Whey protein premeal shows promise for managing gestational diabetes, study finds

Whey protein consumed before a meal can help lower blood glucose in in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a recently published clinical trial suggests¹. The whey protein used in this study was Lacprodan ISO.WaterShake, a whey protein isolate from Arla Foods Ingredients, a subsidiary of Arla Foods. As a September 23 press release from the company explains, GDM is characterized by the inability of the body during pregnancy to produce insulin or maintain blood sugar levels, potentially resulting in risks to the pregnancy². The single-blinded study, “Premeal Whey Protein Lowers Postprandial Blood Glucose in Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized, Crossover Clinical Trial,” was published in Diabetes Care in April 2025. It was conducted in partnership with Aarhus University and the Steno Diabetes Center in Aarhus, Denmark.

Clinical trial of Lacprodan ISO.WaterShake on blood sugar levels

This study involved 12 women with GDM and 12 women with normal glucose tolerance, all between 20–36 weeks’ gestation. Glucose levels were measured at home and in the laboratory. In the laboratory, participants consumed either 20 g of the whey protein isolate, or the placebo, 30 minutes before a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) seven to 14 days later. After the OGTT, blood was sampled consecutively for three hours, with researchers examining the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for glucose.

The testing at home consisted of participants wearing continuous glucose monitors. Thirty minutes before breakfast, the participants randomly consumed 0, 10, 15, 20, and 30 g of whey.

Study results: How does whey protein support blood glucose?

Data from the laboratory tests demonstrated:

• In women with GDM, the whey consumption before a meal lowered peak glucose by −1.0 mmol/ and −0.7 mmol/L in women without GDM, compared to the placebo
• After whey consumption in both groups, insulin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, and glucagon-like peptide-1 levels increased quickly

Data from the at-home tests showed:

• Compared with placebo, women with GDM experienced reduced incremental glucose peaks, dose-dependently, after a 30 g whey protein premeal, with a maximum reduction of −2.0 mmol/L.

“Premeal whey consumption acutely lowers postprandial blood glucose in women with GDM and those with NGT [normal glucose tolerance], with 15–30 g lowering the glucose iAUC of women with GDM,” the researchers concluded. “These findings emphasize the need for long-term studies to assess the impact of whey premeals in pregnancies affected by GDM.”

What are the applications of whey protein for diabetes?

“These findings suggest that whey protein may be a safe, effective and promising nutritional strategy to support blood glucose management in women with GDM,” stated Lise Høj Brunsgaard, research scientist at Arla Foods Ingredients, in the press release. “For this study, our Lacprodan ISO.WaterShake whey protein isolate was selected due ​ to its high purity and rapid absorption profile, which made it suitable for investigating its potential role in maternal nutrition during pregnancy.”

Previous research also examined whey protein in improving glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes³. Published in Nutrients in 2022, the study, “Identifying Behavioural Determinants to Uptake and Adherence to a Whey Protein Supplement for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Interview Study,” involved 16 interviews on a whey protein supplement from Arla Foods Ingredients. A main finding from this study was that the supplement can support diabetes management, with information on the positive effects on appetite suppression and glycemic control considered a crucial influence on uptake, and adherence supported through palatability, prompting, and positive reinforcement.

References

1. Smedegaard, S.; Kampmann, U.; Ovesen, PG.; Suder, LB.; Knudsen, JH.; Wegener, G.; Brunsgaard, LH.; Rittig, N. Premeal Whey Protein Lowers Postprandial Blood Glucose in Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized, Crossover Clinical Trial. Diabetes Care. 2025. 48(6): 1022–1031. DOI: 10.2337/dc24-2831
2. Arla Foods Ingredients. Arla Foods Ingredients study finds whey protein can help control post-meal blood sugar spikes in GDM September 23, 2025. https://www.arlafoodsingredients.com/about/press-releases/arla-foods-ingredients-study-finds-whey-protein-can-help-control-post-meal-blood-sugar-spikes-in-gdm/ (2025-09-23).
3. Ashley, K.; Smith, K.; Brunsgaard, LH.; Stevenson, E.; West, D.; Avery, L. Identifying Behavioural Determinants to Uptake and Adherence to a Whey Protein Supplement for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Interview Study. Nutrients 2022, 14, 565. DOI: 10.3390/nu14030565