Whey protein needs no introduction. It is the most popular sports supplement ever, which every newcomer will encounter when they first cross the threshold of the gym. There are an incredible number of manufacturers on the market offering ever more exotic flavours and competing to offer customers the most innovative formulas. There is simply no hiding from whey protein. At the same time, the professional and lay public agree that protein has an important role in strength sports and that it is very beneficial for the development of muscle mass and strength. As a result, you will hardly find anyone in your local gym who does not use protein.
However, the huge popularity of whey protein leads some athletes to kind of overvalue it and expect miraculous results from it. This often leads to the misconception that the amount of protein ingested is directly proportional to the increase in muscle mass or strength. But even with protein, it shouldn't be overdone. Its excessive use can even lead to health complications. Therefore, in today's article we will answer the question if it is possible to overdose on whey protein.
What is whey protein?
If you are not quite sure what whey protein is, don't worry. We've covered this topic countless times and in our article Whey Protein We've summarised all the important information in a clear format. For the purposes of this article, I'll just briefly summarize that whey protein is an excellent source of protein with a great spectrum of amino acids. In addition to its high protein content, its main advantages include excellent bioavailability and protein microfraction content. And since protein plays an extremely important role in strength sports, it makes sense that whey protein is the preferred source of this macronutrient for many people.
How much protein can I get in a day?
The question of ideal daily protein intake alone would be enough for a separate article. Therefore, instead of a long-winded recap, I will refer you to our article How much protein to take per day, which, in addition to a clear summary, also contains links to various scientific studies that have addressed this issue. Unfortunately, the ideal protein intake cannot be precisely determined. Everyone's body simply has different requirements and the amount of protein we need to consume in a day varies depending ondepending on a person's body structure, diet, training plan, genetic predispositions, age, training plan and so on. In general, it is recommended to take in about 1.6 to 1.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Once again though, this is far from an exact value that will 100% suit everyone.
What happens if I go overboard with my protein intake and instead of 1.8 grams per kilogram, I include twice as much in my diet? For strength athletes, in some cases it might not be a disaster in reality, many might not even feel any difference. However, some studies suggest that a long-term intake of more than 2 g of protein per kg of body weight can cause health problems. In most cases this will be digestive problems (typically gas, nausea and diarrhea), but high concentrations of chokingnitrogen in the body, which is associated with excessive protein intake, can result in the formation of urinary bladder stones.
More protein does not automatically mean bigger muscles
Nutrition is a complex issue and should be viewed as such. Simply increasing your protein intake will not compensate for the deficiencies your diet suffers from. Although high protein intake is important for muscle growth, it is not the only factor that affects it. A fact that many newbies don't realize is that muscle growth is an anabolic process that requires quite a bit of energy. The body gets this from carbohydrates and fats. This is just one of the many reasons why excessive protein intake alone isn't really enough to achieve greater muscle growth. Therefore, there's no point in trying to dose multiple doses of whey protein because your body won't be able to use it effectively anyway.
All proteins are not the same
When it comes to protein dosage and the amount of protein you take in, it goes without saying it's also a good idea to take a closer look at what makes a good protein choice. There are plenty of other options besides whey protein, and whey protein itself is also divided into several types. The amount of protein in each protein supplement can vary. In addition, different protein sources are used differently by the body and have different bioavailability. We've already covered the breakdown of proteins in our article How to choose a protein, where you'll find all the information you need to consider when choosing a protein.
What protein do we recommend?
Generally the best form of protein is whey protein. They are easily digestible, offer a high protein content and most importantly, have a very well balanced taste so you won't get tired of them after a few days of hend.The most commonly used form is whey concentrate, which offers the best value for money. If you're not sure how to choose, our ranking of the bestwhey proteins, where we discuss the positives and negatives of each product in detail. However, more demanding athletes may prefer whey isolate or hydrolysate, which have a higher protein content and are faster to digest. For these cases, I recommend our comparison of the best whey isolates and our ranking of the best hydrolysed proteins.
Whichever form of whey protein you choose, always make sure it has been produced using the CFM (Cross Flow Microfiltration) method. Thanks to the microfiltration system through the cross-flow ceramic filters, the protein does not come into contact with the chemicalThis makes it gentler and more absorbable than proteins prepared by other methods. At present, this is clearly the best method of whey protein production.
Conclusion.
So what can be concluded from the article? Although protein is a very important supplement that has its undeniable importance in the diet of strength athletes Its excessive consumption is not only unnecessary, but can even cause unpleasant health problems. The most common manifestation of protein "overdose" is digestive problems. However, if you follow common sense, you don't have to worry about any serious problems. If protein makes you feel unwell, simply reduce your dose next time.
It should also be noted that the stumbling block lies in the long-term overconsumption of protein. Once you've overdone it, you don't have to worry about it. You may feel sick one night, but a healthy body can easily handle it. However, if you consume excessive amounts of whey protein over a long period of time, the subsequent problems will obviously be worse. Again, though, it has to be really large doses that your body will alert you to with an unpleasant response. If you do not continue to take excessive amounts despite the obvious reaction of your body, you have nothing to worry about in principle.
That's all for today, but if you have any questions about this topic, we'd be happy to answer them in the comments below.
Why can you trust us?
Sport has been my lifelong passion, I have been close to it since I was a child. For a long time I was primarily involved in athletics, which also eventually led me to the gym. Every good sprinter knows that to get one tenth of a start, he must therefore sacrifice hundreds of hours in training. And it was this toil behind the curtain, which no one sees, that was my greatest passion.
Every kilo in the gym helped me to move a little closer to my goal and I fell in love with the gym very quickly. Even though I don't race anymore, nothing has changed in my relationship with uncompromising training.