Are Premier Protein Shakes Safe During Pregnancy?

📌 Overview and Key Takeaways

Are Premier Protein shakes safe during pregnancy?

Discover how to safely supplement your protein intake during pregnancy.

Last Updated
Jan 28, 2026

Author and Medical Reviewer

Written by Kayla Kamen, MS, RD

Kayla Kamen is a Registered Dietitian with a MS in Nutrition.

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Fossett, PA-C

Jennifer Fossett is a Physician Assistant with a BA in Nutritional Sciences.

Premier Protein and Pregnancy

Is Premier Protein Safe for Pregnancy?

Premier Protein is a brand of protein supplements owned by Post Holdings, a massive consumer packaged goods company whose portfolio includes beloved brands such as Honey Bunches of Oats® and Peter Pan® peanut butter.

It can be found nationwide in major retail chains such as Walmart, Costco, Target, Sam’s Club, and in grocery stores like Kroger, Safeway, and Publix.

This widespread distribution and a low price point make it a popular choice among consumers.

Although many people swear by Premier Protein shakes, they are not the healthiest option on the market.

In fact, they are arguably one of the least healthy protein supplements, especially for pregnant mothers.

What you put in your body while pregnant can have an impact on your baby’s growth and development.

Eating enough protein is important because protein serves as the building block for muscles, skin, and bones.

It also plays a vital role in the production of antibodies that safeguard against illness.

Considering that protein needs increase with each trimester (NBK, 2009), it is imperative that you establish a plan to ensure your dietary protein intake is sufficient.

Most registered dietitians recommend the following:

• First trimester (Week 1-12): During the first trimester, protein needs are relatively consistent with non-pregnant levels, ranging from 46-56 grams per day. This period is crucial for early fetal development.
• Second trimester (Week 13-26): Protein requirements increase slightly in the second trimester, ranging from 71-86 grams per day. This uptick accommodates the growing demands of the developing fetus, especially as organs and tissues continue to form and maternal blood volume expands.
• Third trimester (Week 27 through pregnancy): The third trimester sees a further increase in protein needs, ranging from 71-100 grams per day. During this stage, the fetus undergoes rapid growth, and protein becomes vital for the development of organs, muscles, and the preparation of the mother’s body for labor and breastfeeding.

Just thinking about eating 70+ grams of protein per day can be overwhelming!

As you can see below, even if you ate a protein with every meal, you might not meet your optimal protein needs:

• Breakfast: 2 eggs – 12 g protein
• Lunch: 4 oz chicken breast – 32 g protein
• Snack: ¼ cup almonds – 7 g protein
• Dinner: 4 oz salmon – 23 g protein
• Total: 74 g protein

On top of all of this, pregnant women can have a hard time eating due to food aversions, decreased appetite, and morning sickness.

This is where a good protein supplement can help.

Adding a protein shake or powder to your diet can help bridge nutritional gaps and support a healthy pregnancy.

Unfortunately, however, not all protein supplements are created equal.

Premier Protein shakes and powders contain ingredients known to cause painful side effects and even long-term health problems for pregnant women.

Among the most problematic ingredients are food additives and protein concentrates and isolates.

🚫 Avoid Food Additives

Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and other additives can not only upset your stomach, but also alter the composition of your gut microbiome (North Clin Istanb, 2019).

Over time, this can lead to gut dysbiosis, which is associated with pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and restricted fetal growth (Front Cell Infect Microbiol, 2022).

Although exactly why this occurs requires further research, it is well known that your gut microbiome affects various physiological processes, including immune function and inflammation.

It therefore makes sense that when the balance of bacteria therein is disrupted, it can have a huge impact on your and your baby’s health.

⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein supplements:

• 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
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• mono- and diglycerides
• ‘natural’ flavors
• rice bran extract
• rice dextrin
• rice hulls
• rosemary extract
• silica
• silicon dioxide
• sodium alginate
• soluble corn fiber
• sorbitol
• soy lecithin
• sucralose
• sunflower lecithin
• tocopherols
• tricalcium phosphate
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• zinc oxide

As a rule of thumb, if you cannot find it in nature or make it at home, it is probably a food additive.

🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates

You might also want to avoid ultra-processed protein concentrates and isolates.

Most protein supplements are made from one or both of these ultra-processed protein sources, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.

This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help your gut break them down.

You therefore do not digest them in the same way that you do whole foods, which could affect your gut health.

Studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates might disrupt your gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Nutrients, 2018; Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).

You should thus look for protein supplements made from whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds, which are easier to digest and absorb.

Order Samples to see for yourself.

Sources

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NBK). Nutrition During Pregnancy. 2009.
2. Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2019.
3. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (Front Cell Infect Microbiol). The Interaction Between the Gut Microbiota and the Female Sex Hormones. 2022.
4. Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
5. Molecular nutrition & food research (Mol Nutr Food Res). In Vitro Fermentation of Animal and Plant Protein Isolates by the Human Gut Microbiota Under High and Low Carbohydrate Conditions. 2024.

Editorial Guidelines

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This article was written by a Registered Dietitian and reviewed by a Physician Assistant. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.