Protein powder is the most popular supplement amongst fitness enthusiasts, gym goers, and athletes, as it can boost dietary protein intake and promote muscle growth. It also tastes great thanks to the many flavours that supplement brands offer to their customers (we’re talking vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream, salted caramel, and even mocha-flavoured protein powder!).
Despite being beneficial for muscle growth and development, protein powder isn’t without its drawbacks. Many people find that certain types of protein powder mess with their stomachs, give them cramps, and make their toilet trips less than enjoyable.
One of the most common digestion-related issues when consuming protein powder is bloating. You might firsthand experience the bloating and gas that protein powders can lead to, even if you usually have a pretty sturdy and hardened digestive system.
In this article, we’re going to discuss why and how protein powder can lead to bloating and excess gas. We will also cover the best alternatives to protein powder so you can still hit your daily dietary protein target without upsetting your bowels!
We will finish up with some top tips for quickly relieving bloating that is caused by consuming protein powder, whether in a shake, pancakes, or dessert recipes.
What is Protein Powder?
Protein powder is a popular nutrition supplement that contains amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Many sportspeople, professional bodybuilders, and everyday fitness lovers use protein powder supplements as a simple and tasty way to boost their dietary protein intake.
Protein is an essential macronutrient that we all need for optimal health. Your body needs dietary protein to help with repairing and growing muscle tissue, producing enzymes, synthesising hormones, and creating immune cells. Although you can get protein from a variety of food sources like meat, tofu, legumes, dairy, and eggs, protein powder offers an easy alternative if you’re struggling to hit your protein target with whole foods.
The most common types of protein powder are the following.
Whey (concentrate and isolate) protein powders
Whey protein is produced from milk as a by-product of the cheese-making process. Because it comes from animal-based sources, whey protein has a complete amino acid profile, meaning it provides all nine of the essential amino acids that the human body needs.
Whey concentrate is about 80% protein by weight and contains lactose and fat. Isolate, on the other hand, is almost all protein (around 90%), with most of the lactulose and fat removed.
Plant-based protein powders
Plant-based protein powders are suitable if you’re vegetarian, vegan, or lactose intolerant. Although plant proteins tend not to contain all nine essential amino acids, most supplement companies combine multiple sources of plant-based protein to create products with complete amino acid profiles.
You will find soy, pea, rice, and hemp protein powders, each of which provides unique benefits. Soy and rice protein powders are easy to digest, pea protein powders are rich in essential amino acids, and hemp protein provides a good source of healthy fats alongside amino acids.
Supplement companies offer protein powder in a bunch of different flavours and you can use it in a wide range of recipes to enhance the taste and nutritional profiles of your meals. Popular ways to use protein powders are in oatmeal, yoghurt bowls, pancakes, cookies, brownies, smoothies, and shakes.
How Does Protein Powder Negatively Affect the Gut?
Protein powder can cause digestive issues. You might find that you feel bloated and gassy when you have protein powder, especially in large amounts. There are a few different reasons why this might be the case.
A response to the additives in protein powder
Most of the time, bloating and abdominal cramps are in response to the additives in the protein powder products, such as artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose. However, digestive symptoms following the consumption of whey protein could be due to an intolerance or sensitivity to lactose.
Sugar alcohols, known as polyols, are also added to protein powders instead of traditional sugar to make them taste sweeter but remain relatively low in calories. Common sugar alcohols include xylitol, sorbitol, and erythritol, which can cause bloating, gas, and diarrhoea if you’re particularly sensitive to them.
Slower gut motility and digestion
Excessive protein consumption is associated with slower gut motility, meaning food moves more slowly through your gastrointestinal tract. When food moves slowly through your digestive system, it’s more likely to get fermented by your gut bacteria, leading to gas build up and constipation, causing you to reach for laxative medications.
Lactose intolerance or gut sensitivities
On the opposite side, some people will get diarrhoea after a big protein shakes or a huge stack of sweet protein powder-filled pancakes. This is likely due to a lactose intolerance or a sensitivity to the polyols commonly found in commercial protein powders.
In serious cases, lactose intolerance and milk allergies can cause more than just bloating. It can lead to stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and even anaphylactic shock.
You might find that if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), your bloating is much worse than average. This is especially true if you find that lactose-based products like milk, cheese, and yoghurt upset your stomach and make your IBS worse, as whey protein powder also contains lactose sugars.
Difficulty digesting soy or pea proteins
Soy can be tough for the digestive system to break down, especially if you don’t eat it very often. You might find that soy protein powder gives you stomach aches, bloating, constipation, and diarrhoea.
Some people find that their guts respond negatively to pea protein. The purines in pea protein are known to promote inflammation within the gut, which could be the root cause of the associated digestive issues.
What Are Some Protein Powder Alternatives That Are Gut Friendly?
If you're looking for protein-rich alternatives to protein powder that are less harsh on your gut, consider adding the following foods to your diet as natural remedies for bloating.
Greek yoghurt
Greek yogurt is naturally high in protein, providing around 10 grams of protein per 100 ml of product. It is also abundant in probiotic bacteria, which are beneficial bacteria that support your digestive system.
Go for plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt wherever possible to avoid added sugars and artificial sweeteners, which are known to cause bloating and gas build up. You can eat Greek yoghurt on its own with various toppings, use it as a base for sauce and dips, or stir it into smoothies.
Eggs
A single egg contains approximately six grams of protein. They provide a complete protein source, meaning they contain all nine of the essential amino acids your body needs to synthesise new proteins.
How do you like to eat your eggs? Scrambled, boiled, poached, or fried? Whatever way you enjoy cooking your eggs, you can eat them on toast, in salads or sandwiches, or on your own as a protein-rich snack.
Chia seeds
Seeds are a healthy addition to yoghurt bowls, smoothies, waffles, and pancakes. You can also soak chia seeds in water to make chia seed pudding, a delicious and nutritious snack. Chia seeds are high in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids and fibre. The omega-3s help reduce inflammation in the gut, and the fibre promotes bowel movements, preventing bloating and constipation.
Tofu and tempeh
Tofu and tempeh are made from fermented soybeans. They are an amazing source of protein for veggies or vegans and are some of the only non-animal-based foods to provide complete proteins.
Due to being fermented, they provide a great source of probiotics alongside protein. You can use tofu or tempeh as a meat substitute in stir fry, salads, or Sunday dinners. You can also bake or grill them for a protein-rich sandwich filing with some salad and sauce.
Quinoa
Quinoa is another great plant-based protein source that provides all nine essential amino acids and lots of fibre to prevent constipation and bloating. You can use quinoa as a replacement for rice or pasta, as part of salads, or mixed into porridge oats. There are even quinoa-based desserts that you can make to boost your protein intake.
Lentils, chickpeas, and beans
When you’re looking for a great plant-based protein source, lentils, chickpeas, and all kinds of beans are good options. They are high in fibre and micronutrients, promoting optimal digestion.
Lentils are great in curries, soups, and stews. They can also be cooked and squashed together to make delicious burgers. Chickpeas are the main ingredient of falafel and hummus, and they make a perfect addition to curries and soups. Beans are highly versatile and taste delicious in burgers, chilli, curry, salads, and soups.
How Can I Relieve Bloating from Protein Powder?
If you love protein powder but your digestive system doesn’t, there are lots of steps you can take to relieve bloating following protein powder consumption. Here are some helpful bloat-relieving lifestyle changes to make.
Take digestive enzymes
Digestive enzyme supplements, such as A Dose For Bloating, can support your body’s natural production of digestive enzymes like amylase, proteases, and lipases. These enzymes help to break ingested foods down into smaller particles that are more easily absorbed into the bloodstream.
Taking a supplement means there are more of these digestive enzymes available in your gastrointestinal tract after you’ve eaten a meal or consumed protein powder, reducing the chance of bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhoea. Simply take one or two digestive enzyme tablets before you eat or drink something that contains protein powder to keep digestive symptoms at bay.
Avoid protein powders that contain additives
Some protein powders are purer than others. Many supplement brands pack their protein powder products with additives, such as polyols and artificial sweeteners, to make them taste better and last longer.
Additives can contribute to bloating and digestive discomfort, so it’s always best to choose a protein powder that contains as few fillers as possible. Aim to find a supplement company that offers pure protein powders made with natural ingredients to keep your digestive system happy.
Find the best type of protein powder for your needs
As we mentioned above, there are several different kinds of protein powder. You might find that you respond better to certain types of protein powder, and worse to others. Test out a few different options to see how your body responds and whether you experience any digestive issues when you consume the various types of protein powder that are available on the market today.
For example, if you’re usually a little sensitive to dairy, you will likely find that you respond poorly to whey protein powders. In this case, you might be better choosing a type of protein powder that is free of lactose, such as soy or pea. If soy messes your stomach up and leaves you running for the toilet, pea, rice, or hemp protein powders are suitable plant-based alternatives.
Make protein shakes with water instead of milk
If you always get bloated and gassy after drinking a milk-based protein shake, it might not be the protein powder that is causing your digestive issues. It might, in fact, be the milk. Cow's milk allergies and sensitives are extremely common, and you might have a sensitivity to the lactose or casein in cow’s milk without even realising it.
Swapping cow’s milk for water or plant-based milk, such as soy, cashew, almond, or hazelnut, will be gentler on your digestive system and help to alleviate bloating.
Avoid consuming too much protein at once
When you’ve got a daily protein target to reach, protein powder offers a simple way to reach your goal and get the muscle gains you desire. It's tempting to add an extra scoop to your shake or stir protein powder into every recipe you make, and whilst doing so will certainly boost your protein intake, it could also lead to serious digestive discomfort.
Too much protein powder in one go can wreak havoc on the digestive system. Bloating can be a response to ‘protein overload’ (not an official term), which is scarily easy to do when you’re consuming a deliciously sweet protein powder in your favourite flavour!
Take things easy and stick to just one scoop of protein powder in a single sitting to allow your digestive system time to properly break down the proteins you’re eating and absorb the constituent amino acids.
