In healthy active older men aged 67 years, combining resistance exercise with whey protein supplementation does not result in greater improvements in muscle strength, fat-free mass, physical function, or inflammatory markers compared to resistance exercise alone.

When older men lift weights, the force on their muscles activates signals that build more muscle protein and reduce body-wide inflammation. This improves strength and lowers inflammatory markers. Adding whey protein does not make muscles bigger or stronger, but it helps them work more efficiently, allowing faster walking. The muscle-building and anti-inflammatory effects come entirely from lifting weights, not from the protein supplement.