Even during pregnancy, the body needs balanced amounts of all nutrients. One of these essential nutrients is protein. Many times pregnant women have to take additional amount of protein to fulfill the daily needs. In such a situation, there's always a fear in their mind that it will not harm the fetus. To overcome this dilemma, it is very important to know whether it is safe to take protein powder during pregnancy period.
So let's know that is it safe to take protein during pregnancy. At the same time, you will also know the benefits and side-effects of protein intake during pregnancy.
Is It Safe to Take Protein While Pregnant?
YES, it is totally safe to consume protein in the pregnancy and you can be take it through several food items. Doctor or health care provider may recommend taking protein powder or supplements if the amount of protein in the body of a pregnant woman is low.
You may also interested in: Whey Protein Powder and Supplementation [Everything You Wanna Know]
It can reduce the problem of low birth weight and fetal development. It is said that for the women who're underweight or don't have enough protein in their body, their doctors may advise to take a balanced protein powder or supplements.
How Much Protein Should Be Taken in Pregnancy?
A healthy woman should consume at least 71 gm of protein daily during pregnancy. A woman's body may need an extra amount of protein in every quarter of pregnancy, such as -
- In the 1st trimester of pregnancy, 1 gm of extra protein may be required per day.
- In the 2nd trimester, about 8 gm of additional protein may be required.
- In the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, your body may require about 26 gm of extra protein.
Benefits of Taking Protein Powder During Pregnancy
Consuming protein powder during pregnancy may not only overcome the problem of protein deficiency, but it can also provide many other health benefits; including -
1. For Energy:
Fatigue is a quite common problem during pregnancy. In this situation, protein powder can play a vital role in eliminating this fatigue and providing energy to the body. Protein powders or supplements contain a good amount of energy, which can serve to keep a pregnant women energetic throughout the day.
You may also interested in: Pregnancy Food : What to Eat and What to Avoid During Pregnancy
2. For Muscles:
Taking protein powder during pregnancy helps to reduce muscle damage. According to a scientific research, human muscle loss can be avoided by the consumption of protein. It can also help to improve muscle functioning.
However this research has been done on athletes, but it is believed that it can show the same effect on pregnancy.
3. For Fetal Development:
The benefits of protein during pregnancy can also be seen here. According to a scientific research, consuming protein supplements or powders in pregnancy can help in the fetus development as well as avoid the risk of low birth weight.
4. For Better Immunity:
Using protein powder in pregnancy can help to improve and boost immune system. According to a scientific study, the lack of protein in pregnancy may weaken the immune system of the fetus and may increase the risk of infection in the body of women. In this case, the protein can maintain the immunity of the fetus.
In addition, protein powders containing amino acid cysteine can strengthen the immune system by increasing the level of glutathione in the body. Indeed, glutathione is a vital antioxidant that can protect against the risk of having infection by improving the immune system.
5. Gestational Diabetes:
Gestational diabetes is a condition which causes your blood sugar levels become high during pregnancy. And, according to a medical research, women who take adequate amounts of protein during pregnancy have a reduced risk of having gestational diabetes.
According to an another research, among the patients who were found to be at risk of diabetes, there was a lack of protein.
Here, we want to make it clear that protein powder can prevent and reduce the risk of diabetes during pregnancy. During this time, don't consume protein powders containing sugar at all.
You may also interested in: How to Get Rid of Back Pain (Backache): Treatments and Effective Home Remedies
6. To Keep The Heart Healthy:
According to a scientific study, protein powder contains a vitamin called lutein. This element can help to keep the heart healthy and protect you against the risk of many heart diseases.
An another research in this regard suggests that protein supplements have antioxidant effects, which can protect against heart disease. On this basis, it can be said that protein powder is beneficial for the heart.
Side Effects of Protein Powder During Pregnancy:
There are a wide range of health benefits of consuming protein in pregnancy. At the same time, if using in excessive amounts, it can cause many health side effects; including -
- Excessive use of protein in the pregnancy may inhibit the development of the fetus
- If someone takes protein powder regularly for more days, they may have kidney problems
- Dairy may cause gastrointestinal discomfort to allergic people
- Some protein powder contain too much sugar, which may lead to increased blood sugar
- It may cause pimples when consumed in excessive amounts
- Protein powder can cause weight gain due to both calories and sugar
Protein Powder Nutritional Profile:
Protein powders are prepared by mixing different ingredients, so they contain many other nutrients besides protein; including -
How to Include Protein Powder in Your Diet During Pregnancy
It is vital to include protein powder in the diet correctly during pregnancy. This may lead to better health benefits of protein powder. Below we're going to discuss how to include protein powder in pregnancy.
How To Consume:- Protein powder can be mixed in the milk
- It can also be consumed by mixing it in the water
- It can be mixed with milk products such as kheer
- Can be mixed in oats
Protein powder can be taken in the morning or evening on the advice of a doctor.
How Much To Consume:Every adult needs 71 gm of protein daily. However, it depend on several factors. Here, it is advisable to consult your doctor first before using any protein powder or supplement during pregnancy.
Take Away
Protein may play a vital role when consumed during pregnancy. But, take protein powder or supplements under the supervision of your doctor. Your doctors can give information about the exact amount of it, which can protect against many health side effects.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) :Q. Can protein powder increase weight during pregnancy?
A. Yes, intake of protein powder during pregnancy can cause weight gain. For this reason, it is considered good for the women who're underweight. At the same time, normal-weight pregnancies can lead to greater weight gain, which can cause some problems during or after delivery.
Q. How much protein should a pregnant woman take in a day?
A. The pregnant should take more than 71 grams of protein daily. Ask your doctor for more details.
Q. Who has been included in the best protein powder in pregnancy?
A. One of the best protein powders in pregnancy is Whey Protein.
REFERENCES:- Effects of protein energy supplementation during pregnancy on fetal growth: a review of the literature focusing on contextual factors; Author: Selma C. Liberato, Gurmeet Singh and Kim Mulholland; PMCID: PMC3827488. PMID: 24235913. doi: 10.3402/fnr.v57i0.20499.
- Maternal Nutrition for Girls and Women; Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy 2014-2025.
- Maternal nutritional status during pregnancy and infant immune response to routine childhood vaccinations; Author: Olayinka Obanewa and Marie-Louise Newell; PMCID: PMC5716389. PMID: 29225661. doi: 10.2217/fvl-2017-0021.
- The wonder of whey protein; Author: Marjorie Geiser.
- Micro- and macronutrients intake during pregnancy - summary of the recommendations; Table 1.
- Effects of Protein Supplements on Muscle Damage, Soreness and Recovery of Muscle Function and Physical Performance: A Systematic Review; Author: Stefan Pasiakos, Harris R Lieberman and Tom M McLellan; DOI: 10.1007/s40279-013-0137-7.
- Common symptoms during pregnancy; Mediline Plus.
- Low Protein Diets for Pregnant Women and Its Association with Insulin Secretion and Resistance; Author: Jacqueline Zarkos, Daniel Addai and Anna Tolekova; PMCID: PMC6420940. PMID: 30894934. doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.081.
- PROTEIN POWDER; U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Stability of lutein encapsulated whey protein nano-emulsion during storage; Author: Changhui Zhao, Xue Shen and Mingruo Guo; PMCID: PMC5802924.PMID: 29415071. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192511.
- Pregnancy and birth: weight gain in pregnancy, National Center for Biotechnology Information.
- Health Benefits of Whey Protein: A Review; Author: Birsen BULUT SOLAK and Nihat Akın; DOI: 10.17265/2159-5828/2012.03.001.
- Acne located on the trunk, whey protein supplementation: Is there any association?; Author: Fatma Pelin Cengiz, Bengu Cevirgen Cemil, Nazan Emiroglu, Anil Gulsel Bahaliand Nahide Onsun; PMCID: PMC5350548. PMID: 28326292. doi: 10.15171/hpp.2017.19.
- The hidden dangers of protein powders; Harvard Medical School.
- Effect of a High-Protein Diet on Kidney Function in Healthy Adults: Results from the OmniHeart Trial, Author: Stephen P. Juraschek, Lawrence J. Appel, Cheryl A.M. Anderson and Edgar R. Miller, PMCID: PMC3602135. NIHMSID: NIHMS447164. PMID: 23219108
