Whey protein hydrolysate and muscle recovery after sprint exercise in women
What it found
In 20 active women, taking whey protein hydrolysate for four days after hard sprinting improved flexibility and jumping power compared to a carbohydrate gel.
It also lowered a blood marker of muscle damage faster.
What they found
Studies in people
Flexibility after exercise
By 72 hours, hamstring flexibility in the whey group had improved beyond where it started. In the carbohydrate group, flexibility had not yet returned to normal.
Jumping power
A measure of jumping ability called reactive strength index stayed higher throughout the recovery period for the women taking whey protein hydrolysate compared to those taking carbohydrate.
Muscle damage marker
Both groups showed a rise in creatine kinase, a blood marker linked to muscle damage. At 48 hours, this marker fell more in the whey group than in the carbohydrate group.
Soreness and swelling
Muscle soreness rose in both groups and peaked at 48 hours. Thigh and calf measurements used to check for swelling did not differ between the two groups.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that four days of whey protein hydrolysate helps reduce signs of muscle damage and speeds up the return of muscle function in active women.
- The authors suggest that extra protein beyond standard recommendations may be useful for recovery after strenuous exercise in females.
How it was done
Earlier research on whey protein hydrolysate looked only at men or mixed groups, and mostly after weightlifting rather than sprinting. The authors wanted to see if it could help physically active women recover from repeated sprints that cause temporary muscle damage.
Twenty women from a university dance team did a set of 15 short sprints designed to strain their muscles. For the next four days, half took two daily doses of 70 mL whey protein hydrolysate gel and half took a matching carbohydrate gel. Researchers measured soreness, flexibility, jumping ability and a blood marker of muscle damage before the sprints and over the following 72 hours.
What it can’t tell you
- This trial involved only 20 young women from one dance team, so the results might not apply to all ages or fitness levels.
- Because the study lasted four days, it cannot show whether whey protein hydrolysate changes long-term training outcomes or overall health.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Gloucestershire, UK; Northumbria University, UK; Newcastle University, UK
The paper
- Title
- Whey protein hydrolysate supplementation accelerates recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage in females
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Brown MA, Stevenson EJ, Howatson G (2018). Whey protein hydrolysate supplementation accelerates recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage in females. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme. doi:10.1139/apnm-2017-0412Free full textPubMed 29106812DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error