How to Find the Best Protein Powder for Interstitial Cystitis
📌 Overview and Key Takeaways
This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide to finding the best protein powder for interstitial cystitis.
Discover how to safely meet your protein needs while managing IC.
Protein Powder for Interstitial Cystitis
Is Protein Powder Good for Interstitial Cystitis?
Protein powder can be a great option for people with interstitial cystitis who struggle to meet their protein needs.
Interstitial cystitis (IC), also called bladder pain syndrome (BPS), is a long-lasting (chronic) condition.
It causes ongoing discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic area, and it mainly affects the urinary system (Investig Clin Urol, 2023).
Treatment for interstitial cystitis often involves several approaches at once, including dietary changes.
Avoiding common bladder irritants, such as coffee and citrus products, for example, can improve symptoms.
To identify which specific foods or ingredients contribute to your symptoms, consider an elimination diet.
Daily Protein Intake Calculator
No specific dietary protein requirement or protein-restriction target has been established for interstitial cystitis.
But if you struggle to meet your basic protein needs, which start at 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for most adults, then adding protein powder to your diet can be a great idea (N Engl J Med, 2024).
It can be mixed with just milk or water to make a shake, or added to smoothies, oatmeal, and other recipes.
This convenience and versatility is hard to beat, but you need to be mindful of the ingredients!
Some common protein powder ingredients, such as artificial sweeteners and acidic flavorings, might trigger IC symptoms.
You should also avoid protein powders with added caffeine or naturally caffeinated ingredients like coffee.
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What Is the Best Protein Powder for Interstitial Cystitis?
As long as you are eating a balanced diet – getting protein from a variety of sources – any type of protein shake or powder can help you meet your total daily protein needs.
But ingredients do matter.
Many protein shakes and powders contain ingredients that might indirectly contribute to painful side effects and even the progression of IC.
Among the top offenders are artificial and ultra-processed food additives.
🚫 Avoid Food Additives
Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners and other ultra-processed additives might change the makeup of your gut microbiome – the community of bacteria and other microbes living in your digestive tract (North Clin Istanb, 2020).
Over time, these shifts, known as gut dysbiosis, might contribute to the development of interstitial cystitis (Front Immunol, 2024).
Researchers think body-wide (systemic) inflammation and changes in immune function driven by imbalances in gut bacteria have something to do with it (Investig Clin Urol, 2023).
It is important to note that much of this research is still emerging, so more studies are needed to clarify these relationships.
That said, the preliminary findings suggest that because protein shakes and powders are something you consume regularly, if not every day, the cumulative effects of small amounts of potentially harmful ingredients is worth taking seriously.
⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives found 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 Protein Concentrates and Isolates
I also recommend avoiding 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 might 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, you can play it safe by choosing protein shakes and powders made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds.
Our customers find them to be more gut-friendly.
Order Samples to see for yourself.
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Sources
- New England Journal of Medicine (N Engl J Med). Guidance on Energy and Macronutrients across the Life Span. 2024.
- Frontiers in Immunology (Front Immunol). Gut microbiota and interstitial cystitis: exploring the gut-bladder axis through mendelian randomization, biological annotation and bulk RNA sequencing. 2024.
- Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2020.
- Investigative and Clinical Urology (Investig Clin Urol). Microbiome in urological diseases: Axis crosstalk and bladder disorders. 2023.
- Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
- 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
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.
Frequently asked questions
Who Is Drink Wholesome for?
Drink Wholesome makes protein powder for sensitive stomachs, GERD, IBS, and other gut issues. It’s suitable for most food sensitivities, including lactose intolerance, and won’t cause side effects like bloating, constipation, and reflux.
Why Is Drink Wholesome Good for Sensitive Stomachs?
Drink Wholesome is the best protein powder for sensitive stomachs because it’s additive, dairy, and gluten-free. It’s also made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds. Other protein powders are made from ultra-processed protein concentrates and isolates, which look nothing like real food.
What’s the Difference Between Protein Powder and Meal Replacement Powder?
Drink Wholesome makes gut-friendly Protein Powders and Meal Replacement Powders. Protein powder is high in protein and low in everything else, whereas meal replacement powder contains fats, carbs, fiber, and protein because it’s intended to replace the nutritional value of a balanced meal.
What’s the Difference Between Almond, Collagen, and Egg White Protein?
We make three types of stomach-friendly Protein Powder: Collagen Protein Powder, Egg White Protein Powder, and Vegan Almond Protein Powder. As long as you get protein from a variety of sources, any type of protein can help you meet your total daily protein needs. In other words, for someone with a balanced diet, there is no advantage to consuming one type of protein over another. Order Samples to see which type you like the most.
Ask Nutrition Coach
If you’re wondering which Drink Wholesome product is best for you, ask our Certified Nutrition Coach. For personalized medical advice, consult your healthcare provider.
High Protein Balls
PREP TIME
5 min
COOK TIME
5 min
SERVES
2
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Protein Powder
- ½ cup nut butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
Instructions
Combine the Protein Powder, nut butter, syrup, extract, and oats in a food processor or blender. Pulse until well combined. Add the chocolate and coconut, and pulse a few more times. Roll the dough into 10 balls. Enjoy!
Author(s)
Protein Powder Samples
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