Protein shakes and bowel movements

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Protein shakes and bowel movements do not always get along. Learn why protein shakes can disrupt your bowel movements, and how to find a protein shake that is easy to digest. This article was written by Jack Schrupp.

Do protein shakes disrupt your bowel movements?

What is a bowel movement? 

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Digestion begins in your mouth and ends in your bowels. A bowel movement (pooping) is the last stop in your digestive tract. Healthy bowel movements occur anywhere from three times a day and three times a week, and involve poop that is brown, soft to firm in texture, and easy to pass.

The two most common types of abnormal bowel movements are constipation and diarrhea. Constipation occurs when poop passes through the large intestine too slowly. Diarrhea occurs when poop passes through the large intestine too quickly. If you experience either frequently, you may want to consult a licensed practitioner for personalized nutrition advice.

Do protein shakes affect bowel movements? 

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Protein shakes are notorious for messing with people’s bowel movements. Over one in five people experience digestive issues when they use protein supplements, including constipation and diarrhea.

Why do protein shakes affect bowel movements? 

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Believe it or not, the reason why protein shakes affect bowel movements usually has nothing to do with protein. Protein shakes tend to cause constipation and diarrhea because of how much processing and how many additives were used to make them. It follows that if you want a protein shake that will not alter your bowel movements, avoid the following ingredients: food additives and protein concentrates and isolates. 

Avoid food additives

Emulsifiers, thickeners, sugar substitutes, and other additives look nothing like real food, which makes them hard to break down. Foods that are hard to break down can pull extra water into your colon, causing diarrhea. They also feed your gut bacteria, which release gas as they eat. Too much intestinal gas can reduce gastrointestinal (GI) motility, slow colonic transit, and ultimately lead to constipation. 

Regularly eating certain food additives can also alter the composition of your gut microbiome – the collection of microorganisms living in your gut. This can lead to gut dysbiosis, which is linked to a number of chronic digestive issues. Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein powder:

acacia fiber, acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, ascorbic acid, aspartame, calcium carbonate, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dicalcium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, maltodextrin, mono- and diglycerides, ‘natural’ flavors, rice bran extract, rice dextrin, rice hulls, rosemary extract, silica, silicon dioxide, sodium alginate, sodium bicarbonate, soluble corn fiber, soy lecithin, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, tocopherols, tricalcium phosphate, xanthan gum, xylitol, zinc oxide

Avoid protein concentrates and isolates

Most protein powders are made from protein concentrates and isolates, which have been mechanically and or chemically stripped of everything but the protein, including the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help you break them down. As a result, they can cause digestive issues and possibly even disruptions to the gut microbiome. 

Avoid dairy-based proteins

It is worth mentioning that dairy-based proteins like whey and casein, although not an issue for everyone, can cause side effects like constipation and diarrhea. This is in part because they contain lactose, a sugar most adults cannot fully digest.

Finding a protein powder free from food additives, protein concentrates and isolates, and dairy-based proteins is hard. In fact, 99% of protein supplements contain one or more of these problematic ingredients. This is why we created drink wholesome. Keep reading to learn more about why our protein powder will not alter your bowel movements.

drink wholesome will not alter your bowel movements 

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Our protein powder will not alter your bowel movements because we use a short list of simple ingredients free from food additives, protein concentrates and isolates, and dairy-based proteins.

our ingredients: 

egg whites, coconut, vanilla, monk fruit

the alternative:

Protein Matrix Comprised of (Whey Protein Concentrate,  Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Albumen, Glutamine Peptides), Polydextrose, Sunflower Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Tocopherols), Natural and Artificial Flavor, MCT Powder (Medium Chain Triglycerides, Nonfat Dry Milk, Disodium Phosphate, Silicon Dioxide), Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Yellow 5, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Papain, Bromelain

Note that instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we use whole food protein sources like collagen, egg whites, and almonds. Simple protein sources like these are easy to digest and absorb. They also each bring a unique set of digestive benefits to the table.

Collagen has been shown to reduce bloating and improve digestive symptoms. Almonds are rich in prebiotic fiber and improve the composition of your gut microbiome. Egg whites are alkaline, meaning they balance the pH levels in your gut, and promote the growth of good gut bacteria.

Our customers thus experience fewer digestive issues with our protein powder than with any other type of protein supplement. Order samples to see for yourself.