Whey protein and muscle mass during training, dieting and ageing
What it found
Whey protein is a high-quality protein that stimulates muscle protein synthesis more than casein or soy.
Higher-protein diets help build muscle with resistance training, spare muscle during calorie restriction and slow age-related muscle loss.
What they found
Studies in people
Building muscle
Higher-protein diets promote gains in muscle mass, especially when paired with resistance training.
Muscle during dieting
Higher-protein diets spare muscle mass loss during caloric restriction.
Muscle as we age
Higher-protein diets attenuate the natural loss of muscle mass that accompanies aging.
Studies in people and animals
Muscle protein synthesis
Whey protein has a robust ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, and has been found to do so to a greater degree than other proteins such as casein and soy.
Other findings
Protein quality
Protein quality depends on protein digestibility, amino acid content and the resulting amino acid availability to support metabolic function.
Whey protein quality
Whey protein is one of the highest-quality proteins given its amino acid content (high essential, branched-chain and leucine amino acid content) and rapid digestibility.
What the authors conclude
“This review examines the existing data supporting the role for protein consumption, with an emphasis on whey protein, in the regulation of muscle mass and body composition in response to resistance training, caloric restriction, and aging.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that protein consumption, with an emphasis on whey protein, plays a role in the regulation of muscle mass and body composition in response to resistance training, caloric restriction and aging.
How it was done
Muscle is important for strength, performance, physical function and metabolic regulation. Maintaining muscle during weight loss and as we age matters for chronic disease prevention, functional capacity and quality of life.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a review of existing data, so it cannot show cause and effect on its own.
- It does not give details of how many people were studied or for how long.
The paper
- Title
- Supplemental protein in support of muscle mass and health: advantage whey
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Devries MC, Phillips SM (2015). Supplemental protein in support of muscle mass and health: advantage whey. Journal of food science. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.12802PubMed 25757896DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error