Whey Hydrolysate
Whey hydrolysate (sometimes labeled hydrolyzed whey or WPH) is whey protein that has been pre-digested by enzymes into shorter peptide chains. It absorbs even faster than isolate, costs significantly more, and tastes more bitter. For most lifters it is overkill.
Why It Matters
Hydrolysate was developed for clinical and infant nutrition, where rapid amino acid absorption matters. In sports use, the absorption-speed gap between hydrolysate and a quality isolate is small and unlikely to change real-world results. The bitter flavor is hard to mask, which is why most hydrolysates use heavy flavoring or are sold as 'partial hydrolysates' blended with intact whey.
How to Spot It on a Label
Labels say hydrolyzed, hydrolysate, or peptides. Some products carry both isolate and hydrolysate as ingredients, which is the common blend approach. ON Platinum Hydrowhey and Dymatize ISO100 (partial) are well-known examples of hydrolysate-forward whey.
Examples from real products
Related Terms
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