Whey protein is extracted from
whey, the liquid portion of the milk when it is spun at high speed (مصل).
Whey protein is likely safe
for most adults when used in the recommended amounts, taking the daily doses without
exceeding 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. Note that you must
incorporate this amount into your daily protein intake from natural sources in
your diet, such as red meat, egg white, grains and beans, so that the overall
protein intake does not exceed 2.5 grams per kilogram per day; otherwise, you
would be running the risk of endangering the health of your kidneys with an
excessive protein load. And to make it all healthier, you must make sure to
drink plenty of water on a daily basis, to assist your kidneys in the process
of filtration.
The natural alternatives to synthetic whey are simply your daily dietary intake.
Whey protein
is considered safe when taken by mouth as a single dose of up to 50 grams, or
when 30 grams is taken by mouth daily for six months. And remember: this is
only an average amount, and it may differ depending on brands. Moreover,
the studies on the adverse effects of whey protein have many limitations,
mainly:
1- the fact that a unified
dose does not exist
2- there are other
ingredients in the products found on the market, and so it is difficult to
identify the culprit in a particular adverse health effect
3- the studies done so far
are not long-term studies, so there remains to be probably undiscovered
negative side effects that will only emerge with long-term use of this substance.
The known side effects of
whey protein use, especially upon exceeding the recommended daily amounts, are:
lactose intolerance (your intestines can no longer digest lactose, the milk
sugar, and so you will feel bloated and get flatulence upon consumption of milk
and/or dairy products), intestinal irritation, bloating etc., and the more
dangerous effects like kidney stones, kidney failure, stress on the liver and
ketosis (elevation of ketone bodies in the blood, which are compounds produced
by the breakdown of proteins; if ketone bodies become too high in the blood,
this induces nausea and mental confusion, and eventually coma if levels are way
too high).
