Has anyone tried whey protein?

Hi Aluebbe:

I used whey protein many years ago when I felt that my strength had lessened. That was when I was younger and still eating meat and exercising. RA/RD has a way of lessening the muscle mass through the years. I did feel that it made me feel better, along with the exercise.

Now that I am older and stopped eating most foods practically because of all the meds and RA/RD, I'm in even worst shape muscle-wise now. I think that I'll get some more from Costco and see if it helps me now along with some short exercises. Thanks for mentioning it.

Hi aluebbe. There is limited research on the effects of whey protein for RA. I did find this small study using a whey protein concentrate which did find a positive impact for a subset of RA patients (note: they found the presence of a certain DNA marker correlated with lack of response): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3022554/. The positive impact dissipated upon cessation, but returned when the subjects reintroduced the concentrate. The results indicate that more research may be worthwhile. Of course, always discuss any potential addition to a treatment regimen with a doctor before proceeding. Best, Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)

I used whey protein for weight loss supplement years ago and it was not the best thing. It caused me to have weight gain in my stomach i looked like i was pregnant. When i stopped the protein it went away. I did not notice any difference in my joints.