April 21/Toronto/Pharma Business Week -- Researchers detail in "Effect of Premeal Consumption of Whey Protein and Its Hydrolysate on Food Intake and Postmeal Glycemia and Insulin Responses in Young Adults," new data in life sciences. "Dairy protein ingestion before a meal reduces food intake and, when consumed with carbohydrate, reduces blood glucose. The objective was to describe the effect of whey protein (WP) or its hydrolysate (WPH) when consumed before a meal on food intake, pre- and post-meal satiety, and concentrations of blood glucose and insulin in healthy young adults," scientists in Toronto, Canada, report.

"Two randomized crossover studies were conducted. WP (10-40 g) in 300mL water was provided in experiment 1, and WP (5-40 g) and WPH (10 g) in 300mL water were provided in experiment 2. At 30 minutes after consumption, the subjects were fed an ad libitum pizza meal (experiment 1) or a preset pizza meal (12kcal/kg, experiment 2). Satiety, blood glucose, and insulin were measured at baseline and at intervals both before and after the meals. In experiment 1, 20-40g WP suppressed food intake (p <0.0001) and 10-40g WP reduced post-meal blood glucose concentrations and the area under the curve (AUC) (p<0.05). In experiment 2, 10-40g WP, but not WPH, reduced post-meal blood glucose AUC and insulin AUC in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). The ratio of cumulative blood glucose to insulin AUCs (0-170 minutes) was reduced by >or=10g WP but not by 10g WPH. WP consumed before a meal reduces food intake, post-meal blood glucose and insulin, and the ratio of cumulative blood glucose to insulin AUCs in a dose-dependent manner. Intact WP, but not WPH, contributes to blood glucose control by both insulin-dependent and insulin-independent mechanisms," wrote T. Akhavan and colleagues, University of Toronto, Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Akhavan and colleagues published their study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ("Effect of Pre-meal Consumption of Whey Protein and Its Hydrolysate on Food Intake and Post-meal Glycemia and Insulin Responses in Young Adults." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010;91(4):966-75).

For more information, contact T. Akhavan, University of Toronto, Dept. of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Toronto, Canada.

From the April 26, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition