Susan M.Fluegela Terry D.Shultza Joseph R.Powers Stephanie Clark Celestina Barbosa-Leiker Bruce R.Wright Timothy S.Freson Heidi A.Fluegela Jonathan D.Mincha Lance K.Schwarzkopf Ashley J.Miller Michael M.Di Filippo

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.