Proteins are typically not nutrients for weight gain but certain types of protein drinks can drive up your body weight. This is so, especially when you take so much of these drinks without cutting down your net calorie consumption from other sources like Carbs and dietary fats which are the main drivers of weight gain.
Protein drinks are mostly called protein shakes. They come in different forms some of which are specifically made for weight gain and can be called weight gainer shakes. These have so much added sugars that they can turn your glass of milk into a 1,200-calorie drink according to the Harvard School of Medicine.
I don’t want to believe protein shakes are the only protein drinks there are. Milk can be liquid and is proteinous, right? Technically it’s also a drink. As a protein drink, full cream milk is a high protein drink with a rich fat content that can help you gain weight.
In adding to the answer already given, I’ll delve further into the subject of weight gain by protein shakes and a few other points.
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Do protein shakes help you gain weight?
Protein shakes help you gain weight not because of the protein they contain but because of the added sugars that raise their caloric content. Sugars are carbs that are mainly for the production of energy and the excess is converted to fat to be stored in the body for later use.
Whereas a high consumption of dietary proteins can lead to weight loss, a high consumption of protein shakes will lead to weight gain. This is so, especially in the absence of exercise or the presence of extra calories from other dietary sources.
The principle is simple. Taking many calories higher than your daily requirement will lead to weight gain because of the calorie surplus. A calorie surplus means there is an excess of calories your body doesn’t need for energy and will have to be stored for later use. This leads to weight gain over time.
If you are someone who consumes just about your daily calorie requirement for weight maintenance, taking protein shakes with high caloric contents with your meals will result in weight gain.
Do protein shakes make you gain weight without working out?
The lack of exercise or workouts lowers your daily calorie requirements. Protein shakes often contain a considerable number of calories which adds to your overall calorie intake. Lowering your daily calorie requirements by avoiding workouts while taking protein shakes may increase your calorie surplus. This leads to weight gain as described in the previous section.
On the contrary, workouts increase your daily calorie requirement. This increases the possibility of a calorie deficit that is necessary for weight loss while taking protein shakes. This practice increases your body composition by reducing your fat mass and increasing your free fat mass.
Can protein shakes make you fat?
Protein shakes in themselves don’t have enough calorie content that can make you fat. However, When taken with meals that meet your daily calorie requirement, the extra calories you get from protein shakes can lead to a calorie surplus that enables you to gain weight. A gradual and continued weight gain can make you fat over time.
However, not all protein shakes can contribute measurably to your weight gain objectives. Some shakes are low in carbs or calories. You need weight gainer shakes with higher amounts of sugars and fats to gain weight. Nonetheless, consuming high amounts of shakes with high refined sugar contents is a health risk.
If your protein shake is low in calories you may have to take a whole lot more of them to significantly increase your net caloric intake. This will mean consuming such high amounts that are well above your daily intake for protein. There are symptoms associated with consuming excess proteins you may want to read up on.
I hope this was comprehensive enough. I’ll be looking forward to more questions or suggestions on what hasn’t been covered. Meanwhile, see you on the next topic.
