Could protein powder cause stomach problems?

“I think it’s a really simple and easy way to help people meet their protein needs,” explains Abbey Sharp, abbey diskor Fortune. She says that most Americans are not deficient in protein, but “there are so many advantages to 25% to 30% of your calories from protein.”

These include full and satisfied feeling after meals, building muscle mass (which is particularly important as you age), supporting weight loss and your hair, skin and nail health.

But as protein powder becomes a staple food in more food diet, there are growing chatter that causes stomach problems, because social media users blame the supplement for their bloating and their gas. Here is what experts think.

How the ingredients of protein powder affect your intestine

There are several reasons why protein powder could irritate the stomach, according to the registered dietitian and the nutrition teacher in Nyu, Ethan Balk. Lactoserum protein in particular could be a probable culprit.

“This could be because of lactose intolerance,” said Balk Fortune. Lactoserum protein powder comes from dairy products, and some may experience bloating and gas because their bodies have trouble digesting lactose, says Balk. While Sharp says that a possible solution goes from Lactrum protein concentrate to the lactoserum protein isolate, it prevents this isolate, which still contains traces of lactose and casein which could cause bloating and nausea for particularly sensitive people. In this case, you may want to try to exchange lactrum proteins for plant protein to see if it helps, says Balk. If you always encounter problems, you can give up protein powder or try to complete with a probiotic, he adds.

Other potentially irritating ingredients include fermental fibers such as inulin and carraghenian, gums and thickness such as xanthan gum, and sugar alcohols that can produce gas as by-product and trigger stomach discomfort, says Sharp. You can try to search for protein powders without these ingredients and with sweeteners such as monk fruit extract instead of sugar alcohols, which says Sharp is easier for the stomach.

Do not neglect the fiber

One important thing to remember, says Sharp, is not to do too much on protein powder to the point that it moves other vital foods full of nutrients in your diet, which could be another cause of stomach problems.

Without enough fiber in your diet – plants like whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables – you will have stomach problems, whatever the protein powder, says Sharp.

“A portion of protein powder per day is absolutely sure for people to consume, especially when you combine this with … other lean protein sources,” says Sharp. “It is not that the protein itself causes the problem, in particular when consuming plant protein sources. The challenge occurs when replacing other nutrients to take care of the intestine such as fiber.”

Why protein powder could overwhelm the intestine

Sharp and Balk agree that there is a fairly important reason for which protein powders could cause stomach problems: too much protein, too quickly.

“This can slow down gastric emptying,” explains Balk, which means that the protein will drag a little longer in the stomach and will cause this unsuccessful discomfort. In addition, having 25 to 30 grams of protein in a few minutes in the form of a shake or a smoothie can overwhelm the intestine and lead to more bloating and gas, explains Sharp.

“It is really easy to reduce a protein shake in a few sips compared to how long it takes to eat a steak,” adds Balk. “It is not so much a question of avoiding ingredients, it is a question of slowing down consumption.”

Balk advises to slow down when you sip a Shake Protein to help reduce the impact it has on your stomach.

“It is not designed for the comfort of the stomach. It is designed to get a lot of protein. This prepares us for probable or possible gastric distress, ”he says.

This could also help you break your protein intake – if you normally have two favorite protein powder balls in the morning, Balk recommends having a scoop in the morning and another later in the day so as not to overwhelm your stomach.

“No matter when you ingest the protein, everything will do its job. He doesn’t need to be one time to work, ”he says.

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