Benefits of Immunocal

Immunocal has 10 grams of whey protein isolate, according to Immunotec. Consuming this protein supplement offers you a broad range of health benefits, including gains in muscle strength and mass. Learning about these benefits can help you reach your health goals.

Read more: Which Is Better, Whey Protein or Whey Isolate?

The whey protein isolate in Immunocal will help you build muscular strength when combined with resistance exercise. The writers of a May 2015 paper in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging documented this effect in 99 older adults.

The subjects received two servings of Immunocal a day for 135 days. They also did resistance training three times a week. Compared to casein, the participants showed a 10 percent increase in their muscular strength.

In the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging study, neither treatment affected body composition. Yet whey protein isolate can have muscle-building or anabolic effects.

The authors of an August 2016 article in Physiological Reports explored these effects in younger men. The men got the equivalent of either two or four servings of Immunocal during a single bout of resistance exercise. Both treatments dramatically increased muscle protein synthesis with the larger dose having a bigger effect. The subjects' initial body composition didn't affect these results, so it seems that everyone can benefit from ingesting whey protein isolate.

Immunocal can affect much more than your muscular system. It can, for example, have a positive effect on your cardiovascular system. The authors of a December 2012 report in the journal Appetite documented these effects in 30 younger men.

These researchers gave the men daily doses of whey protein isolate for six weeks. The subjects also did resistance exercise three times a week. Results indicated that this combination increased good cholesterol and decreased bad cholesterol. It also enhanced levels of the antioxidant glutathione.

The glutathione increases in the Appetite study might have clinical benefits. People with psoriasis have increased oxidative stress and decreased glutathione, according to an October 2013 article in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. These researchers tested seven psoriasis patients and found that two daily servings of Immunocal for three months improved the skin condition.

The writers of a study in the August 2016 Journal of Neurological Sciences hoped to get a similar result in 32 people with Parkinson's disease. While some biochemical markers improved, the patients didn't show any behavioral improvements.

While these research papers indicate many health benefits of Immunocal and whey protein isolate, larger studies are needed to confirm the benefits before claims can be made.

Read more: Is Whey Protein Good or Bad?

Many people interested in Immunocal and other whey supplements do resistance exercises. These workouts trigger protein turnover, and failing to get enough protein while training will have negative consequences. Yet whey protein can also cause side effects.

The writers of a January 2014 review in the Austin Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences listed some of these side effects. They include decreased appetite, headache, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, thirst and cramps. The prenatal and neonatal effects of whey remain unknown, so breastfeeding and pregnant women should avoid excessive whey.

According to Kids With Food Allergies, children should avoid all forms of milk including whey if they are allergic. Milk allergy affects 1 to 2 percent of children and some adults. This allergic reaction can have a fast onset and severe consequences.

Read more: Is Drinking Too Much Whey Protein Dangerous?

If you experience the less severe side effects of whey, you may have lactose intolerance. Taking a lactase supplement might help you avoid these digestive symptoms. Yet you should speak with a health care expert before taking any supplement including Immunocal.