A note about whey protein powders

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daydreams_of_pretty
daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I debated about posting this and decided to go ahead.

For several weeks I experienced stomach issues (bloating, cramping, nausea, bathroom fun, the whole shebang) that seemed to be worsening. A few times I thought that I might have food poisoning, but it didn't make sense that I could be getting food poisoning several times a week. I was having issues about every other day. It got to the point that I actually had to take sick time off of work.

After the second time I had to take time from work because of my stomach, I really started looking hard at my food diary to try to figure out what was going on. I realized that my stomach problems were happening the day after my strength training days, after which I was drinking a whey protein shake. I eliminated the whey, and now my stomach is much better. I looked online and apparently I'm not the only one who has had this problem. Sometimes people just have bloating and gas, while others of us get really sick like I did.

I just wanted to share my experience in case someone else has had this problem. If whey doesn't make you sick, then just disregard this post, lol.
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Replies

  • pj27559
    pj27559 Posts: 23 Member
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    Not surprising really, different brands contain different formulations and some appear to contain a fair amount of junk.

    it's a product that has been massively oversold and few probably need, elite atheletes and pro body builers maybe, but not the rest of us.

    I have some stock of the stuff left, but once it's gone it's gone.

    Been there, tried it, bought the T Shirt - now I'll eat real food thanks.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    I was mixing them with milk and got a lot of gas, bloating. I bought another brand of powder and I use less of it. It doesn't tastes as good but my stomach likes it better.
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
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    Happens to the best of us ;)
    To me it takes a couple of days when using a new protein to settle down but after that - smooth sailing.
    Maybe you just can't handle or maybe milk / lactose intolerance?
    Anyway - no big loss - bring a grilled chicken breast or some egg whites to replace your post workout shake!
  • formerfatboy1
    formerfatboy1 Posts: 76 Member
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    Most of your cheap proteins have fillers in them. It could of been the fillers doing that to your stomach. Look into a Good brand of proteins and try it out and see if it still has the same effect on your stomach. I recommend Dymatize Elite whey or Gold Standard protein. give it a shot and let us know. Its a bummer you and your muscles are missing out on some good proteins after an intense strength training program. :smile:
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
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    It was the Tera's Whey Organic. I started using Vega instead, and it seems to be okay on my stomach.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    Results will definitely be individualized.

    - Be careful mixing with dairy, not every body can tolerate it; drink it stand-alone unless you know you can tolerate it.
    - Buy a decent brand. If you can buy a 2lb container for $10 bucks, it's probably poorly made
    - Read the label to see if it's mostly whey, BUT mixed with casein and / or egg protein. Casein is not well tolerated by many people and can be the source of your discomfort and not the whey, look for a pure 100% when.
  • knitapeace
    knitapeace Posts: 1,013 Member
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    I was experiencing that to a much lesser degree with my first tub of protein powder, cheapo stuff from the grocery store. I just opened a new tub of Optimum Nutrition and don't have any issues whatsoever. I design labeling for generic OTC drugs so I have no problem with using generic versions of products, but in this case the "good stuff" really does seem to be better.
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
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    There are two types of whey protein sold, concentrate and isolate. Concentrate has more milk sugar (thus you will typically see these having more calories (due to higher carb and fat content) than compared to isolate which has that particular milk sugar reduced (thus less calories and also, some less fat). People who experience issues with concentrate tend to do better with isolate.
  • Wilbur_NOLA
    Wilbur_NOLA Posts: 120 Member
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    I was experiencing that to a much lesser degree with my first tub of protein powder, cheapo stuff from the grocery store. I just opened a new tub of Optimum Nutrition and don't have any issues whatsoever. I design labeling for generic OTC drugs so I have no problem with using generic versions of products, but in this case the "good stuff" really does seem to be better.

    I love Optimum Nutrition Coffee and Mocha Cappuccino flavors! I get plenty of real food, but I really enjoy having a protein iced coffee to start the day.
  • StraubreyR
    StraubreyR Posts: 631 Member
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    I can't mix whey powder with milk, it upsets my stomach. But it's fine with almond milk!
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
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    I mixed mine with almond milk but still had issues. The Tera's Whey is organic and low sugar. It's even supposed to be safe for people who are lactose intolerant. Some people are just sensitive to whey. My symptoms were pretty extreme, so I looked for a reason behind them. Individuals who only experience bloating and gas may not think twice about the whey being behind it, which is why I posted. I'm sure most people are fine using whey. I originally chose the whey protein because I wanted something that was fast absorbing. It just didn't work for me, so I moved on to a different protein.
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
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    Whey powders often have a TON of lactose in them. I have to buy isolate just for that reason alone, or else I bloat so bad I could float a house.
  • baxterroxy
    baxterroxy Posts: 43 Member
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    why not ditch the whey and go to plant or hemp protein. Very easy on the stomach.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    I've never had problems like that but I have noticed that protein shakes make me very bloated. I still drink them because they're delicious and sometimes I need the extra protein. But I make sure not to drink one on the day of a party or something where I don't want to look bloated haha. Sorry you had such a bad experience!
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    Lactose can be an issue so I take lactose pills before I drink it (I am definitely lactose intolerant). I have tried plant based protein powder (vega) and honestly it was one of the most disgusting things I have ever tasted.
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
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    I like the taste of the Vega, but it is so freaking hard to get it to mix with the almond milk, lol. I just chew and swallow the clumpy parts. :laugh:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,583 Member
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    Just a quick note:

    One DOESN'T have to ingest protein shake right after training. The whole "replenishment" to repair muscle isn't that significant unless one is an elite athlete who's training super intense.

    And full muscle repair happens the day after a good workout anyway.

    If one is getting in enough protein in the day, you can ditch the shakes. I'm not against them, just saying that too many people are trying to emulate what an athlete is doing when they are far from even training like they do.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
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    Just a quick note:

    One DOESN'T have to ingest protein shake right after training. The whole "replenishment" to repair muscle isn't that significant unless one is an elite athlete who's training super intense.

    And full muscle repair happens the day after a good workout anyway.

    If one is getting in enough protein in the day, you can ditch the shakes. I'm not against them, just saying that too many people are trying to emulate what an athlete is doing when they are far from even training like they do.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Thanks! I might abandon my shake plan after I run out of powder. :smile:
  • Chaskavitch
    Chaskavitch Posts: 172 Member
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    There are two types of whey protein sold, concentrate and isolate. Concentrate has more milk sugar (thus you will typically see these having more calories (due to higher carb and fat content) than compared to isolate which has that particular milk sugar reduced (thus less calories and also, some less fat). People who experience issues with concentrate tend to do better with isolate.

    This^

    I'm not lactose intolerant, but if I eat a LOT of dairy in one day (Milk with breakfast, lots of cheese with lunch and/or dinner, ice cream, etc) I get all sorts of indigestion. The same thing happened when I had whey concentrate protein. When I switched to whey isolate, or a mix between the two, things got a lot better. If you did buy a mix, make sure the isolate is listed before the concentrate in the ingredients, since that means there is more isolate than concentrate, proportionally.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Did you track your fibre? Most people need to up this if they increase their protein intake.

    Or you could be allergic.

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