Increased protein intake making me sick?

Shelle33

I hope someone might be able to help me.

I'm working with a personal trainer who has told me to up my protein intake. I just started this week and I'm feeling AWFUL! Bloating, cramping, upset stomach, intestinal issues, violent bowel issues...you name it, I have it. I'm a lifelong lacto-ovo vegetarian and I was averaging about 50g of protein per day before this. Now I'm up to about 75-80g, mostly through eggs, dairy, whey, nuts, beans, tofu, and protein bars. I'm not sensitive to dairy at all, so I don't think it's a lactose issue. I tend to avoid protein bars high in sugar or containing sugar alcohols. Honestly, I'm at a loss, other than thinking that I'm somehow protein intolerant. Anyone have any idea what might be going on?

AliceDark

Are you sensitive to artificial sweeteners? Are you using protein powders? It could be anything, really, but sweeteners and/or different types of protein used in protein powders can cause GI distress. (Dumb personal example, but I don't handle stevia or casein protein well; other sweeteners and whey are fine with me).

What items have you added that you were eating rarely before? If you're going to start eliminating things, I'd start with the new items. Maybe you could up your protein by eating more of whatever items you're used to in order to find out whether it's the addition of something new or the additional food itself.

It could also just be that changing your diet quickly isn't always the best idea. Could you try adding 10-20g one week, then another 10-20g the next week?

futuremanda

Have you also significantly increased your fat intake? Sometimes that can give digestive issues.

It might also be unrelated, or that you ate something that was old/contaminated.

Other than that, I have no other ideas on top of what @AliceDark said. I think that a specific sweetener or specific protein type or any other food you weren't eating before this are the most likely culprits.

jgnatca

When my protein ratio outstripped my carb intake I got more compact stool, which created stomach issues and spectacular gaseous emissions.

I say go back to what you know.

RodaRose

Try three or four days without the whey or protein bars.

I cannot do the whey at all although I am ok with certain protein bars.

EilisN

Personally the beans, tofu, and maybe the protein bars, would wreak havoc with my digestive system. Check out the low Fodmap diet.

DancingMoosie

I had upset tummy after eating sugar free cake. My nurse friend said it was probably the sugar alcohols since I was not used to eating sugar free treats. Beans can also cause digestive upset. Certain protein bars also have different types of fiber added that can cause gas and bloating. If you suddenly increased your consumption of one or more of these things, that could be the cause. Probably not just the protein, as you were eating protein before.

sgt1372

Shelle33 wrote: »

I hope someone might be able to help me.

I'm working with a personal trainer who has told me to up my protein intake. I just started this week and I'm feeling AWFUL! Bloating, cramping, upset stomach, intestinal issues, violent bowel issues...you name it, I have it. I'm a lifelong lacto-ovo vegetarian and I was averaging about 50g of protein per day before this. Now I'm up to about 75-80g, mostly through eggs, dairy, whey, nuts, beans, tofu, and protein bars. I'm not sensitive to dairy at all, so I don't think it's a lactose issue. I tend to avoid protein bars high in sugar or containing sugar alcohols. Honestly, I'm at a loss, other than thinking that I'm somehow protein intolerant. Anyone have any idea what might be going on?

You need sufficient protein to survive. 50g is the MINIMUM protein protein suggested for a person weighing 125# based on the recommended min of 0.4g protein/# BW The absence of sufficient protein in your diet can result in the breakdown and atrophy of muscle tissue throughout the body, including the heart. Not a good thing.

75-80g of protein is not too much. It would be the min req'd for a person up to 190#, which sounds like a lot but really isn't. Your body needs as much protein as it can to build and maintain muscle tissue, especially if you are physically active.

For comparison, I currently ave about 200g protein a day on a 2k cal diet at about 1.25g protein per #BW (158#) or 3 times the recommended minimum. This is NOT too much protein for me and I have absolutely NO problem digesting it.

Protein intolerance is a rare condition most commonly found among infants in reaction to being fed milk. If you are not lactose intolerant and have no problem w/other dairy products, you probably do not have a protein intolerance problem.

See:http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/happens-there-insufficient-protein-diet-2687.html

If the undesireable symptoms only started after you changed your diet, I'd treat it like an allergy and eliminate each potential source of the problem one-by-one.

You can do this simply by returning to your problem free lacto-ovo veggie diet and then adding only one of the new things that you've been eating each day until you suffer a neg reaction again.

That will identify at least one problem food but there may be others, so if there are more food items to test, you'd have to start over from your problem free diet to begin the testing process again.

Good luck!