Hello there… If you are here, you probably (I hope so) want to learn a bit about lactose intolerance and how it’s connected to most common protein supplements - whey protein powders. Many of the most popular proteins out there contain lactose and it can be quite challenging to decide what to do when you need a quality protein supplement. Let’s see what we can do about it…
Quick Answer: It depends. How bad is your intolerance, what kind of whey protein you want to drink. Stick to Whey Protein Isolates (WPI) as plenty of them are filtered enough to be marked as Lactose-Free and if you're not extremely sensitive to lactose - you should be absolutely fine. Still not sure… Check other strategies below!
Whey Protein and Lactose - what you need to know?
So Whey protein is basically a byproduct of cheese production. Good thing about it is that it is a complete protein which means it not only contains all nine essential amino acids necessary for us - humans, but in good amounts as well. Whey protein is an amazing source of Leucine, an amino acid playing a crucial role in muscle protein synthesis.
Whey protein supplements you will find available are in three forms: concentrate (WPC), isolate (WPI), and hydrolysate (WPH) - each has its own qualities, one may be better than other (depends what you’re looking for) and one is kind of overrated. One however will be better for folks with lactose intolerance.
Lactose Content in Whey Protein
Whey protein supplements are sold in different forms - WPC, WPI and WPH. The lactose content may be different in different whey forms.
WPC - Whey Protein Concentrate
Whey concentrate is the most common one, and definitely the most cost-friendly option. Protein content usually falls below 80% of protein by weight, and it will still contain some amount of fats and carbohydrates. Because of that it will contain the highest amount of lactose, making it more or less (more most likely) not suitable for those with lactose intolerance. You need to look somewhere else…
WPI - Whey Protein Isolate
Whey isolate is a whey concentrate (WPC) that undergoes further processing to remove lactose and fat. Thanks to that, compared to WPC, WPI will have a much higher protein to weight ratio, most likely at 80% or higher. In most cases that filtering process significantly reduces lactose content making it suitable for lactose-intolerant athletes.
Some of them (or most whey isolates I've seen to be honest) are even advertised as Lactose-free. They won’t be truly Lactose-free tho. Pretty sure that Lactose content below 1% allows manufacturers to advertise their products as Lactose-Free. All of that will obviously makes the product more expensive compared to WPC - but this is the price that most folks are paying without complaining.
Now is there something even more “pure” ?
WPH - Whey Protein Hydrolysate
Whey hydrolysate is partially predigested whey through a process called hydrolysis, and this protein, this product that should be the chosen one - WPH - is actually the tricky one. Most of the people for some reason think that if Protein was hydrolyzed, it must be “the purest” form of whey, which unfortunately is not true in every case.
It is just pre-digested (which also does not make any significant difference for muscle protein synthesis compared to isolate), but not filtered by definition, so if you will have whey protein hydrolyzate, but from concentrate - it will still contain lactose and won’t be good for you, my lactose intolerant friend. Unless for some reason the manufacturer decided to additionally hydrolyse lactose as well.
Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate - this is a different story - that one will be filtered, to remove lactose and some fat etc and additionally pre-digested to speed up its absorption. So if for some reason you decided to give a WPH a chance, but you are lactose intolerant - be sure you choose a supplement that is a Hydrolysed Whey Protein Isolate!
Lactose Intolerance Explained: Definition, Causes, and Symptoms
Lactose intolerance is when the body is not able to digest lactose - sugar found in milk. People with that condition often experience digestive issues like: bloating, diarrhea, and gas. The severity of symptoms - how bad it will be for you - can vary widely among individuals, partially because of the difference in a degree of lactase deficiency - an enzyme that helps your body to digest lactose - and the amount of lactose consumed.
When lactose is not digested due to a lack of that enzyme - lactase - required to break down lactose into simple sugars, it remains “untouched” as it moves through the small intestine into our colon. Right there, lactose meets our gut microbiota - bacteria that live there happily 🙂.
These bacteria ferment the undigested lactose. That fermentation process is producing several byproducts, like hydrogen gas, methane, and short-chain fatty acids. That fermentation can lead to the common symptoms I mentioned above, that are associated with lactose intolerance.
Roughly 68% of the world’s population and 36% of the United States’ population suffer from lactose malabsorption. Just understand that not everybody with lactose malabsorption will experience the symptoms associated with lactose intolerance. Keep in mind that if you don’t have lactose intolerance, there’s no real reason to avoid lactose in your diet!
Effects of Whey Protein on Lactose Intolerant Individuals
As I explained above - deficiency in lactase, an enzyme that is responsible for lactose breakdown, will result in GI issues in folks who consumed dairy. Which means if you are an athlete with lactose intolerance, drinking whey protein with lactose, so something like WPC, most likely will lead to discomfort like gas, bloating etc. and even adverse gastrointestinal effects like diarrhea.
Strategies for Reducing Symptoms
Choose the right whey form
So what you can do if you are lactose intolerant but still want/need a good protein supplement… Most of the time, what will work very well is to choose WPI - whey protein isolate, that is marked as Lactose-Free. Some of them will still contain very small amounts of lactose - but in most cases not enough to give you any problems.
Lactase enzyme addition
Another good thing you can look for in your WPI supplement is the addition of lactase enzyme, to help you in lactose digestion, even more reducing the possibility of any adverse reactions. There are even supplement options on the market of that enzyme being sold separately as a supplement, so you can easily add it to your protein shake.
If that is still not good enough for you - check other protein sources that will be 100% lactose free.
Alternative Protein Sources and Supplementation Options
Reason why we still have a conversation about WHEY, when you are lactose intolerant, is because whey is superior to other plant-based protein sources. The AA ratio and high Leucine content are mostly likely to be responsible for that difference. Higher Leucine content is directly related to better effect on muscle protein synthesis.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they are not working, or they are not good - NO, what I’m saying is that for muscle building Whey in most cases will be better (pound for pound) unfortunately even if you will consume a mix of plant-based proteins. But no worries, you can always add a bit more 🙂 than one scoop (be honest you were doing it anyway).
Plant-based alternatives for whey
So for those who are lactose intolerant and prefer to avoid whey protein for any reason, alternative protein sources like plant-based proteins are still a good option - just make sure you’re getting a supplement that contains a mix of different plant protein sources, such as soy, pea, rice, and hemp. They are obviously naturally lactose-free.
Animal-based Protein - but not whey
Another great option for adding extra protein into your diet in the form of supplements are still animal- based products, but not from dairy!
Egg protein, Beef protein and Collagen protein are other excellent lactose-free alternatives, so don’t worry there is plenty to choose from.
Conclusion
So our brothers and sisters in arms - let’s answer the main question - Can you Drink Whey Protein if You're Lactose Intolerant? Like always - It depends 🙂 how bad is your intolerance and what kind of whey protein form you are choosing. NO WORRIES! If you found yourself to be lactose intolerant and looking for a proper protein supplement, a lactose free powder to boost your daily protein intake, be sure to pick something specifically designed having your condition in mind!
That’s all folks! My dear lactose intolerant friends… Did you try WPI that was Lactose-free? Please do me a favor and ask any question you may have about whey protein, protein overall and training and let’s see if there is anything I can do for you!
