Thursday, December 23, 2010

Is Protein Powder Safe to Use as a Supplement?

Athletes are often nervous about trying something like a protein supplement for the first time. Most of this is due to all the negative publicity that professional athletes have brought to illegal and harmful substances to try to gain an edge in their sport. Supplements like whey protein powder don’t have any known side effects that could cause you harm. Pretty much the worst thing that could happen is you could gain unwanted weight, but this would just be due to error in your consumption.

If you are exercising enough to warrant a protein supplement, then weight gain should not be a serious concern for you. The potential weight addition is simply caused by eating more calories than you burn each day. If you’re on a bodybuilder or distance runner’s training schedule, then this is almost impossible. However, if you’re just a regular guy who goes to the gym twice a week, then it could definitely affect you.

Other than weight gain, there is the potential that you could eat far too much protein. Most Americans in today’s society eat nearly double the amount of protein that they need each and every day. If you add protein on top of that already incorrect diet, then you could be eating more than your body can safely process and digest. Some side effects of eating too much protein include kidney problems, diarrhea, stomach cramping. To avoid this, you simply need to take stock of your current diet before adding any kind of supplement to it.

Even the best protein powder mixed in with the healthiest fruits in a smoothie can cause these problems. As long as you are an athlete in training you probably don’t have to worry about either one, but a sedentary person who is looking for some magic supplement to help them look better probably won’t be impressed by the results they get from taking extra protein in their diet.



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