Whey protein-derived peptides improve blood profile and enhance muscular endurance in mice

Whey protein-derived peptides (WPP) can exert diverse physiological activities. However, their effects on exercise ability remain largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the effects of WPP on various physiological activities in cells, as well as on the blood profile and exercise ability of mice, aiming to develop bioactive peptides for enhancing muscular endurance. The intake of WPP induced a positive blood profile by lowering total cholesterol and significantly enhanced the muscular endurance of mice in treadmill endurance tests. Collectively, our results suggest the usefulness of WPP as agents for inducing vascular health, contributing to exercise ability by enhancing muscular endurance. The intake of fermented milk containing whey protein-derived peptides (WPP) promoted the growth of faecal lactic acid bacteria, improved blood profiles and significantly enhanced muscle endurance. The positive physiological effects of WPP in milk provide a basis for their potential as substances contributing to exercise ability.image