Can Protein Shakes Harm Your Kidneys? Expert Explains

Proteins are large, complex macronutrient made up of amino acids that are significant for building, strengthening, and repairing body tissues like hair, muscle, and skin. They function as structural components, enzymes, hormones, and immune system defenders. Protein plays vital role for maintaining metabolism, fluid balance, and supplying key nutrients. Proteins offers structures to bones, hair, and skin apart from repairing tissues all over the body. Muscles include proteins namely myosin and actin that allow for movement and contraction. Even the antibodies are also protein that protect the body from several deadly bacteria and viruses.

While protein is essential for maintaining overall health, the requirement of the macronutrient may vary if you have chronic kidney disease. Meanwhile, eating too less protein can cause malnutrition and excess of it can cause kidney damage. It is significant to maintain a balance when it comes to protein consumption. And, we often purchase protein shakes, powders or bars without consulting any professional or experts.

However, moderate intake of protein shakes may not cause any harm to the kidneys in healthy people. But, excess consumption and long-term intake can strain the kidney. People with pre-existing kidney issues or chronic kidney disease should avoid high intake of protein supplements as they can speed up progression of the disease.  

According to a report featured in healthline, “A high-protein diet may cause your kidneys to work more to filter your blood. Over time, this increased workload could cause kidney damage or make kidney disease worse.” ¹

Recently, leading Ayurvedic expert Dimple Jangda took to her Instagram account to throw light on protein shakes and their impact on kidney health. “If you are someone who loves protein shakes, probably going in a high-protein, low-carb diet, then you could probably be damaging your kidneys.”

“If you rely heavily on protein shakes or follow a very high-protein, low-carb diet, it’s important to be mindful of how it may affect your body, especially your kidneys. Excessive intake of protein supplements, particularly when combined with substances like creatine, steroids, or inadequate hydration, can put extra strain on the kidneys. When your body processes protein, it produces waste products that the kidneys must filter out, and over time, excessive load may lead to stress on this system,” said, Jangda. ²

3 Ways Excess Protein Shakes & Low Carb Diet May Harm Kidney Health?  

Number 1: The expert said, “Modern studies have shown that people who take excessive protein shakes along with some kind of anabolic steroids as a pre-workout, excess intake of Creatine and dehydration. They probably be damaging their kidneys. And, here is why? When you consume protein, it creates a byproduct, a waste product called Nitrogen Oxide, which the kidney has to cleanse and flush out of the system."

Now, there is an increased blood flow to the kidney for this new activity. The filtration system is going up, leading to hyper filteration, which can lead to fibrosis and internal kidney injury,” she asserted.

Number Two: Dimple Jangda said, when you take protein shakes, you literally taking this dehydrated protein powder that is loaded with emulsifiers, preservatives, and coloring agents. Even if you are having organic protein drink in cold water, you are having a cold drink that literally just goes in and diminishes your Agni, which is the digestive fire. It slows down your digestion, leading to more bloating, gas, flatulence, and indigestion.

This is the reason why I always prefer a warm bowl of Daal or lentil, beans, pulses, which are good sources of protein along with fibre that can prevent dehydration, indigestion, and bloating.

Number 3: The Ayurvedic health expert said, “Wrong combinations of food that you are putting in your protein shakes. You are taking your protein and adding some fruits for fibre. Fruits have active acids, fruit is best chewed as a raw fruit rather than drunk as a juice because when you juice fruits, it becomes this liquid sugar, which is as good as alcohol for your liver. It can cause serious damage to the liver in the long run, it can cause sugar spikes, insulin resistance as well. It is best to consume a bowl of fruits, pre-workout as a probiotic and post-workout.”

You can also have a bowl of chickpeas with some jaggery. Roasted chickpeas are an excellent source of protein, also a source of magnesium, which prevents cramping. It improves your sleep quality and prevents any kind of damage to your liver and kidney because it is a natural food found naturally in nature, added Dimpla Jangda.

If you still need more protein, you can have sattu shake, which is basically chickpea powder roasted with some dry fruits like almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, which are a good source of protein. You dehydrate it and store it in the refrigerator. But, make it at home. You can keep it up to 2-weeks. Just take two scoops of it, boil it in warm water or hot water and drink this as a warm drink, post-workout. This is called sattu shake, a great source of protein. So load up on your protein with equal amount of carbs, vegetables, and fibre. But, do not overdo it, emphasized the health expert.      

FAQs

References

1. healthline|Does Too Much Whey Protein Cause Side Effects?

2. Ayurvedic expert Dimple Jangda via Instagram|Can Protein Shakes & Low Carb Diet Harm Kidney Health?

Disclaimer: This content is for general informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any questions about your health or treatment options.