Most athletes and exercise enthusiasts are aware that post-training nutrition is an important factor for improving lean muscle and supporting recovery. Clients will often guzzle down a protein shake before or after training because they know its ‘good for them’ and leave it at that. Although this is a good first step in the right direction, there is more to the protein story.
There are various types of protein sources from which these ‘protein shakes’ are derived; some superior for supporting training and some better between bouts of exercise. More importantly, many commercial protein brands have ‘stuff’ in them that are can negatively affect your gut, your immunity, and your overall health. Heavy metals, artificial sweeteners, and fillers can all be found in many forms of protein making them detrimental to overall health.
Let’s take a look.
Whey Proteins
The most significant difference among different protein supplement is the facilities in which they are manufactured. Unfortunately, most commercial brands do not come from laboratories that have stringent manufacturing practices and certifications ensuring the quality and purity of the protein supplement. High-quality physician’ line supplement brands have superior laboratory testing procedures and accreditations, they are accountable to independent third-party testing of ingredients and final formulas, therefore eliminating impurities and heavy metals.
Many commercial manufacturers use inexpensive whey proteins – in order to improve the bottom line – that can be laden with nasty chemicals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury. A recent report by Consumer Reports Magazine in 2010 showed most all ‘commercial’ brands of whey protein had elevated levels of many or all of the above toxins.
Heavy metals inhibit mitochondrial function in the cell, resulting in muscular weakness, fatigue, and poor recovery. Heavy metals are very difficult to get out of the body, so reducing your intake and your body’s burden is very important.
This is a primary reason why it’s critical to purchase ‘quality’ whey protein from reputable physician-line brands.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is another ingredient that can be found in protein supplements to improve the taste and make it more palatable. You might think that sugar is fine to consume post-exercise but unfortunately the fuel your cells require is glucose, not the fructose found in sugar which must travel to the liver to be converted to glucose, placing a heavier burden on liver function.
HFCS is a common sugar used in popular sports drinks and protein powders to provide simple sugars to working muscles. Unfortunately, the over-emphasis of fructose in these products can lead to gas, bloating and cramping. This is due to the high concentration of fructose found in these products, which slow the rate of gastric emptying – how quickly the solution leaves your stomach – and therefore makes for a poor fuel choice.
Fructose consumed in large quantities also exerts a pro-inflammatory effect on the liver; contributing to insulin resistance and disrupting intestinal microflora. This can be extremely detrimental to athletic performance. Increased inflammation can lead to longer recovery time and increased likelihood for nagging injuries, while excessive fructose intake is associated with insulin resistance and subsequent weight gain. This relationship is highlighted in a 2012 study from the Institute of Food in Switzerland that shows the connection between high fructose intake and altered gut bacteria, and significant weight gain.
Artificial Sweeteners
More sweeteners added to protein supplements include acesulfame potassium and sucralose. These artificial sweeteners are about 200-600x sweeter than sugar respectively, making them sought after sweeteners to mask the taste of some of the more bitter amino acids, namely the important muscle building branch-chain amino acids.
While these sweeteners do not significantly impact blood sugar leaves and are low in calories, they do significantly increase insulin levels. This is especially important for people trying to lose weight. In order to reduce body fat, insulin levels must be kept low. Elevated insulin levels are bad news because it directly inhibits your ability to break down body fat for fuel.
Sucralose is a sugar alcohol, a synthetic chemically modified version of a sugar designed to taste sweet with little caloric impact on the body. The synthetic sucralose compound is made in a laboratory when sugar is treated with trityl chloride, acetic anhydride, hydrogen chlorine, thionyl chloride and methanol in the presence of dimethylformamide, 4-methyl morpholine, toluene, methyl isobutyl ketone, acetic acid, benzyltriethylammonium chloride and sodium methoxide.
Doesn’t sound very natural, does it?
As well, sucralose doesn’t impact your total carbohydrate intake because it is very poorly absorbed, which is why consuming very high doses can lead to loose stool, diarrhea, and even anal leakage. Other side effects of sucralose consumption include headaches, numbness, muscle aches, and stomach pain. A recent 2010 study suggested further testing on these sweeteners is required to ensure they are not detrimental to overall health.
Another more recent 2012 study showed that the breakdown of sucralose into the water table negatively impacts the motor function of crustaceans, suggesting a toxic or over-stimulatory activation which researchers suggested ‘should be considered a warning’ against exposure.
So what type of protein should I be consuming?
The answer is high quality, pure proteins that are free of toxins and artificial sweeteners. The number one option is the new Klean Protein for Douglas Labs, which has only one ingredient… whey protein isolate. In general, the fewer ingredients in a protein formula the better. The Klean Protein is NSF certified for sport (approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency or WADA) and contains no yeast, wheat, gluten, corn, starch, artificial coloring, preservatives or flavoring.
The next best option is any protein supplement containing natural herbal sweeteners like stevia, cocoa, or vanilla extract, or actual natural sugars like cane sugar juice, rather than synthetic forms. Examples include Thorne’s Whey Protein Isolate or New Zealand Whey Protein Isolate.
If you are lactose intolerant you should switch over to a vegetable-based protein to avoid gas, bloating, and cramping. Examples of rice protein blends include Thorne’s Vegalite or MediClear formulas.
Take your sports nutrition, recovery, and overall health to the next level. Stop compromising your progress and health with sub-standard protein blends. You wouldn’t eat salmon laden with toxic metals, so why do the same with your protein.
Choose clean, pure, high-quality protein sources and feel the difference today.
REFERENCES
- Dr Marc Bubbs ND, CSCS, ART
- Consumer Reports Magazine. July 2010.
- Payne AN et al. Gut microbial adaptation to dietary consumption of fructose, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols: implications for host-microbe interactions contributing to obesity. Obes Rev. 2012 Sep;13(9):799-809.
- Malaisse WJ et al. Effects of artificial sweeteners on insulin release and cationic fluxes in rat pancreatic islets. Cell Signal. 1998 Nov;10(10):727-33.
- Karstadt ML. Inadequate Toxicity tests of food additive. 2010 Jan-mar;(16(1):89-96
- Wiklund AK, et al. 2012 Jan;86(1):50-5 doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.08.049.
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