Whey Protein May Lower Blood Pressure

Whey protein^[1] may help keep your blood pressure in check, suggests a new study^[2] from the International Dairy Journal.

For the study, 71 adults (ages 18 to 26) drank a beverage containing 28 grams of whey protein every day for six weeks. While whey protein did not lower blood pressure in participants with normal blood pressure levels, it did lead to significant drops in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure among subjects who had elevated blood pressure at the start of the study. What’s more, whey protein appeared to cut cholesterol^[3] levels.

A protein complex derived from milk, whey protein has been found to act as an antioxidant^[4] in past research. Some studies show that whey protein may also reduce levels of C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation^[5]) and triglycerides (blood fats known to raise risk of heart disease^[6] when present at elevated levels).

References

1. ^{^} Whey protein (altmedicine.about.com)
2. ^{^} study (www.sciencedirect.com)
3. ^{^} cholesterol (altmedicine.about.com)
4. ^{^} antioxidant (altmedicine.about.com)
5. ^{^} inflammation (altmedicine.about.com)
6. ^{^} heart disease (altmedicine.about.com)