Pros and cons of protein powder: increase your intake safely

If you’re unfamiliar with protein supplements,
learning how to use them effectively to reach your fitness goals can be
difficult.

You may not even be decided on whether they’re a
beneficial addition to your nutrition plan, either—but don’t worry.

Here you’ll find everything you need to know about
the pros and cons of protein powder so you can make an informed decision when
increasing your protein intake.

We’ve also included some useful tips for using
protein powder safely to avoid any unfavourable side effects.

Table of contents: 

What is protein powder? 

Protein powder is a nutritional supplement designed
to help individuals increase their protein intake alongside eating a healthy
and balanced diet.

It is a powdered form of protein that can be
extracted from several dairy-based and plant-based sources. It dates back to the 1950s, and there was less
regulation and variety in its early days. 

Today’s protein powder is easy to weigh and mix with
water or milk to create a protein shake—flavours ranging from sticky toffee
pudding to lemon cheesecake make it incredibly easy to drink. 

If shakes aren’t to your taste, another advantage of
protein powder is that it can easily be added to foods such as porridge or yoghurt bowls or used as a
base ingredient in many recipes. 

Many unflavoured products are on the market to make
increasing your protein intake easier than ever.

However, there are concerns about consuming too much
protein powder, as little is known about its long-term health effects. So,
let’s take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of protein
powder. 

Related: 33 sneaky ways to add protein powder to your meals

Pros and cons of protein powder 

Pros 

1. Convenience 

While hitting your protein goals through food is
possible, it’s difficult to obtain without proper planning. Therefore, many
people opt for the more convenient choice of supplementing with protein powder.

It’s a great way of adding protein to your diet
without preparing and eating large amounts of meat or other high-protein foods,
which can become monotonous.

Plus, if you’re exercising outdoors or at the gym,
having a protein shake on hand becomes much more convenient to refuel properly
after your workout.

Those following a plant-based diet can benefit from
using protein powder, as it’s particularly difficult to hit your goals for consumption,
let alone absorption.

Plant proteins are 60-80% digestible compared to animal-based sources being less than 90% digestible, according to Third Wave Nutrition. Those eating only plant-based foods may need to increase their intake and ensure they consume the right micronutrients for optimal protein absorption.

2. Cost-effectiveness 

One of the biggest advantages of protein powder for
many athletes and gym goers is that it’s a cheaper way of reaching their
protein goals compared to buying high-protein whole food sources alone.

For example, 1kg of chicken breast fillets from Sainsbury’s costs £6.09, and each serving contains
around 30.6g of protein. There are around four-six servings in each pack, each
costing approx. £1.20.  

A 1kg bag of Myprotein whey protein powder costs £39.99, working out at around £0.83 per serving
which contains 21g of protein. There are around 48 servings in each bag, each
costing approx. £0.83.

While protein powder doesn’t contain as much protein
in each serving, the savings are significant, especially considering protein
powder lasts much longer than meat sources and can be consumed over a longer
period.

An individual’s shopping list becomes much less
costly when protein powder is combined with meat protein sources, adding to the
convenience we mentioned in our last point.

Related: The best vegan protein shakes

3. Concentrated protein source 

One of the biggest advantages of protein powder is
that it is a concentrated protein source, making it ideal for those looking to
build hypertrophy or lose
weight.

Consuming whole foods is great for your health but
obtaining a lot of protein from each meal usually coincides with a higher
calorie intake. This can make staying within a deficit or protein-specific
surplus difficult.

Since protein powder contains a high percentage of protein vs calorie content, it’s a great solution for those looking to increase their protein intake without consuming a larger quantity of other macronutrients.  

Cons

1. Cannot replace real food 

Many supplement companies boast the nutritional
benefits of their products, proclaiming that they contain just as many
micronutrients and amino acids as natural food sources.  

But even if this is true, it means there is no
benefit to consuming a supplement over a whole food alternative. Opting for a
natural source could be healthier in many cases.

In a study on protein supplements and their
relationship with nutrition, researchers from the
Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition stated:

“The consumption of ultra-processed foods has been
associated with the higher prevalence of several diseases, possibly due to high
content of processed vegetable fats, sugars, salt and artificial sweeteners
among other components.

While it’s a matter of personal choice whether or not you decide to supplement with protein powder, it’s a good idea to remember the golden rule of consuming a balanced diet. It’s a fact that whole foods are vital for staying in good health.

2. Ingredients vary from product to product  

Regarding the pros and cons of protein powder, this
factor raises many questions surrounding its place as a healthy, reliable
supplement.

An investigation by Clean Label Project in 2018 led to the discovery of high levels of heavy
metals and BPA in 53 leading brands, showing that many powders have either
unlisted ingredients or dangerous levels of those shown on the
label.  

It’s a good idea to check each individual product’s
labels. Marketing information can be misleading and often leaves out the more
unsavoury ingredients used to make their supplements.

Related: 10 ingredients that should never be in your protein powder

3. More research is needed into long-term health effects 

Leading on from our above point, not much is known
about the long-term health effects of protein powder.

Not only are their labels sometimes less transparent
than they should be, which is a cause for concern, but high-protein diets could
be dangerous regardless of the source.

A 2013 study found that a
protein intake above the recommended dietary allowance for healthy adults could be dangerous in the long run,
potentially leading to an increased risk for coronary heart disease or cancer.

The study also stated it could impose a metabolic
burden on the bones, kidneys, and liver.

Much speculation is involved in estimating the long-term health implications of an excessively high-protein diet, and more research is needed in this area. It’s a good idea to remember this when self-prescribing any dietary supplements.

Safety tips for using protein powder 

If you do choose to supplement with protein powder,
here are some general guidelines for gaining the advantages of protein powder
whilst limiting any adverse effects:

do your research—thoroughly check the label and brand behind the products you’re looking attrack your intake—ensure you don’t exceed the recommended dietary allowance balance supplements with whole foods—make sure you gain enough protein through natural sources listen to your body—reduce your protein intake if you experience any adverse effects 

Our research on supermarket vs premium protein products could help you learn more about responsibly increasing your protein intake whilst on a budget.

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