It is the second major protein of bovine whey. It has a molecular weight of 14 kDa and accounts for about 20% of the total whey proteins.
α-Lactalbumin biological actions are attributed such as stress reduction
*Antibacterial activity
*Antihypertensive action
*Regulation of cell growth, anti-ulcer activity
*Immunomodulating, but above all specific intestinal actions.
It is an important source of bioactive peptides and essential amino acids, including tryptophan, lysine, branched-chain amino acids, and sulfur-containing amino acids, all of which are crucial for infant nutrition.
Due to the high content of branched-chain amino acids ( ~26%), especially leucine, α-Lactalbumin effectively supports and stimulates muscle protein synthesis, making it the ideal protein source for improving muscle health and help prevent sarcopenia during ageing.
The protein can be isolated from milk using chromatography/gel filtration, membrane separation, enzyme hydrolysis, and precipitation/aggregation technologies.
α-Lactalbumin contributes to reducing the risk of incidence of some cancers (e.g., breast and colon cancer), as it constrains cell division when present in intestinal cell lines. α-Lactalbumin as a protein source increases blood tryptophan levels, which promotes the synthesis and availability of serotonin in the brain. In turn, serotonin supports the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep patterns.
α-Lactalbumin
