The trendy convenience food for those of all abilities, and in all stages of life: protein powder and protein shakes. But is your protein powder more pain than it’s worth?
What is a protein powder or supplement?
Protein powders are generally manufactured in a way the extracts protein from a plant or animal based source (commonly cows milk, eggs, peas, and soy). During this manufacturing process other macronutrients are often removed (carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre), and other ingredients are added such as nutrients, sweeteners and more – whatever the company decides really. Protein powders are dietary supplements, which means they should be used as an “add on” to an adequate diet.
Different types of protein powder
I want to preface this by saying – there are a lot of products on the market and I am not a sports dietitian. I have focused on the more common ones that make their way into conversations.
Firstly, what is whey and casein?
Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. Milk is generally 20% whey in content. Casein is the main protein present in milk or the “solid part”, which makes up 80% of milk in content. Both casein and whey are complete proteins.
Some of the main types of protein powders are:
- Whey protein isolate (WPI)
This is the gold standard when it comes to protein powders. WPI has higher total protein, lower energy, carbohydrates, and fat than other whey protein powder varieties. It is thought to be quickly absorbed, and low in overall lactose which can be great for those who are lactose sensitive. This is the one you would generally want to go for as “what you see is what you get”. - Whey protein concentrate (WPC)
WPC is slightly lower in overall protein and higher in carbs and fat. It can have a creamier nicer flavour, however generally falls second in terms of WPI vs. WPC. - Casein
Casein is absorbed and metabolised a little slower than whey protein. Sports dietitians often recommend that it’s consumed prior to bed time for a long acting impact of protein. - Soy
As the name very nicely suggests, soy protein isolate is made from soy beans. As soy beans are a great source of plant based protein, this can be a nice alternative for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. - Pea
Made from split peas, pea protein is estimated to have around 78% total protein content. Generally this seems to work pretty well in comparison to WPI for muscle growth and gain, as it contains nearly all the essential amino acids.
Impacts of consuming too much protein
Some of the main impacts of consuming too much protein are centred around the digestive system.
According to research, 99% of all Australians are able to get enough protein from their day to day diets. Protein that is consumed in excess is either stored as weight gain, or taken out from the body as waste via the urinary system. From this, we can conclude that protein supplements are very rarely needed in the general population.
High protein diets, and high intake of protein supplements over a long period of time, have been shown to put a strain on the kidneys, and sometimes lead to development of kidney stones. This may be more pronounced in those who have kidney disease versus those who have well-functioning kidneys. Increased protein intake has been shown to increase risk of dehydration, which may link with the impact on kidneys.
It can also cause excessive loss of calcium from the bones, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis.
Gut symptoms or feelings of an upset tummy like constipation and/or diarrhoea, bloating, and abdominal pain can be directly related to high protein intake, and in particular intake of protein supplements.
Why do gut symptoms occur?
There are many reasons why gut symptoms may occur with intake of protein powders. This is something that is individualised to each person and their circumstances. However, with the rise of fad diets that demonise carbohydrates, and focus on increasing protein and fat intake (think paleo, and keto), it is becoming more apparent that more is not always better.
Some of the key reasons could be:
Lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance is quite common across the population, and even more prevalent in those from an Asian background. If a person is choosing a milk based protein powder (whey or casein) and having symptoms of pain and changed bowel habits immediately after consuming, this could point to intolerance.
Milk allergy
Whilst I would hope that the people that have a milk allergy are not consuming a milk based protein powder like whey or casein, there is a possibility that a person is unaware that these are dairy containing. Possibly switching to a plant based protein powder may be helpful for any unwanted symptoms.
Artificial sweeteners
Flavoured varieties of protein powders like to market themselves as “no sugar”, or “low/no carb”. Whilst this is great to know, there may be added sweeteners in these products. Sweeteners like erythritol, sorbitol or xylitol do have a laxative effect if consumed in high quantities, even if you don’t have any food intolerances. If you do have food intolerances, or have been diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) you may be more likely to react to these.
Replacing protein powder supplements for real foods / nutrient displacement
Some of the symptoms like diarrhoea, constipation or bloating could simply be because a person is using protein powder or protein supplements where food should be consumed instead. When we choose a protein shake, we might be missing out on fruit, vegetables, and wholegrains, which contain fibre. We are filling up on other nutrients instead. Often protein powders won’t contain much (if any) fibre. A lack of fibre in the diet can lead to constipation which can result bloating, feeling uncomfortable in the tummy, and in both loose stools and difficult to pass stool.
What can we do to reduce digestive distress?
- Use the recommended serving size of your powder so you don’t over-do it.
- Wait 30 minutes after a workout before consuming a protein shake, and drink it slowly.
- Check in with a dietitian to see if intolerances could be contributing to digestive distress.
- Trial swapping to a plant based protein powder to see if that improves gastrointestinal symptoms
- Make sure that you aren’t relying solely on protein shakes to meet your protein and nutritional needs.
Other food alternatives to protein powders
As we saw in the research in Australia, it is easy to meet your daily protein needs, and maintain your protein consumption after exercise. Protein is found in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy foods, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, lentils and legumes.
Some quick and easy post workout meals and snacks might be:
- Wholegrain toast with peanut butter
- Handful of mixed unsalted nuts and seeds
- Veggie sticks and hummus
- Vegetable Omelette
- Scrambled eggs on toast
- Smoothie with milk (plant based or cows milk)
- High protein greek yoghurt (e.g. YoPro)
- Carman’s protein muesli bar
- Tin of tuna or chickpeas
The conclusion to all of this is that it is possible to meet your protein needs without the use of a protein powder, as there are many reasons why a protein powder might not agree with you.
