The sports supplement industry faces harsher scrutiny from the media and the public than other sectors of the natural products industry due to its focus on ergogenics and anabolics[1]. A true ergogenic/anabolic pushes beyond natural limits, improving athletic performance and physique but with inherent risks. Serious athletes understand this, similar to accepting risks in sports like football.
Products promising improved performance and physique without being designed for it are equally risky. Even whey protein isolate—highly nutritious, digestible, and hypoallergenic—faces reputation issues due to low-quality imitations of industry-leading products. Whey isolate is immune-boosting and rapidly assimilated. Ultrafiltered whey protein concentrate is used in infant formula to replace breast milk. Most people with dairy allergies do not react to whey protein isolate or concentrates (see Table 1). However, trainers, dieticians, and retailers often steer customers away from whey due to potential sensitivities, which is generally unfounded unless buying from unknown suppliers. Common milks (cow, sheep, goat) consist of two protein fractions: casein (80%) and whey (20%). In cheese-making, casein is coagulated and drained, leaving liquid whey. Casein is responsible for most true dairy allergies, and its removal reduces allergenic properties. High-quality manufacturers use advanced dairy science with multiple cold processing and filtration steps (ion exchange, ultrafiltration) to produce whey isolates, minimizing casein and lactose to insignificant levels. The small percentage still sensitive to whey protein rarely reacts to whey peptide hydrolysate, which is enzymatically predigested isolate. Hydrolysis breaks proteins into peptides (2-80 amino acids), avoiding allergic responses triggered by long protein chains. Unknown or bargain protein brands may contain lower-protein concentrates or dried milk. Excessive heat or poor storage can cause off-flavors from degraded milk fat and amino acids. Consumers might react to casein, lactose, or poor-quality proteins, missing out on nutritional benefits. Such products can cause serious allergic reactions, reinforcing misinformation.A customer is lost and a negative media spin is gained.
Table 1. Representative composition of dried whey products. WPC = whey protein concentrate, WPI = whey protein isolate, Lactalbumin = heat processed (denatured) whey protein extract. Percent (dry weight): – Whey powder: Protein 13%, Lactose 75%, Mineral salts (ash) 8%, Fat 1%, Moisture 3% – WPC 34: Protein 34%, Lactose 53%, Mineral salts (ash) 7%, Fat 3%, Moisture 3% – WPC 80: Protein 80%, Lactose 6%, Mineral salts (ash) 3%, Fat 7%, Moisture 4% – Lactalbumin: Protein 90%, Lactose 0.5%, Mineral salts (ash) 0.5%, Fat 4%, Moisture 4% – WPI: Protein 92%, Lactose 1%, Mineral salts (ash) 2%, Fat 1%, Moisture 4% Reference: Huffman LM, Harper WJ (1999). Maximizing the value of milk through separation technologies. J Dairy Sci 82, 2238-2244. Ergogenics cause objective, significant improvements in individual performance for trained athletes just by ingesting them. Improvements can be exhibited in speed, jump height, endurance or agility. Anabolics cause significant increases in muscular strength.
