Whey Protein side effects
There are many benefits to whey protein supplementation to bodybuilders – faster muscle growth and recovery, resistance to illnesses like cancer and high blood pressure all result from taking protein supplementation. So although whey protein is a great benefit for people who are building muscle, there still can be side effects if you go OTT and misuse it.
Lactose Intolerance
Although most people are fine with taking dairy products, some are lactose intolerant, meaning their bodies are not suited to dairy produce like milk and whey protein. For those who have intolerance to lactose, it is important that you use whey protein isolate in your diet. This type of whey protein has only one percent lactose. Those who are lactose intolerant will find this type more easily digested and you won't feel as bloated.
Kidney Function
If you do a lot of cardio and not consume enough protein, the body will have to convert some of that protein you take into carbhydrates. This is known as ketosis and can develop when carbohydrates are limited and the amount of protein is increased. This is typically done to burn fat for energy, but many health experts believe it can be damaging to the kidneys. The blood can also become overly acidic when too much protein is included in the diet. When the blood becomes too acidic, the body will release calcium to counteract the acidity causing kidney stones.
However, this will only happen if someone takes excessively high amounts of protein, not just whey for a very long period of time (years).
Osteoporosis
Although it hasn't yet been conclusively proven, many health experts believe that too much whey protein can cause osteoporosis. This occurs when the calcium is taken from the bones and released into the blood to reduce the acidity that is the result of too much protein.
Conclusion
One thing is very clear with the use of whey protein, is that none of these side effects are the result of using whey protein in the way it was intended to be used. It is a lack of understanding of the nutritional needs of the body that leads to these problems with whey protein.
If it is used responsibly as a means of adding protein to the diet for a vegetarian or a body builder making sure that they are getting an adequate amount of protein in their diet, it is perfectly healthy.
A healthy diet must include all of the essential nutrients in the proper quantities to be healthy. Health problems can be caused by any diet that over uses one nutrient. A diet must be well balanced and have the proper proportions of all nutrients.
Monitor the amount of whey protein that you are using in your diet along with the protein that you are getting from other sources. The rule of thumb for protein is one gram per pound of body weight. Increasing the amount of protein will not give an increase in muscle and can cause a number of health problems. Any nutrient that is over used can cause a health problem. Diet and nutrition is all about moderation and maintaining good health with quality foods and products.
Above all, remember that whey protein is mean to be a supplement, not as a long term substitute for eating balanced meals. At the end of the day, anything which is misused will turn into a problem in the long run.