Does whey protein increase muscle mass more than other proteins?
• According to the supplement industry, whey protein promotes greater increases in muscle mass compared to other proteins. As support for this contention, it has referenced a study in which the subjects significantly increased their body weight. What the promoters failed to mention was that the subjects in this study were starved rats. In the study, rats that were fed a whey protein formula re-gained their lost weight faster than other rats that were fed a free amino acid mixture. Obviously, it’s difficult to extrapolate the influence of whey protein on starved rat to that of healthy humans. From a different perspective, whey protein is low fat or fat free (depending on the brand). So, increasing your protein intake by means of whey protein will be a healthier alternative to building muscle mass than overloading your diet with animal products that are laden with saturated fat.
