Protein Shakes and Bowel Movements

Learn about protein shakes and bowel movements and how to supplement your protein intake without causing digestive issues.

How Protein Shakes Affect Bowel Movements

Why Do Protein Shakes Affect Bowel Movements? 

Digestion begins in your mouth and ends in your bowels.

A bowel movement (pooping) is thus 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 should consult a licensed practitioner for personalized nutrition advice.

Protein shakes and powders are notorious for messing with digestion.

In fact, one in five people experience digestive issues when they use protein supplements, including constipation and diarrhea.

Believe it or not, the reason why protein shakes affect bowel movements typically 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, look for a short list of simple ingredients.

Which Protein Shakes Promote Digestive Regularity? 

Not all protein supplements are created equal.

Many protein shakes and powders contain ingredients known to cause painful digestive issues and even long-term gut health problems.

Among these ingredients are food additives, dairy-based proteins, and protein concentrates and isolates. 

Avoid Food Additives

Regularly eating food additives like emulsifiers, thickeners, and flavorings can not only cause diarrhea and constipation, but also alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome.

This, in turn, can cause gut dysbiosis, which contributes to a number of painful digestive issues, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

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

Basically, if you could not find an ingredient in nature or make it at home, it should not be in your protein powder. 

Avoid Dairy-Based Proteins

You should also avoid dairy-based proteins like whey and casein, which contain lactose, a sugar many people cannot fully digest.

Keep in mind that you may be sensitive to dairy-based proteins even if they are not lactose intolerant.

This is particularly true for casein protein, which forms a gel-like substance in the stomach that slows down digestion.

Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates

The protein source itself (not the type of protein, but the form) might be a factor worth considering too.

Most protein supplements are made from protein concentrates and isolates, 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 it does whole foods, which can affect everything from satiety to gut health.

In fact, studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates can disrupt your gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut.

So, pending further research, it is recommended that you stick to protein powders made from whole food protein sources.

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Drink Wholesome Will Not Alter Your Bowel Movements

Finding a protein powder free from food additives, dairy-based proteins, and protein concentrates and isolates is hard.

In fact, 99% of protein supplements contain one or more of these problematic ingredients, which is why we created Drink Wholesome.

We make the best protein powder for healthy bowel movements​ because we use a short list of simple ingredients.

Our Ingredients

egg whites

coconut

vanilla

monk fruit

NOT Our Ingredients

• acacia gum

• acesulfame potassium

• artificial flavors

• carrageenan

• erythritol

• guar gum

• inulin

• maltodextrin

• 'natural' flavors

• silica

• soy lecithin

• sucralose

• xanthan gum

• xylitol

Note that instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we use whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds, which are easier to digest and absorb.

It follows that our customers experience fewer digestive issues with our Protein Powder than with any other type of protein supplement.

Order samples to see for yourself.