, consult your health care practitioner.

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