Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Does Whey Have Bad Side Effects?

By Bruce Gross

There are some bodybuilders out there who wont take whey protein as a supplement because they think that there are too many bad effects to taking it. Are there any bad side effects to whey protein? Here is what you need to know to decide whether or not whey protein is going to be safe or not.

One thing that you might hear a lot of guys at the gym say is that whey protein gave them an upset stomach. This could definitely be true, because whey protein is made from milk byproducts. If youre allergic to milk, you are probably going have the same reaction to whey protein. The reaction that you get is going to be similar to a food allergy, including symptoms such as diarrhea, a stomachache, bloating, gas, and perhaps a bit of swelling. If you experience any of these symptoms, of course you should stop taking whey protein. Usually, these symptoms will only last for a couple of hours and then go away. If you know that you are allergic to milk you should definitely avoid whey protein and choose other sources for getting the protein that you need for bodybuilding.

A more serious side effect that is often talked about is that whey protein is going to wreck your liver and kidneys. The truth of this statement is still being researched. What is true is that whey protein is no more difficult on your liver or kidneys than other protein substitutes are. The danger is from adding excessive amounts of protein to your diet. If used correctly, whey protein is going to be a good protein source for a bodybuilder and not cause any harm. Those who arent bodybuilders may find that too much protein is difficult for their bodies to process. After a while, the effects could build up and your body could have a lot of trouble digesting so much protein.

Whether or not whey protein is going to ruin your liver is probably going to be something you want to think about before starting the use of this product. Remember, whey protein is no more dangerous then any protein product so keep this in mind and you should find the decision easier. In fact, whey protein is a very healthy substance to be taking in and it has many benefits to it. Usually these benefits far outweigh the risks.

Another of the side effects of whey is that it can cause osteoporosis. Before starting this supplement, you are going to want to consider this negative side effect. It may help you to decide if you know that osteoporosis is only going to be a risk if you use this product for a long time. If your plans are to use whey for a while to get leaner or build muscle mass, you probably dont have anything to worry about. You should talk to your doctor before starting this (or any) supplement to discuss the risks.

There are some negative side effects to taking whey protein. However, these side effects are going to seem really small compared to the benefits that you are going to see from taking this supplement. Those who think that whey is too dangerous usually find that other protein supplements have identical (or worse) side effects. Not many people know that whey protein is one of the safest and best protein supplements out there. - 15336

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