Whey protein in sports nutrition: the key for athletes!

Today, participation in sports is becoming more widespread. This trend is encouraged by WHO recommendations, which advise adults to engage in 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate physical activity per week. As a result, the general public is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of incorporating physical activity into their daily lives and maintaining a diet that supports their overall health. The growing popularity of regular exercise is also driving significant interest in sports nutrition products that complement physical activity.

The sports nutrition market is a rapidly expanding sector, generating a global revenue of €28 billion, with a projected CAGR of 8.8% for 2023-2028. Protein products dominate this market, accounting for 84% of total sales, with an estimated revenue of €23.6 billion and a CAGR of 8.7% over the same period.

Personalized sports nutrition: everyone has their own protein needs!

It is a fact: sports nutrition products are no longer limited to elite athletes or bodybuilders. Today, every type of athlete, from professionals to casual exercisers aiming for a healthier lifestyle, can benefit from these products.

Regardless of whether they practice high-level sports or engage in occasional physical activity, every athlete is looking for scientifically proven solutions. While all athletes recognize the importance of protein intake, their goals and consumption habits vary.
Several distinct profiles emerge:

Technical products aimed at muscle development and performance enhancement
Recovery solutions designed to aid post-exercise muscle repair
Lifestyle products, which are part of a balanced diet

Athletes understand that regular exercise demands specific nutritional intake, particularly proteins. Proteins support recovery after workouts, promote tissue repair, and stimulate muscle growth – key factors in maintaining athletic performance. Whether taken before or after training, proteins can address these needs effectively. However, supplements must be tailored to individual profiles and training intensity to ensure optimal benefits.

For occasional athletes, protein needs are similar to those of a non-athletic individual. However, for endurance athletes, protein intake must be increased, and strength athletes have the highest requirements as they aim to build and maintain muscle mass. Therefore, it is crucial to understand your target audience in order to develop products that are well-adapted in both composition and application.

What makes whey protein so beneficial in sports nutrition?

Physical exercise, whether occasional, regular, or intense, disrupts protein synthesis and degradation for up to three hours post-exercise, depending on the type of activity (endurance or strength training). Meeting these protein requirements is therefore essential, and effectiveness is highly sought after! This is where whey protein plays a crucial role in sports nutrition.

Whey protein offers three key benefits:

High digestibility, which is essential for athletes’ well-being
Excellent bioavailability for efficient absorption
A specific amino acid composition rich in BCAAs

Whey protein provides a balanced source of amino acids and BCAAs, particularly leucine, which plays a key role in reducing muscle damage, optimizing recovery, and preserving muscle mass. Leucine is particularly valuable as it enhances endurance performance.

Beyond the health benefits, whey protein is a versatile ingredient, suitable for vegetarian diets, and known for its excellent taste and texture properties.

But what about integrating it into formulas?

Thanks to its excellent solubility and texturizing properties, whey protein can be incorporated into a wide range of sports nutrition products. It can be used in various formats that seamlessly fit into athletes’ daily routines, such as:

Protein bars
Ready-to-mix (RTM) powders for protein shakes

High-quality ingredients and precision in processing at the heart of Eurial I&N’s whey protein range

At Eurial I&N, we have invested in a cutting-edge industrial process that concentrates protein through a purely physical membrane filtration technique, eliminating the need for additives or chemicals.

Producing high-quality whey protein for sports nutrition requires specialized expertise. At Eurial, we offer a diversified range of dairy ingredients tailored to various applications (solubility, protein content, formulations) to provide optimal support. Our ingredients are highly versatile, suitable for both protein bars and shakes.

To meet your needs and ambitions, we have developed multiple ingredient ranges:

The WPC/WPI/Grassfit Range – Featuring an optimal amino acid profile, high digestibility, and high protein content, these ingredients serve multiple functions. For example, EuriNutri™ 80 WPC Instant and EuriNutri™ 90 WPI Instant are particularly well-suited for Ready To Mix (RTM) applications due to their excellent solubility.
The Soluble Native Protein Range – Containing protein in its most natural form, this range boasts an optimized amino acid profile rich in leucine, which plays a key role in post-exercise recovery. For instance, EuriNutri™ 80NS contains all eight essential amino acids and is particularly rich in BCAAs.

Why not place your trust in us for your next project?

By choosing Eurial, you benefit from:

French-sourced raw materials with full traceability.
A state-of-the-art industrial process using physical protein concentration without additives, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of applications.

Sources :

OMS, Lignes directrices de l’OMS sur l’activité physique et la sédentarité : en un coup d’œil, Mai 2021
Euromonitor
Cerin, Besoin en protéines des sportifs (aspects quantitatif et qualitatif), 14/06/2021, disponible ici : https://www.cerin.org/articles/besoin-en-proteines-des-sportifs-aspects-quantitatif-et-qualitatif/
Actif’s n°87, Nutrition sportive : course à l’innovation
O. Stefanska, J. Rudnicki, et al. Effect of Branched-chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) on muscle hypertrophy and athletic performance, 2024, disponible ici : https://jurnal.untan.ac.id/index.php/TAJOR/article/view/78568
Saharan R., Awasthi M., Role of leucine as a sports supplement, 2020, disponible ici : https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Madhvi-Awasthi/publication/369093573_A_Review_Role_of_Leucine_as_a_Sports_Supplement/links/640997600d98a97717ef1e51/A-Review-Role-of-Leucine-as-a-Sports-Supplement.pdf