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Chugging a pre-workout shake can do more than just build muscle. A new study from Washington State University found that whey protein can also lower your blood pressure.
Researchers discovered that when men with hypertension drank one 10-ounce protein shake a day for 6 weeks, they experienced an 8 point drop in blood pressure. (That was an average of about 6 percent.)
The likely reason: Whey contains an antioxidant called lactoferrin, which seems to relax the lining of blood vessels and gives the blood more room to flow, says the study’s co-author Susan Fluegel, Ph.D.
What about guys with normal, healthy blood pressure levels? They saw no drop after drinking the shake. And that’s a good thing, since no one would want their healthy levels to become too low.
Want to try it yourself? Try adding 28 grams of protein powder—or about one scoop, the amount used in the study—to your next pre-workout shake
Researchers discovered that when men with hypertension drank one 10-ounce protein shake a day for 6 weeks, they experienced an 8 point drop in blood pressure. (That was an average of about 6 percent.)
The likely reason: Whey contains an antioxidant called lactoferrin, which seems to relax the lining of blood vessels and gives the blood more room to flow, says the study’s co-author Susan Fluegel, Ph.D.
What about guys with normal, healthy blood pressure levels? They saw no drop after drinking the shake. And that’s a good thing, since no one would want their healthy levels to become too low.
Want to try it yourself? Try adding 28 grams of protein powder—or about one scoop, the amount used in the study—to your next pre-workout shake