Protein Drinks

[kimblanchard]

Over the past year, I have questioned people about a slightly lower Albumin noted in my blood work. It ranges from 3.64 to 3.8. The low end of the acceptable range is 4.0. When researching this with my nutritionalist, I found that it was low even before I officially diagnosed. I remain active, have a good diet, and have maintained my weight or even put on a couple of pounds after 22 months from my initial diagnosis of Stage IV cancer. I am a petite person (4'11") weighing about 104 lbs. The nutritionalist thought that this maybe my normal level.

An Integrative Medical Doctor that I saw suggested protien drinks to supplement my diet. I am always very hungry in the morning and usually have a yogurt as a mid-morning snack in addition to my breakfast of cereal w/ soy milk and green tea. So I have been thinking about adding this drink to either breakfast or as my mid morning snack. I have reading the protien helps the body rebuild tissue after treatment.

I am looking for your thoughts about the albumin and suggestions/recommendations on the protien drink.

As always, thanks for your help

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

I guess it depends on the doctor but I've always thought normal levels ran from 3.5 to 5. Under 3.5 is considered hypo and is sometimes caused by liver disfunction or malnutrition.

I don't think you need to worry but best listen to what your doctor says. Now that I'm on macrobiotics, I no longer use protein drinks but I had been using Spiru-Tein for a long time. It has all the daily vitamins and minerals, it's non-GMO (not fake soy) and has dozens of nutrients. Best - it tastes good.

Oh and be sure you take in at least 8 glasses of water daily. This will help your liver function better, (where albumin is produced). It might not hurt to add Milk Thistle and Dandelion Weed to supplements you take. Neither of them have yet to prove harmful to humans and research has indicated that help improve function of liver and kidneys.

Cat

[Geoff]

Maureen,

Check into the use of Whey protein. It has some neat anti-cancer properties and is one of the most easily digestible forms of protein that exist. It is also used to prevent cachexia (wasting asociated with cancer). Products such as Prosure use whey as the main ingredient. The brand I have been giving mom (I actually use it as well) is Designer Whey. Whey also contains lactoferrin a potent anti-cancer agent that can be taken as a stand-alone supplement as well.

Here is a link to an article on whey:

http://www.zongoo.com/article6783.html

I’ve also cut and pasted the article below:

By Shane Ellison M.Sc.

Over the past 100 years, cancer has advanced from the status of an obscure and fairly rare disease to a more prominent position as the #2 killer of American people. In 1900 the incidence of cancer was 1 in 500 among Americans. Today cancer claims 1 out of 3 lives, and the percentage is still climbing. Despite the increased use in chemotherapy cancer continues to claim more lives than ever before. Regardless, effective alternative therapies are rarely discussed by physicians and the pharmaceutically-dominated media.

Whey protein isolate is an excellent example of a safe and effective cancer fighter that is rarely discussed. In the hunt for natural anti-cancer drugs, researchers have found that whey isolate delivers a unique protein known as lactoferrin to the body. Lactoferrin, only found in whey isolate, elicits the production of glutathione within our body.

Glutathione has a multitude of roles which serve to protect us from cancer. Glutathione is a natural antioxidant and is found in every cell of the body. It helps clean up metabolic by-products known as free radicals. An imbalance of glutathione and free radicals has been shown to induce a myriad of various forms of cancer. Furthermore, glutathione is a powerful detoxifying agent. Through a process known as "conjugation", it rids the body of cancer causing substances, known as carcinogens, by attaching to them and escorting them out of the body and into the toilet.

An increase in glutathione may not be the only mechanism by which whey isolate fights cancer. In biochemistry, glutathione is classified as a phase II enzyme (enzymes are compounds that carry on many of the "life oriented" chemical functions at the cellular level). Because whey increases the production of glutathione it is both logical and scientifically sound to assume that whey also increases the production of other phase II enzymes like trypsin and chymotrypsin.

Together, trypsin and chymotrypsin are also known to be powerful inhibitors of cancer and are considered to be the body's natural "cancer fighters". Scientists at Johns Hopkins and Tsukuba University in Japan have confirmed this. Researcher Paul Talalay, M.D stated that:

"20 years of research confirms that raising the levels of phase II enzymes [glutathione, trypsin and chymotrypsin] can offer a highly effective way to achieve protection against carcinogenesis (development of new cancer)".

This potent inhibition action of phase II enzymes is not hard to explain. Phase II enzymes fight cancers by destroying "trophoblast cells". These cells act as a protective shell to cancer by shielding it from our immune system, thus allowing it to proliferate. Without this protective shell cancer becomes an easy target for the body's immune system to destroy.

Among peer reviewed scientific journals, the evidence for whey's cancer curing ability is mounting rapidly. Anticancer Research published the following:

"This non-toxic dietary intervention, which is not based on the principles of current cancer chemotherapy, will hopefully attract the attention of laboratory and clinical oncologists."(1)

Cancer Letters stated:

"Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that dietary milk products [such as whey] may exert an inhibitory effect on the development of several tumors."(2)

Enthusiastically reported by researchers at the Department of Food Science & Technology at Ohio State University demonstrated that glutathione levels in prostate cells were increased by 50% as a direct result of whey isolate supplementation containing lactoferrin. (3) They concluded by stating the following:

"This represents a potential mechanism by which whey protein isolate can provide protection against the development of prostate cancer"

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden reported that the use of whey in combination with an unnamed component of human breast milk, have demonstrated the ability to kill all the known types of breast cancer cells! Their peer-reviewed paper published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry suggested that when consumed by the body, whey proteins selectively induce "programmed cell death" AKA suicide among breast cancer tumors. (4) This is known scientifically as apoptosis.

Scientists in Japan announced that lactoferrin (from whey isolate) significantly inhibits colon, esophagus, lung, bladder and tongue cancer in animal models.(5)

And last but not least, there is very strong evidence that whey proteins render cancerous cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy and radiation while protecting healthy cells from their devastating side effects! But unlike chemotherapy and ionizing radiation, whey proteins have no toxic side affects. Whey literally does the patient no harm.

The World Health Organization recently reported that the number of new cancer cases worldwide is expected to increase by 50 percent over the next 20 years, partly because "poor nations are adopting unhealthy Western habits". To avoid this and live cancer free, use whey isolate (not whey concentrate). Also, if your whey isolate contains sugar or artificial sweeteners, it is very likely that ALL benefits derived from using whey isolate are negated! Finding a good whey isolate is tricky but they are out there! We promise.

About the Author

Shane holds a Master's degree in organic chemistry and has first- hand industry experience with drug research, design and synthesis. His web site www.health-fx.net provides the best medicine available, including whey isolate. Sign up at the site and get a $10 voucher and our newsletter for free!

References

1. Anticancer Res 2000 Nov-Dec;20(6C);4785-92

2. Cancer Lett 1991 May 1;57(2):91-4

3. K. D. Kent. Et al. Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Ohio State Univ. 2002 Annual Meeting and Food Expo.

4. J. Biol. Chem. Chemistry 274:6388-6396, 1999

5. Foods Food Ingredients J. Japa No. 200 (2002)