The most obvious reason that whey protein makes you feel sick is because of the lactose content. It is estimated that 68% of the world’s population could be lactose intolerant. However, many people may not even realise that they are part of this statistic. This is also why many people turn to whey protein isolate, as opposed to concentrate. Furthermore, you should be wary of “additional” ingredients in whey protein, e.g. sugar, sweeteners, carbohydrates, fibre, and fats.
Are You Taking Whey Protein Concentrate or Isolate? (Lactose)
So, as I’ve mentioned, many whey protein supplements contain lactose.
And approximately 2 out of every 3 people are actually lactose intolerant.
However, the vast majority of us may never actually realise that we’re lactose intolerant.
In fact, from a personal perspective, I myself have frequently “enjoyed” many dairy and lactose-based products without actually realising that they were making me feel sick.
And probably, much like yourself, when I started to take my training seriously I immediately increased my protein intake.
Let’s face facts, if you’re training in order to increase muscle mass, then you know that you should also increase your protein intake.
So, much the same as most people, I turned to whey protein to help me achieve my goals.
However, in my newbie ignorance, I didn’t realise that not all protein powders are created equal.
Now, of course, in the modern day and age there are various protein supplements, many of which are specifically geared towards those with special dietary requirements.
But, that said, most of us typically veer towards whey protein when we first break our “supplement virginity”.
However, it wasn’t long before I realised that not every single protein powder was suitable for me.
So, if you are potentially lactose intolerant, you’ll want to avoid the most popular of all whey protein supplements, namely concentrate.
In fact, I would suggest switching to isolate.
How “Lean” is Your Whey Protein?
I would hazard a guess that one of the main reasons that you take whey protein is to build muscle.
Protein will not only help you to maintain muscle mass, but when combined with strength training, you can also experience muscle growth.
Furthermore, you’ll typically need to eat at a calorie surplus in order to gain weight and increase muscle mass as well.
So, it’s not uncommon for certain protein powder varieties to also include carbs and fats.
In fact, you could find that consuming a single protein shake which includes carbs and fats has as many calories as a main meal.
Plus, you’ll also find that many whey protein supplements also contain the fibre inulin.
Inulin is a natural fibre found in many plants and obviously in some of the foods that we eat, e.g. asparagus and onions.
However, although inulin has numerous health benefits, it can cause digestive issues when consumed in high quantities.
In fact, too much inulin in your diet will not only make you feel terrible, but it can also cause stomach cramps, diarrhea, and flatulence.
So, this is something you should definitely be wary of.
Check Your Whey Protein’s Other Ingredients
Carbs, fibre, and fats aren’t the only ingredients that could be causing you to feel sick.
Let’s face facts, if you’ve ever tried “plain” whey protein powder it usually isn’t the best.
We’ve all been there, you swallow your protein shake following your workout, it’s a struggle, your grimace, but you eventually force it down.
Basically, as I’ve mentioned, not all protein shakes are the same, and some, not to put too fine a point on it, taste awful.
But, let’s not forget, whey protein is an extremely popular supplement.
In fact, market research conducted by Statista in 2018 revealed that 46% of Americans regularly consume whey protein drinks and shakes.
Just to put that into perspective, this equates to around 151,570,000 people.