7) International Dairy Journal Volume 20, Issue 11, November 2010, Pages 753-760

Whey beverages decrease blood pressure in prehypertensive and hypertensive young men and women

Author links open overlay panelSusan M.Fluegel^a Terry D.Shultz^a Joseph R.Powers^a StephanieClark^a1 CelestinaBarbosa-Leiker^b Bruce R.Wright^b Timothy S.Freson^b Heidi A.Fluegel^a Jonathan D.Minch^a Lance K.Schwarzkopf^a Ashley J.Miller^b Michael M.Di Filippo^a

Abstract

Whey protein beverages reduced blood pressure in young men and women in a six week controlled intervention. There were no differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), or mean arterial pressure (MAP) observed between groups consuming 28 g per day of either hydrolyzed or non-hydrolyzed whey protein in a beverage. However, in young adults with elevated DBP and SBP, whey beverage consumption significantly decreased SBP, DBP, and MAP by 8.0, 8.6, and 6.4 mm Hg, respectively (P ≤ 0.001 for all comparisons). In subjects with elevated SBP only, SBP significantly decreased by 3.8 mm Hg (P ≤ 0.04) after the whey beverage intervention. Subjects with normal blood pressure had no change in SBP, DBP, and MAP. Whey beverages also significantly decreased total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (P ≤ 0.001 and 0.05, respectively). Whey protein beverages may be useful for the dietary treatment of prehypertension and/or stage 1 hypertension.