Modulation of bovine whey protein digestion in gastrointestinal tract: A comprehensive review

Nutritional intervention to muscle damage and loss during exercise and ageing has significant importance for maintaining both functional capacity and metabolic health. Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs: leucine, valine, and isoleucine) have crucial roles in muscle synthesis and are abundant in whey proteins (WPs), which have also been characterised as a fast protein compared with casein, based on digestion rates. The faster digestibility of WPs may lead to many pitfalls, including incomplete digestion resulting in reduced effects of a high protein meal, including muscle gain. This review outlines various technological approaches that could possibly be utilised to modulate digestion and absorption kinetics of WPs in gastrointestinal tract for prolonged release of BCAAs into the bloodstream to alleviate adverse outcomes associated with muscle mass loss. Potential approaches are co-ingestion of proteins with carbohydrates, preparation of protein-based emulsions, coacervation, and gastro-retentive delivery systems.