Do protein shakes make you poop?

Do protein shakes make you poop? Protein shakes can certainly make you poop. Keep reading to learn why this is a common side effect.

This is why protein shakes make you poop.

Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN

Do protein shakes make you poop?

Protein shakes make me poop, so if they make you run to the bathroom, you are not alone. The average protein supplement is not easy to digest, and can cause a number of gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, including diarrhea. Keep reading to learn why protein shakes make you poop, and how to boost your protein intake without side effects.

Why do protein shakes make you poop?

First of all, there are two types of protein shakes: ready-to-drink (store-bought) protein shakes and (homemade) protein shakes made with protein powder. If protein shakes have made you poop in the past, I highly recommend that you start making your own protein shakes with protein powder. Most ready-to-drink protein shakes are made with ingredients that are not stomach-friendly, and using protein powder gives you much more control over what you put in your body.

Now without further ado, here are the top 5 reasons why protein shakes and powders can make you poop. Keep in mind that what triggers side effects for one person, may not trigger them for the next. That said, it is safe to say that if your protein supplement makes you go to the bathroom, one (or more) of these ingredients is likely to blame.

1) Food additives can make you poop.

Most protein shakes are full of food additives. Even in small quantities, additives can cause gastrointestinal (GI) side effects like diarrhea.

Basically, because additives do not look like real food, they cannot be fully digested. Partially digested food causes your colon to absorb extra water because it has a high osmotic load.

High osmotic load refers to a situation in which the concentration of solutes (in this case food) in a solution is relatively high. When the osmotic load is high, there is more osmotic pressure. Osmotic pressure is the pressure exerted by a solvent (usually water) as it moves across a semipermeable membrane (in this case the colon) in order to equalize the concentration of solutes on both sides of the membrane.

2) Dairy-based protein can make you poop.

Dairy-based proteins like whey and casein can also make you poop, especially if you have lactose intolerance. Individuals with lactose intolerance are unable to fully digest lactose, the sugar in dairy.

3) Sugar alcohols can make you poop.

Sugar alcohols (low-calorie sweeteners) are carbohydrates that are partially resistant to digestion. They can have a laxative effect for the same reason that food additives can. Common sugar alcohols include erythritol, sorbitol, and xylitol.

4) Insoluble fiber can make you poop.

Some plant-based protein supplements are naturally high in fiber. Other protein supplements, like those intended to help with weight loss, contain added fiber. Fiber is a natural laxative and adds bulk to the stool. If you eat a lot of it, it will make you poop.

5) Protein isolates can make you poop.

Most protein shakes and powders are made with protein concentrates and/or isolates, foods stripped of everything but the protein. They appear on the ingredient list as “pea protein” and “whey protein” as opposed to “peas” and “whey.”

I will not go into the details, but protein concentrates and isolates are heavily-processed. Sometimes, manufacturers use chemical solvents like hexane to extract the protein, which means what you end up eating looks nothing like real food.

Your gut is designed to digest real, natural foods, not laboratory-formulated, heavily-processed imitations. For this reason, protein concentrates and isolates are not easy to digest, meaning your body has a hard time breaking them down and absorbing them. As you now know, foods that are poorly digested can make you run to the bathroom.

Moreover, in the long term, regularly eating processed foods like food additives, sugar alcohols, and protein isolates can alter the composition of your gut microbiota – the collection of microorganisms that help you digest food. This can impair your ability to digest and absorb food, increasing the likelihood that you experience side effects like diarrhea.

vegan vanilla protein powder serving suggestion

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Why drink wholesome?

The average protein shake makes me poop, which is why I created drink wholesome. It is additive-free, dairy-free, sugar alcohol-free, and low fiber. Moreover, instead of protein concentrates or isolates, my protein powders are made with egg whites and almonds. Egg whites are simply pasteurized and dried before becoming protein powder. Almonds are just roasted, pressed (to remove some oil), and ground. Minimally-processed ingredients like these are an easy to digest alternative to protein concentrates and isolates.