The protein powder I’m one of the supplements most popular foods, especially among those who practice sport on an intensive level. Even though they are often perceived as products artificial or “chemists“, these are actually proteins of natural origin. In fact, they come from serum of milkthe same component from which ricotta is obtained. Then they are concentrated and purified through industrial processes. In this video article we see what they are exactly, how they are produced, who really needs them and who doesn’t, what the label contains and what the real side effects linked to excessive consumption are.
What are protein powders and what do they contain?
Protein powder comes from whey, the yellowish liquid that remains as a byproduct during protein production cheese. When the milk is processed with the rennetseparates into two parts: the solid curd, which becomes cheese, and the liquid whey, which contains dissolved proteins called whey proteins.
This serum is then subjected to industrial processes filtration And purification (mainly ultrafiltration and membrane microfiltration) which progressively eliminate fats, lactose and other non-protein components, concentrating the proteins until you obtain a powder with a very high protein content.
The most common protein powders, Whey proteins (where whey means whey in English) are therefore a direct derivative of the dairy industry. The same proteins you find in ricottaonly that they are concentrated and deprived of most of the fats and sugars.
Who needs it and who doesn’t
The real question is: why should I use them when I can eat “normal” food?
The short answer is: you probably don’t need it. For most people, the requirement protein dailywhich according to the indications of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) is 0.8-0.9 g/kg (grams per kilo of body weight), can be easily achieved with a diet normal. If you weigh 60 kg, you need about 54 grams of protein per day: 100 grams of pasta plus 200 grams of chicken and you’re there. It’s not a difficult goal.
The situation changes for those who train very intensely. We’re not talking about two hours a week in the gym. We are talking about those who train 4-6 times a week with sessions long And loads high. For these people, scientific literature recommends a protein intake between 1.6 and 2.2 grams per kilo per day. For a 60 kg person this means up to 132 grams of daily protein: almost triple. Reaching this quota with food alone is possible, but requires planning. And this is where protein powder simply becomes comfortable: quick to prepare, easy to transport and precise in dosage.
What happens if you overdo it: the side effects
At normal doses and in the right context, protein powder they don’t hurt. The problems come fromexcess (as with all foods), not from the powder itself.
The most common side effect if you overdo it is swelling abdominal, often accompanied by flatulence. And who is intolerant to lactose you must be careful because standard whey contains it.
The most serious issue concerns i kidneys. A protein intake chronically high (from any source, not just powder) can tire them in the long term and, in predisposed subjects, contribute to the formation of calculations kidneys. This risk is amplified by poor hydration: If you consume a lot of protein, you need to drink a lot of water. And who already has one pathology renal must evaluate with his own doctor any increase in protein intake.
The whey types: how to read the label
Not all protein powders are created equal. Standard whey contains around 70-80% protein, the rest is fat and lactose. Isolated whey comes to85% of proteins with less fats and carbohydrates. The wheys hydrolyzed (the most “pure”, with about 90% proteins) are also the most digestible because the protein chains are already partially broken down, and contain less lactose: the most suitable for those with intolerances.
In addition to proteins, many products contain sweeteners such as sucralose, aromas of all kinds, thickeners, emulsifiers and enzymes digestive agents such as lactase and protease. Some add vitamins or other compounds such as creatine — in that case, if you are already hiring creatine separately, check the label to avoid excess.
