Are protein powders safe? Read the label before you start taking them

Proteins are essential for muscle building and repair. (Photo by Julia Larson via Pexels)

Proteins are one of the three macronutrients we need – along with carbohydrates and fats. For most people, a healthy balanced diet has sufficient quantities of all three. For vegans and people interested to build more muscle, among others, protein powders are touted as the easiest quick fix to get more protein amidst our rushed urban lives. But do these powders have health risks?

Lately, some researchers have found traces of heavy metals in protein powders that can cause liver injury. It's important to check the ingredients and health warnings on a protein powder pack you are considering - not just for allergens, additives like sweeteners and animal proteins (if you are vegetarian or vegan) but also any chemicals or elements, and check with your doctor about their safety first.

How to pick a protein powder and how much to take?

So do protein powders pose any overarching health risks?

“While there is no documented evidence to support this, you must observe a few guidelines while buying a protein supplement. Study the label to ensure (food safety) certification and read the ingredient list carefully for possible hidden allergy inducing components in keeping with your own constitution. Check for contamination, when you buy a sealed pack of protein powder,” says Priya Palan, dietitian, Zen Multispeciality Hospital.

“When you invest in a protein supplement, reading through the labels and understanding the source of powders is very important. Dairy protein-based supplements may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and gut irritation, especially for people who are intolerant to milk. People with a pre existing irritable bowel syndrome may experience bloating, cramping with pea protein supplements, or powders with added sugar, alcohols or artificial sweeteners. Vegans need to opt for vegan protein, as the case may be, from soy, pea, rice, wheat, hemp and artichoke. It is important to check the protein concentration in the powder you are eating to determine the quantity of consumption appropriate for you,” adds Palan.

If you exceed the (protein intake) limit, indigestion sets in. The symptoms to watch out for are bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhoea, cold, brain fog and headaches.

- Nutritionist Karishma Chawla

“Also, keep in mind that protein consumption in a day is a calculated math,” explains nutritionist and lifestyle educator Karishma Chawla. “For example, 1 gm of protein for 1 kg of lean body mass (muscle mass) you consume, increases with activity level and stress. Hence the amount of protein you consume in a day must be calculated taking into account the total protein incoming from all other foods and supplements you eat. If you exceed the limit, indigestion sets in. The symptoms to watch out for are bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhoea, cold, brain fog and headaches.”

A plant-based protein powder mix. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

The recommended dietary allowances for a healthy adult is 0.8 to 1 gm of protein per kg of body weight, but in increased demand it may also go up to 1.5 to 2 gm per kg body weight.

- Dietician Priya Palan

Should you consume the power pre- or post-workouts, on an empty stomach or during meals?

“The recommended dietary allowances for a healthy adult is 0.8 to 1 gm of protein per kg of body weight, but in increased demand it may also go up to 1.5 to 2 gm per kg body weight. Remember, though protein is important for growth and overall development of children and adolescents, it must first be brought actively into the daily diet in the form of dairy, eggs, soy, beans, nuts and lentils. Both animal and plant protein product are good sources of dietary protein. If there still persists a deficiency, then supplements can be brought in. Addition of powders must be done under guided supervision,” says Palan.

Protein powders are sometimes recommended to boost appetite and physical growth in the young, and also to meet the higher demands of muscle repair and growth in the elders. “You can bring in the powder with your breakfast, mid-morning snack, evening snack, or at bedtime, and most importantly pre- and post-workout. At a time, we could go anywhere between 15-25-30 gms. Excess will not be absorbed well - if you eat more protein than your body needs, it also gets converted into fat and is stored in the body,” says Chawla. “Keep in mind that protein powders are best absorbed with a portion of carbohydrates,” she adds.

Before you pick a protein powder pack from that supermarket aisle under peer pressure, police your daily intake first for an honest overview of the protein you get from food sources.