Amino Acids

DOI 10.1007/s00726-008-0156-0

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Human insulinotropic response to oral ingestion of native

and hydrolysed whey protein
O. Power Æ A. Hallihan Æ P. Jakeman

Received: 27 February 2008 / Accepted: 16 July 2008

Ó Springer-Verlag 2008

Abstract The insulinotropic response to the ingestion of Abbreviations

whey protein and whey protein hydrolysate, independent AA Amino acid
of carbohydrate, is not known. This study examined the EAA Essential amino acid
effect of protein hydrolysis on the insulinotropic response Leu Leucine
to the ingestion of whey protein. Sixteen healthy males Ile Isoleucine
ingested a 500 mL solution containing either 45 g of Val Valine
whey protein (WPI) or whey protein hydrolysate (WPH). Phe Phenylalanine
The estimated rate of gastric empting was not altered by Lys Lysine
hydrolysis of the protein [18 (3) vs. 23 (3) min, n = 16; Arg Arginine
P = 0.15]. Maximum plasma insulin concentration (Cmax) BCAA Branched chain amino acids
occurred later (40 vs. 60 min) and was 28% [234 (26) vs. GE Gastric emptying
299 (31) mM, P = 0.018] greater following ingestion of WPI Whey proteins isolate
the WPH compared to the WPI leading to a 43% increase WPH Whey protein hydrolysate
[7.6 (0.9) vs. 10.8 (2.6) nM, P = 0.21] in the AUC of RP-HPLC Reverse phase high performance liquid
insulin for the WPH. Of the amino acids with known chromatography
insulinotropic properties only Phe demonstrated a signif- AUC Area under the curve
icantly greater maximal concentration [Cmax; 65 (2) vs. T50% Half-time of gastric emptying
72 (3) lM, n = 16; P = 0.01] and increase (+22%) in Tmax Time of maximum plasma concentration
AUC following ingestion of the WPH. In conclusion, Cmax Maximum plasma concentration
ingestion of whey protein is an effective insulin secre- GIP Glucose dependent insulinotropic polypeptide
tagogue. Hydrolysis of whey protein prior to ingestion GLP-1 Glucagon-like-peptide 1
augments the maximal insulin concentration by a mech-
anism that is unrelated to gastric emptying of the peptide
solution. Introduction

Keywords Amino acids
Insulin
Whey protein

Peptide hydrolysate
Gastric emptying
O. Power (&)
P. Jakeman
Human Science Research Unit, Department of Physical
Education and Sports Science, University of Limerick,
Limerick, Ireland
e-mail: orla.power@ul.ie
A. Hallihan
Carbery Food Ingredients, Ballineen, County Cork, Ireland
Dietary protein is important for health (Wolfe 2006) but the
insulinotropic action of proteins and their component
amino acids (AA) is somewhat underappreciated. The
insulinotropic response to dietary protein may prove ben-
eficial in the prevention and/or management of clinical
conditions such as sarcopenia (Bennet et al. 1990), obesity
(Halton and Hu 2004; Holt et al. 1996) and type 2 diabetes
(Manders et al. 2006).
The essential amino acids (EAA) are the primary reg-
ulators of the protein-mediated insulin response (Floyd

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