Effects of whey protein supplementation on exercise capacity and fatigue resistance

BACKGROUND: Whey protein is a protein derived from milk and is one of the most widely used nutritional supple- ments for athletes. METHODS: Twenty athletes were randomly divided into group A, supplemented with whey protein, and group B, not supplemented, for the eight-week experiment. Then, the exercise capacity and blood indicators of the athletes were tested.RESULTS: Before and after the experiment, the indicators of both groups did not show significant differences. After the experiment, the heart rate of group A recovered faster, and the exercise indexes showed significant improvement com-pared with those before the experiment; P<0.05 in the comparison of the performance of push-up, shuttle run and 800 m freestyle between group A and group B. Group A had better routine blood indicator values and significantly lower blood lactic acid, creatine kinase, and blood urea nitrogen values than group B after the experiment (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Whey protein can effectively improve the body's exercise capacity and promote fatigue recovery, suggesting favorable anti-fatigue properties.