What Happens to Your Body When You Add Whey Protein to Your Smoothie

Whey protein is the liquid part of milk that separates from the curds when cheese is made, and it provides all nine essential amino acids that your body can’t make on its own. Here’s how adding it to a smoothie — a popular way to increase protein intake — could affect your body.

Although whey protein nutrition varies by brand, a typical scoop contains a solid dose of protein, around 25 grams.

For most people, protein should make up about 10 to 35 percent of your daily calories. Since 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories, that’s about 50 to 175 grams per day if you consume 2,000 calories. Athletes and the elderly may need even more protein than the generally recommended amount.

Research suggests that whey protein supplementation may help improve muscle mass and exercise performance in people who regularly strength train. One study found that people who consumed 20 to 25 grams of whey protein after a workout seemed to see an improvement in their strength and recovery.

These benefits are likely due to whey protein’s high concentration of amino acids, including leucine. Leucine in particular is known to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and growth.

Protein helps build and repair tissues, which is important for healing wounds and speeding recovery after injury or surgery.

Research shows that protein requirements can increase to more than 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight during a rehabilitation period. Ideally, protein intake should be distributed in portions of 20 to 40 grams throughout the day.

Because appetite is often lower after surgery, it can be difficult to get enough protein from food. Drinking whey protein shakes or using other high-quality protein supplements can help fill this gap.

Whey protein can be a great way to increase your protein intake. However, this is not always necessary. Experts generally recommend getting most of your protein from whole foods when possible. Here are some good food sources of protein:

• Choose Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt
• Try quinoa or protein pasta instead of white rice or regular pasta
• Eat more beans and lentils
• Opt for eggs instead of cereal for breakfast
• Add nuts or nut butter to meals or snacks
• Snack on cottage cheese, edamame, or jerky
• Include a protein-rich food like fish, lean meat, tofu, nuts or beans at all meals and snacks
• Keep canned tuna or chicken on hand for easy meals

Some people should avoid whey protein altogether, including those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who are not on dialysis. Eating less protein can slow the progression of kidney disease. If you have kidney disease, talk to your kidney care team about how much protein you need per day. You should also avoid whey protein supplements if you are allergic to cow’s milk and if you are taking certain medications, such as levodopa, a medication used to treat Parkinson’s disease.

Taking more than 30 grams of whey protein at a time can also cause short-term side effects, including:

As always, talk to a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement or making any major changes to your diet.