Published in:
01-08-2014 | Original Article
Whey protein-containing product reduces muscle damage induced by running in male adults
Published in: Sport Sciences for Health | Issue 2/2014
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Purpose
Whey protein has been reported to reduce exercise-induced muscle damage. Previous reports have focused mainly on post-exercise data, with results obtained before or during exercise being limited. This study examined the effect of consuming whey protein on muscle damage before, during (three times), and immediately after a 60-min running session.
Methods
The study was designed as a placebo-controlled, two-period cross-over trial. Fourteen male adults were enrolled in the study and completed a 60-min running session at an intensity >70 % of maximal oxygen uptake (\(\dot {\text{V}}\text {O}_{2\text{max}}\)). Once before, three times during, and once after this exercise the subjects consumed a serving of a test product that contained 22.8 g of whey protein as the main ingredient, or a similar placebo product made by removing only the whey protein. Blood samples were collected during the pre-exercise period to 24 h after the running session was completed.
Results
Compared to the placebo product, the test product significantly suppressed the elevation of serum creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin after exercise (P < 0.05) and suppressed the elevation of plasma interleukin (IL)-6, but not significantly (P = 0.055). Plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations increased immediately after exercise following ingestion of the test product, and negative correlations (P < 0.05) were observed between AA and both serum CK and plasma IL-6 concentrations immediately after exercise.
Conclusions
Whey protein consumption likely plays an important role in the increase of AA concentrations in the blood, even during exercise, and was associated with a decrease in exercise-related muscle damage and inflammation.