Protein powder side effects

A

ajf005

Well-Known Member
This isnt directly related to aviation so feel free to delete it if need be. So I recently started taking protein powder(40g servings) after I lift weights and I've noticed about 4-6 hours after I take it my stomach becomes very upset. Does it take some time for the stomach to get used to such large portions of protein or is there something else I can do to curve this trend?
 
If this is new for you, then your stomach just may not be used to it. My post-workout shake is 8oz fat free milk, One scoop whey (chocolate or strawberry), One banana, blend together....delicious, sometimes add a tablespoon of peanut butter to it too, when I use chocolate powder. Unless your taking digestive enzymes, keep the protein to about 30g per serving, five times a day.

oops, didnt realizie this was in the Doc's thread....
 
I agree with bradj2000. If you are going to use supplements, start slow and build up to it. This is just like exercise - you don't run the marathon on the first day.

ALso note that Casein based proteins are digested more slowly and are more likely to cause stomach upset if taken in large amounts.
 
40g seems to be a little much for just starting. Like said before, I would keep it to 30g to start. Their are many recipies for protein, with penut butter, milk, bananas, etc. you can use less protein powder and get more naturally. A friend of mine actually took to much before he went to bed for a couple of weeks and formed a kidney stone. Keep in mind that a proper diet is key. Protein supplements wont get you that far without a good diet. Also, drink plenty of water.
 
I agree. 30 Grams is plenty to start. When you load up too heavily, you really put a load on the kidneys and they are not used to handleing that much protein.

I have not paid much attention to the literature here but I would cut the protein supplement for a week or so before your flight physical. The 2 things we check in the urine (FAA standards) are sugar and protein. If you load too heavily, you may spill protein and that will lead to a cascade of tests ($$$$$$$$$$$$) to prove you don't have kidney disease.
 
they make you crap a lot if you havent noticed.

protein good, just stay away from creatin
 
Thanks for all the advice. Yesterday I started with 20g servings with much better results:) The advice about not taking it a week before my physical also helps since my medical runs out this month.
 
Drink water

I find that when I have a lot of protein, I need to increase my water intake to prevent cramping and stomach problems.
 
Most heavily commercialized brand name protein powders out there are lactose based. So if you are very lactose intolerant then it may be the cause of your upset stomach. It's likely that you're taking the whey or cassein concentrate kind rather than the whey isolate which has less fat and lactose per serving.

And make sure you drink a lot of water. If you're consuming at least one gram of protein per lb. of lean body weight, you should drink at least half a gallon of water per day. It also helps to mix the protein powder with about 5-10g of simple sugars like dextrose or the above mentioned(peanut butter, bananas, yogurt, etc.).
 
also what kind of protein are you using?

I use Amplify XL...$80/4lbs @ DNC. supposed to be the bset. I used 1.5-1.75 punds of protein in about 2 weeks..alot idk? I did see nice results after about a month.
 
PGT said:
also what kind of protein are you using?

I use Amplify XL...$80/4lbs @ DNC. supposed to be the bset. I used 1.5-1.75 punds of protein in about 2 weeks..alot idk? I did see nice results after about a month.
Click to expand...


That's a serious ripoff. Amplify XL is just like any other generic commercialized brand that supp stores carry all the time. It's not better than brands like Optimum Nutrition or Muscle Tech which offers at cheaper prices. Protein powders don't vary all that much unless we're talking about in-house independent brands like HSN or those from t-nation.
 
It seems like adding a lot of extra protein requires a lot of extra working out to get a decent benefit. If you've got extra protein, can you expect to gain fat, or will it come back out if you've got too much?

Also, what's wrong with creatine? I tried the Celltech creatine this summer for a few months while I was trying to gain a few lbs for hockey. I gained no weight (I was putting down 30-40g protein shakes everyday also), but gained a lot of strength. I'm sort of convinced the strength gains were just from working out a lot, and maybe the creatine/protein helped a little.
 
PGT said:
also what kind of protein are you using?
QUOTE]

I dont know, some cheap stuff from wal mart. I figure its got to be close to the same as everything else so I bought it just to try it out. I eat pretty healthy and try and pack in as much protein as I can through meals so im not worried too much about all the details in it. I started mixing it with water instead of milk and taking 20g servings and im doing a lot better. I'll increase my water intake even though its pretty high, but what about gatorade instead of water??
Click to expand...
 
While creatine may enhance the performance of high-intensity, short-duration exercise, it is not useful in endurance sports. The studies done with creatine have had mixed results with about equal numbers demonstrating a benefit and the other half not. It appears most of the weight gain from creatine is due to water retention.

Also, all nutritional supplements carry a risk of contamination with impurities, because their manufacturers are not bound by the same manufacturing practices that FDA requires for drugs.
 
All I have to say is, Chocolate milk or cookies and creame Muscle Milk by Cytosport. Add some ice cold fat free milk. Wonderful! Best tasting protein I have ever had. Youll want to drink it all day!
Plus its zero lactose, low carbs, and a perfect 32g per serving.
I get mine from massnutrition.net and if you buy a couple it comes out to like 18 bucks a piece. I think each one is 2.5 lbs. Or you can buy one for 35 bucks at GNC, your choice!

Man that just sounded like a plug. I should get paid
 
PGT said:
they make you crap a lot if you havent noticed.

protein good, just stay away from creatin
Click to expand...

I think creatine is great if you drink plenty of water, i had pretty big gains after a couple of months of taking it.

Edit: And I have always used 1 gram of protien to 1lbs of bodyweight when I'm bulking.

Edit2: and this is protien I use, http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/whey.html I never mess with GNC because they over charge and never know what they're talking about.
 
With the whole Gatorade/Powerade...what ive always been told is to mix it with some water because it has sugar in it which might make some people cramp up after working. Ive never had a problem with it myself.

Regarding creatine, I know the NAVY wont accept it. I guess there has been some fatal cases with cold water operations and them using creatine. From what i've read/heard all it does is fill your muscles with water so they get bigger. There might be different creatines out there...i would research but im writing a paper right now :D

Also you probably wont ever get close to having too much water. You can get the 'drunk' feel if you drink a few gallons in a short period of time. I wasn't paying too much attention in class but something with slowing down brain signals to give you the drunk feeling.

Im scared of trying the cheap stuff because there was article in school how its not regulated like it should be and you might be getting a whole lot more then what your told. I dont remember the brand name but there was a lifter who was taking half the dosage and ended up in ER.
 
CoBuilder said:
That's a serious ripoff. Amplify XL is just like any other generic commercialized brand that supp stores carry all the time. It's not better than brands like Optimum Nutrition or Muscle Tech which offers at cheaper prices. Protein powders don't vary all that much unless we're talking about in-house independent brands like HSN or those from t-nation.
Click to expand...

Optimum Nutrition is a very popular brand. The 100% whey is a good choice as you can get it in a 10 lb bag. Muscle Tech offers "decent" products at a super inflated price. If you venture to any of the bodybuilding message boards you will find that you are paying for the extensive marketing campaign MT has to push their product.

As for getting an upset stomach - you might be somewhat lactose intolerant. Also, your body can only digest so much protein in one sitting so anything really over 50grams (depends on the person) is not going to be used to rebuild muscle. I would only advocate taking more than 50g in a meal if you were on the juice.
 
Old thread I know.. but

Thoughts on a similar product.

Fat burners such as Nutrex Lipo 6 - safe to take?

Any known problems with medicals or UA's?

Thank ya kindly
 
The only issue may be the 400 mg of caffeine in 2 capsules. The other issue is that you are wasting your money, but it is your money.
 
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