How to Reduce Bloating from Protein Shakes

📌 Overview and Key Takeaways

This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide on how to reduce bloating from protein shakes.

Discover what causes protein shake bloating and how to avoid this common side effect.

Last Updated
Jul 21, 2026

Author and Medical Reviewer

Written by Jack, CNC

Jack is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Nutrition Coach.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before making changes to your diet.

Bloating from Protein Shakes

How Do I Reduce Bloating from Protein Shakes?

Bloating occurs when your digestive tract fills up with gas.

It can make you feel full and cause stomach pain.

It is also often accompanied by flatulence and burping.

Eating foods that are hard to digest or having digestive issues that prevent proper digestion are the most common causes of bloating.

Menstruation, stress, and other lifestyle factors can also make you bloated.

Protein bloating is simply bloating caused by protein shakes and powders.

It is a common side effect and one of the main reasons why people do not like protein shakes and powders.

If your protein shake makes you feel bloated, here are things you can do that might help resolve your symptoms:

1. Exercise. Physical activity keeps your bowels moving and prevents gas from building up in your digestive tract.
2. Drink peppermint tea. This remedy has a long history of reducing bloating. Peppermint relaxes your smooth muscles, allowing gas to pass.
3. Drink water. Although it might sound counterintuitive, drinking water can help reduce bloating by flushing out your digestive tract.
4. Relax. Stress can contribute to bloating. To reduce stress, take a nap or practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or yoga.
5. Use medication. Several over-the-counter medications can relieve bloating. Two popular options are antacids and simethicone. Antacids help neutralize stomach acid. Simethicone helps break down gas bubbles.

Keep in mind that while these tips are helpful, the best way to reduce bloating from protein shakes is to prevent it from happening in the first place.

How Do I Prevent Bloating from Protein Shakes?

The secret to beating bloating is avoiding ingredients that are hard to break down and absorb.

By only eating foods that are easy to digest, you deprive your gut bacteria of things to ferment.

Fermentation in your gut is what produces gas.

🚫 Avoid Food Additives

Emulsifiers, thickeners, and other ultra-processed additives look nothing like food.

This not only makes them hard to digest, but can also alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome (North Clin Istanb, 2020).

These shifts, known as gut dysbiosis, have been linked to several chronic digestive issues known to cause bloating (JGH Open, 2021).

⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein shakes and powders:

• 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 Dairy-Based Proteins

Dairy-based proteins like whey and casein, although not a problem for everyone, can cause digestive issues too.

This is usually because they contain lactose – a sugar many individuals with sensitive stomachs cannot fully digest.

But you might be sensitive to dairy-based proteins even if you are not lactose intolerant.

For starters, the digestion of some caseins releases a bioactive peptide that has been linked to digestive issues (Adv Nutr, 2017).

Casein also forms a gel-like substance in your stomach that slows down digestion (Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2023).

For sensitive individuals, particularly true for those with cow’s milk protein allergy or intolerance, slower digestion can contribute to bloating, constipation, and other side effects.

🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates

If you have a sensitive stomach, you might also want to avoid protein concentrates and isolates.

Most protein shakes and powders 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 you break them down.

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

For example, one study shows that regularly consuming protein concentrates and isolates might disrupt your gut microbiome (Nutrients, 2018).

Another study shows that it could cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).

Although further research is needed, individuals with sensitive stomachs can play it safe by choosing protein shakes and powders made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds.

They are more gut-friendly.

Order Samples to see for yourself.

Sources

1. Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2020.
2. JGH Open (JGH Open). Gut microbiota dysbiosis in functional gastrointestinal disorders: Underpinning the symptoms and pathophysiology. 2021.
3. Advances in Nutrition | Journal (Adv Nutr). Systematic Review of the Gastrointestinal Effects of A1 Compared with A2 β-Casein. 2017.
4. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr). Milk proteins: Processing, gastric coagulation, amino acid availability and muscle protein synthesis. 2023.
5. Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
6. 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 Certified Nutrition Coach and reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.