Whey's & Means

By: Jerry Brainum
When it comes to protein intake, bodybuilders tend to be quite savvy. Many can tell you precisely how many grams of protein are in an egg or a chicken breast. They take the meaning of the word protein literally, with the perception that it's the most important nutrient for successful muscle building. Few bodybuilders would argue about the necessity of consuming increased amounts of protein to foster anabolic effects in muscle. Points of both contention and confusion arise, however, when it comes to the subject of protein supplements.
The fact that so many different kinds of high-tech protein supplements are now available doesn't clarify the issue. The ads all sound scientific, a fact that's underscored by the inclusion of medical references and sometimes even quotes from medical professionals, who appear to endorse the product's efficacy. The many scientific-sounding terms that are bandied about in the ads, such as ionization, cross-flow filtration and other equally nebulous words, further obfuscate an already confusing subject.
To help clear up the confusion, much of which is the result of misrepresentation and factually false advertising, I contacted an expert on the subject. He's worked in protein research and development for more than 25 years, and he's involved with many companies that sell protein supplements or meal-replacement formulas. Since he prefers to maintain good relations with all of them, he's requested that I keep his identity confidential.
By the way, this guy is real; he's not a fictional character or a composite of several people rolled into one, something that's been done in several other publications. The man was motivated to give this interview by the many misrepresentations and outright lies he sees in protein ads. As such, he's providing a public service for consumers to make informed decisions based on fact rather than hearsay.
[ Q ] Some nutrition texts list the biological value (BV) of whey as 104, yet many advertisements for whey protein supplements boast of biological values as high as 159. Why the apparent discrepancy?
A: Biological value is an attempt to measure how efficiently protein is used in the body. To determine a food's BV, scientists provide a measured intake of protein, then note the nitrogen uptake vs. nitrogen excretion. That's a gross simplification, since the actual process is more complex. In theory, a biological value of 100 is maximal. The BV for whey is often listed at 104 because the extra 4 percent represents a margin of error in the calculation. Even so, biological value is not a universally accepted measure of protein quality because of several factors.
For example, BV testing is always done in the fasting state, which affects nitrogen uptake differently from what takes place when subjects are in a fed state. Simply put, not eating changes the way the body absorbs nitrogen in protein.