I firmly believe that high-protein, low-carb diets can drastically improve metabolic health. However, for many people this requires eating beyond recommended daily protein values — increasing protein intake to a minimum of 0.8 to 1 gram per pound of desired body weight.
Adjusting from ~54 grams of protein per day to 120+ grams per day can feel challenging, especially at the beginning of your metabolic health journey.
That’s one of the things that makes protein powders so appealing.
But the question is, are they safe for your heart?
First: why such an uproar?
There has been considerable discussion around protein powders recently, and no wonder. Keto and carnivore diets are becoming much more accepted in the US, which has upset the balance of traditional (and less effective) dietary guidelines.
This has led to two major camps of thought: those who see protein powders as a dietary staple, and those who avoid them entirely.
People against eating protein powder typically cite problems like caloric density, processed ingredients, and an ‘unnecessary’ emphasis on animal-based products (i.e., milk and eggs).
Many suggest avoiding protein powders at all costs unless under medical supervision.
But at the other end of the spectrum, we see people eating multiple servings of protein powder per day. You’ve no doubt heard about people eating 300+ grams of protein per day.
So, is protein powder really all that bad for you?
Let’s take a closer look.
How protein powders actually affect the heart
It may seem like every study covering protein intake and heart health says something different about whether or not it’s ‘good’ for you.
On one hand, we know that high protein intake can be difficult to synthesize without adequate hydration. You’ll need to drink more water than usual if you suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease.
We also know some types of protein powder have higher levels of lead. This is particularly common in plant-based protein powders — high-quality animal-based options have extremely low levels in comparison. Exposure to too much lead may increase heart disease risks, such as stroke and coronary heart disease.
Unfortunately, we’ve also been served up quite a few protein myths over the years. As much as they might seem like a problem, they’re usually far from it. For example:
- ‘Excess’ protein doesn’t turn into sugar in your blood. This is a massive oversimplification and doesn’t account for real-world evidence. I highly recommend getting a CGM and monitoring your postprandial (after-meal) sugar levels. After a meal of steak and eggs, for example, you won’t see a spike that negatively affects insulin response.
- High-protein diets won’t ruin your kidneys and renal function. You can check out this study and this other study for more specific details.
- Eating more than 22% of your daily calories from protein won’t increase your risks for heart disease. Of course, there’s a lot of nuance here that we simply don’t have time for. I cover the rest in my guide on why high protein doesn’t hurt the heart.
So what does all this tell us? That consuming more protein (including through protein powder) does require you to get higher-quality food, water, and sleep. But it certainly won’t lead to an early death.
In fact, increasing your protein intake can actually improve both your heart and metabolic health. Adding protein powder to your diet may actually benefit your heart long-term.
See for yourself:
- Extra protein can stop you from feeling hungry, since eating foods high in protein is more satiating. Eating a scoop of protein powder as a snack instead of a Twinkie is light-years healthier (and will prevent you from getting hungry again so soon).
- Increasing intake of whey protein can significantly reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure in overweight people.
So is protein powder bad for you?
If you want my opinion, I see two sides of the spectrum.
First, protein powder is technically a processed food, not a whole, real food. I would vastly prefer you meet your protein goals with steak, eggs, and milk versus a powder your body wasn’t inherently designed to process.
But on the other hand, protein powder can help you reach your protein goals in a pinch. It’s especially helpful if you’re struggling to meet your macros while avoiding foods with added sugars or carbs.
So if you do choose to eat protein powder, get the cleanest (fewest ingredients) option you can find. Animal-based options, like whey and organ meats, are generally better than plant-based protein.
As Marc Lobliner said about his food bars: “Supplement, don’t substitute.”
I couldn’t say it better than that.
Picking a better protein powder for your needs
We’ve seen that protein powder can be a net positive for your health, so long as you choose a healthier option.
This means:
- Avoiding added sugar. This also includes fake sugars, which can sneak into seemingly healthy foods and disrupt metabolic health.
- Choosing animal-based protein powders. Plant-based powders are where the vast majority of lead scares come from.
- Reading the ingredients label. Keep a close eye out for preservatives and seed oils. You can get plain whey protein powder, but it may be hard to find.
- Eating protein powder in addition to a low-carb, whole foods diet. If you’re using protein powder to make up for not eating meat, that’s a bad plan.
- Hydrating correctly. This includes getting enough electrolytes to reduce your risks of dehydration and limit unnecessary strain on the heart.
This, again, is just a decision-making matrix. You’ll find plenty of suggested options under this X post I made some time ago.
And if you’re not sure where to start with your daily protein intake, you can read my guide covering the proper way to set a protein goal.
