Whey Protein Side Effects & Protein Shake Side Effects

Whey protein is generally a very safe protein supplement to take, however there have been a number of rumours as to the side effects of supplementing your diet with too much protein. For some of these apparent side effects there is no actual evidence, so it is always worth actually consulting your doctor or dietician if you are considering taking a large amount of protein on a daily basis.

Lactose Intolerant

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, which is a sugar found in milk. Having any dairy products can be very uncomfortable for someone that is lactose intolerant and can leave them feeling bloated. Whey is a by-product of the production of cheese and as whey comes from dairy products, then if someone is lactose intolerant, then it may not be best for them to use whey protein.

It should be noted that you may not experience any uncomfortable feelings if you are lactose intolerant and use whey protein, as different types of whey contain different amounts of lactose. Whey isolate has the lowest amount of lactose of all of the different types of whey, so if you are lactose intolerant, this is probably the best choice for you.

Kidney Function

It has been suggested by some scientists that excessive amounts of protein and a lack of hydration could lead to more acidic blood. To counteract this increased acidity in the blood, the body will release more calcium. This increase in the release of calcium can lead to kidney stones. It should be noted though, that this would need to be an excessive amount of protein, and no studies have actually been conducted to prove this theory.

Osteoporosis

One other theorised side effect of whey protein is that it may lead to osteoporosis. This is because, as mentioned above, calcium is released into the blood to counter the increased blood acidity. It is suggested that this calcium is actually being taken from the bones, which would lead to osteoporosis. Again, there is no actually evidence for this being true.

General Whey Protein Side Effects

There are other general side effects of using whey protein such as:

• Bowel movements
• Nausea
• Thirst
• Bloating
• Cramps
• Reduced appetite
• Fatigue
• Headache

Whey protein has been shown to have some negative interactions with certain drugs/medications:

Whey protein and levodopa

The absorption of levodopa may be decreased by whey protein, therefore it is not recommended to use whey protein when taking levodopa.

Whey protein and alendronate (Fosamax)

The absorption and effectiveness of alendronate may be reduced by whey protein. You should not take whey protein supplements within two hours of taking alendronate.

Whey protein and antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics)

The absorption and effectiveness of antibiotics could be reduced by whey protein. Whey protein supplements should be taken at least one hour after taking antibiotics.

Some antibiotics that may interact with whey protein are:

• Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
• Enoxacin (Penetrex)
• Norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin)
• Sparfloxacin (Zagam)
• Trovafloxacin (Trovan)
• Grepafloxacin (Raxar)

Whey protein and antibiotics (Tetracycline antibiotics)

Whey is dairy and so contains calcium. Calcium can attach to tetracyclines and reduce the effectiveness and absorption of tetracycline antibiotics. Therefore whey protein supplements shouldn’t be taken two hours before or four hours after taking tetracyclines.

Some tetracyclines that might interact with whey are:

• Demeclocycline (Declomycin)
• Minocycline (Minocin)
• Tetracycline (Achromycin)

If you are concerned about using whey protein supplements, then it is advised that you consult either your doctor or a dietician, however, generally, protein supplements are very safe.