Whey Protein and Endurance

A whey-supplemented, high-protein diet versus a high-carbohydrate diet: effects on endurance cycling performance.
Macdermid PW, Stannard SR. (2006)

The influence of bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in highly trained cyclists.
Shing CM, et al. (2006)

The influence of carbohydrate and protein ingestion during recovery from prolonged exercise on subsequent endurance performance.
Betts J, et al. (2007)
• Effect of whey protein isolate on recovery

A whey-supplemented, high-protein diet versus a high-carbohydrate diet: effects on endurance cycling performance.

Journal: Br J Sports Med. 2006 Sep;40(9):797-801. Epub 2006 Jul 6.

Authors: Shing CM, Jenkins DG, Stevenson L, Coombes JS.

School of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia. cshing@hms.uq.edu.au

Abstract:
PURPOSE: The aim of this experiment was to investigate the influence of low dose bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in cyclists over a 10 week period that included 5 days of high intensity training (HIT). METHODS: Over 7 days of preliminary testing, 29 highly trained male road cyclists completed a VO(2max) test (in which their ventilatory threshold was estimated), a time to fatigue test at 110% of ventilatory threshold, and a 40 km time trial (TT40). Cyclists were then assigned to either a supplement (n = 14, 10 g/day bovine colostrum protein concentrate (CPC)) or a placebo group (n = 15, 10 g/day whey protein) and resumed their normal training. Following 5 weeks of supplementation, the cyclists returned to the laboratory to complete a second series of performance testing (week 7). They then underwent five consecutive days of HIT (week 8) followed by a further series of performance tests (week 9).
RESULTS: The influence of bovine CPC on TT40 performance during normal training was unclear (week 7: 1+/-3.1%, week 9: 0.1+/-2.1%; mean+/-90% confidence limits). However, at the end of the HIT period, bovine CPC supplementation, compared to the placebo, elicited a 1.9+/-2.2% improvement from baseline in TT40 performance and a 2.3+/-6.0% increase in time trial intensity (% VO(2max)), and maintained TT40 heart rate (2.5+/-3.7%). In addition, bovine CPC supplementation prevented a decrease in ventilatory threshold following the HIT period (4.6+/-4.6%).
CONCLUSION: Low dose bovine CPC supplementation elicited improvements in TT40 performance during an HIT period and maintained ventilatory threshold following five consecutive days of HIT.

The influence of bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in highly trained cyclists.

Journal: Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Feb;16(1):65-77.

Authors: Macdermid PW, Stannard SR.

Universal College of Learning, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Abstract: This study compared a training diet recommended for endurance athletes (H-CHO) with an isoenergetic high protein (whey supplemented), moderate carbohydrate (H-Pro) diet on endurance cycling performance. Over two separate 7-d periods subjects (n = 7) ingested either H-CHO (7.9 +/- 1.9 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) carbohydrate; 1.2 +/- 0.3 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) fat; 1.3 +/- 0.4 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) protein) or H-Pro (4.9 +/- 1.8 g x kg(-1) x d(-1); 1.3 +/- 0.3 g x kg(-1) x d(-1); 3.3 +/- 0.4 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) diet in a randomized, balanced order. On day 8 subjects cycled (self-paced) for a body weight dependent (60 kJ/bm) amount of work. No differences occurred between energy intake (P = 0.422) or fat intake (P = 0.390) during the two dietary conditions. Performance was significantly (P = 0.010) impaired following H-Pro (153 +/- 36) compared with H-CHO (127 +/- 34 min). No differences between treatments were observed for physiological measures taken during the performance trials. These results indicate an ergolytic effect of a 7-d high protein diet on self-paced endurance cycling performance.

The influence of carbohydrate and protein ingestion during recovery from prolonged exercise on subsequent endurance performance.

Journal: J Sports Sci. 2007 Nov;25(13):1449-60.

Authors: Betts J, Williams C, Duffy K, Gunner F.

Sport and Exercise Science, University of Bath, Bath, UK. j.betts@bath.ac.ukj

Abstract: Ingesting carbohydrate plus protein following prolonged exercise may restore exercise capacity more effectively than ingestion of carbohydrate alone. The objective of the present study was to determine whether this potential benefit is a consequence of the protein fraction per se or simply due to the additional energy it provides. Six active males participated in three trials, each involving a 90-min treadmill run at 70% maximal oxygen uptake (run 1) followed by a 4-h recovery. At 30-min intervals during recovery, participants ingested solutions containing: (1) 0.8 g carbohydrate x kg body mass (BM)(-1) h(-1) plus 0.3 g kg(-1) h(-1) of whey protein isolate (CHO-PRO); (2) 0.8 g carbohydrate x kg BM(-1) h(-1) (CHO); or (3) 1.1 g carbohydrate x kg BM(-1) h(-1) (CHO-CHO). The latter two solutions matched the CHO-PRO solution for carbohydrate and for energy, respectively. Following recovery, participants ran to exhaustion at 70% maximal oxygen uptake (run 2). Exercise capacity during run 2 was greater following ingestion of CHO-PRO and CHO-CHO than following ingestion of CHO (P< or = 0.05) with no significant difference between the CHO-PRO and CHO-CHO treatments. In conclusion, increasing the energy content of these recovery solutions extended run time to exhaustion, irrespective of whether the additional energy originated from sucrose or whey protein isolate.