Every athlete knows the importance of protein in their diet. Protein is one of the fundamental building blocks of human life. It aids recovery, it helps those who have pushed themselves to their brink to get back to training faster and, of course, it helps those ripped muscles come back stronger.

Most people who train their body enjoy a diet that’s rich in protein, but for some people they might unwittingly be inviting in some adverse health effects.

Many people who rely on protein for their fitness have an intolerance to the proteins they eat and don’t even know about it. Luckily, it’s very possible to get muscle gain even with a protein intolerance, but you need to recognise it for what it is first.

What is a Protein Intolerance?

A protein intolerance is a general term describing a range of specific food conditions. Every condition can impact individuals in a range of different ways. There are a variety of protein intolerances that can impact the budding athlete: 

Whey Protein Intolerance

No matter how high-quality your whey isolate is, it can have adverse effects on some people. Some studies have suggested that those who have an intolerance to whey can experience extreme bloating and gas, as well as cold-like symptoms and even a mucus build-up in their throat. These can make it very difficult to work out effectively.

Cow’s Milk Protein intolerance

Some bodies can abnormally respond to a specific protein that’s found in cow’s milk in such a way that can cause actual injury to the stomach and intestines. It’s different to lactose intolerance as it’s caused by the actual protein, not just a sugar. Signs that you have this protein intolerance include a skin rash, eczema, gastrointestinal pains, vomiting, blood in stool and diarrhoea.

Soy protein intolerance

Soy protein actually contains antinutrients, which can impact the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins and make the most of its amino acid. If you’re intolerant to soy, you might get symptoms 30 minutes after eating, but they can also take up to 48 hours to appear and include nausea, abdominal pain, gas, bloating and diarrhoea. 

Many people live with a food intolerance without even knowing it because it’s easy to think that symptoms are caused by something else. If you regularly get some of these symptoms you should test yourself. You can cut out ingredients from your diet, but this can be a lengthy process. If you’re short on time you can get an intolerancelab.co.uk test, which is a fast and easy hair-test. 

Protein Alternatives to Aid Recovery

Protein is invaluable when it comes to gaining muscle mass – you can’t repair your ripped muscles without it. You can’t even live without it. If you have a protein intolerance, you don’t have to give up packing on mass, you just need to avoid that particular protein and find an alternative. There are many alternatives on the market:

Alternative Powders – there are a huge range of alternative protein powders on the market for people with protein intolerances. Goat milk protein powder, hemp protein powder, pea protein powder and even insect protein can be great options. 

Fresh Meat or Fish – old but gold, fresh meat or fish are one of the best ways of getting digestible protein into your diet.

Plant protein – whether they’re in a drink supplement or you eat them fresh, plant proteins can be great alternative as plants like spinach and spirulina have good amino acid profiles. 

Thanks for reading,

Nick Screeton