Once in the gastrointestinal tract, whey proteins are broken down into peptides by proteases (but everyone already knows this). The interesting thing is that some of them have biological activity!
For example, α-lactalbumin and β-lactalbumin activate the body’s innate immune response, manifested by lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine regulation, antibody production, and increased phagocytic ability of macrophages.
It has been scientifically proven that these peptides (α-LA and β-LA) are active against oxygen radicals, preventing their harmful effects on the body.
At the same time, lactoglobulins are possible allergens precisely due to their influence on the functioning of the immune system