Lifestyle·NutritionPeople are ditching tein powder for their gut health.
Here’s what experts have to sayBy Ani FreedmanBy Ani FreedmanFellow, Fortune WellAni FreedmanFellow, Fortune WellAni Freedman is a fellow on the Fortune Well team.SEE FULL BIO People on social media have complained tein powder is causing excessive gas and bloating.
Here's what experts think.Getty Imagestein powder has remained one of the most supplements, making up the largest of the overall tein supplement market, which was valued at $5.83 billion in 2022 globally.
Although some re indicates some types could be contaminated with dangerous toxins, the best tein powders can be a safe, easy way to hit your tein goals without having to cook up a chicken breast or steak.
“I think it’s a really simple, easy way to help folks meet their tein needs,” registered dietitian Abbey Sharp tells Fortune.
She says most Americans aren’t deficient in tein, but “there are so many benefits to getting 25% to 30% of your calories from tein.” Those include feeling full and satisfied after meals, building muscle mass (which is especially important as you age), supporting weight loss, and your hair, skin, and nail health.
But as tein powder becomes a staple in more people’s diets, there is growing chatter that it’s causing stomach issues, as social media users blame the supplement for their bloating and gas.
Here’s what experts think.
How tein powder ingredients affect your gut There are multiple reasons that tein powder could irritate the stomach, according to registered dietitian and fessor of nutrition at NYU, Ethan Balk.
Whey tein in particular could be a ly culprit. “It could be because of lactose intolerance,” Balk tells Fortune.
Whey tein powder comes from dairy, and some may experience bloating and gas because their body has trouble digesting the lactose, Balk says.
While Sharp says a possible solution is switching from whey tein concentrate to whey tein isolate, she cautions that isolate, which still contains trace amounts of lactose and casein that could cause bloating and nausea for people who are particularly sensitive.
In that case, you may want to try swapping whey tein for a plant-based tein to see if that helps, Balk says.
If you’re still having issues, you could forgo tein powder or try supplementing with a biotic, he adds.
Other potentially irritating ingredients include fermentable fibers inulin and carrageenan, gums and thickeners xanthan gum, and sugar alcohols that can duce gas as a byduct and trigger stomach discomfort, Sharp says.
You could try looking for tein powders without those ingredients and with sweeteners monk fruit extract instead of sugar alcohols, which Sharp says is easier on the stomach.
Don’t overlook fiber An important thing to remember, Sharp says, is to not to not overdo it on tein powder to the point it displaces other vital nutrient-packed foods in your diet, which could be another cause of stomach issues.
Without enough fiber in your diet—from plants whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables—you’re going to have stomach issues, regardless of the tein powder, Sharp says.
“A serving of tein powder a day is absolutely safe for folks to consume, especially when you’re combining that with…other sources of lean tein,” Sharp says.
“It’s not that the tein itself is causing the issue, especially when eating plant-based sources of tein.
The challenge comes when replacing other gut-supporting nutrients fiber.” Why tein powder might overwhelm the gut Both Sharp and Balk agree that there’s one pretty substantial reason why tein powders could be causing stomach issues: too much tein, too fast.
“It can slow gastric emptying,” Balk says, which means the tein will hang out in the stomach a bit longer and cause that unwelcomed discomfort.
Additionally, having 25 to 30 grams of tein in just a few minutes in the form of a shake or smoothie can overwhelm the gut and lead to more bloating and gas, Sharp explains.
“It’s really easy to down a tein shake in a couple gulps versus how long it takes to eat a steak,” Balk adds.
“It’s not so much avoiding ingredients, it’s slowing down consumption.” Balk advises slowing down when you sip on a tein shake to help lessen the impact it has on your stomach.
“It’s not designed for stomach comfort. It’s designed to get a lot of tein in. That sets us up for bable or possible stomach distress,” he says.
It also might help to break up your tein intake—if you normally have two scoops of favorite tein powder in the morning, Balk recommends having one scoop in the morning and another later in the day so you don’t overwhelm your stomach all at once.
“It doesn’t matter when you’re ingesting the tein, it’s all going to do its job. It doesn’t need to be in one shot to work,” he says.
For more on tein: Starbucks responds to America’s tein craze by testing a special new latte Your tein needs change as you get older.
Here’s how much you should be eating at every age Here’s exactly how much tein you need based on your workout routine