Do you enjoy protein shakes, adding protein powder to your smoothies or using pre-workout protein mixes? My friend, Emily, is currently in her first trimester and loves getting extra protein. Before she got pregnant, she started power lifting, which was accompanied by extra protein supplements. Once she became pregnant, Emily asked me, like so many others in her position, if she could continue taking protein supplements during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
In any pregnancy, there is a 3% chance of developing a birth defect. So I looked into protein supplementation to see if it changes the risk for birth defects, side effects during breastfeeding, or other problems. That way, Emily could make a well-informed decision about her health and the health of her family.
Many of these protein products contain types of protein that are also found in everyday foods and even breast milk. Everyone needs a certain amount of protein each day as part of a balanced diet. However, there are a number of reasons why someone might have a specific daily protein intake goal. Like Emily, many people are interested in getting more protein to build muscle. There are other health conditions, such as phenylketonuria (PKU), that affect the amount of protein you should get in your diet. Ultimately, it is very important for you to review your personal daily protein intake goals with your healthcare team to ensure your health is being supported.
Not all protein supplements have been well studied, so information about their use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is limited. In addition, many protein powders and drinks also include other ingredients, such as additional vitamins or herbal products. For more information on herbal products, see our newsletter here:
Supplements are regulated differently than prescription drugs. Although the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates supplements, the FDA does not test each product for safety or effectiveness before it goes on the shelf. This means that some protein powders may contain some unknown or unlisted ingredients.
So before you add that extra scoop of protein powder, take some time to figure out if protein supplements are right for you.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
The amount of protein you need depends on different factors, such as age, activity level and health. Some proteins have a recommended daily allowance (RDA). The RDA depends on a person’s weight. You probably get some protein from your diet naturally. It’s important to consider your diet when trying to figure out how much protein you should be consuming. Because there are so many things to consider, it’s recommended that you talk to your healthcare team to make sure you’re meeting your nutritional needs. Getting the right amount of protein for you is not expected to increase your risk for problems during pregnancy or side effects during breastfeeding.
What are the typical amino acids in protein supplements?
Most protein powders contain many amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The list below may not include everything you may find in your protein powder. Since not every amino acid has an RDA, here is a list of known amino acids with an RDA. It’s always a good idea to double-check with your healthcare team about your specific protein intake goals.
- Cysteine & Methionine*
- RDA during pregnancy: 25 mg/kg
- RDA during lactation: 26 mg/kg
- Isoleucine
- RDA during pregnancy: 25 mg/kg
- RDA during lactation: 30 mg/kg
- White
- RDA during pregnancy: 56 mg/kg
- RDA during lactation: 62 mg/kg
- Lysine
- Threonine
- RDA during pregnancy: 26 mg/kg
- RDA during lactation: 30 mg/kg
- Tryptophan
- RDA for adults: 3.5 mg/kg
- Valin
- RDA for pregnancy: 31 mg/kg
- RDA for breastfeeding: 35 mg/kg
*Note: The RDA for methionine and cysteine are combined.
What about the other ingredients?
Often, protein powders can have other ingredients besides protein. Again, check the label on your specific products as they may vary.
- Caffeine: For more information on caffeine, see our newsletter:
- Collagen: There are no studies examining the use of collagen as a supplement during human pregnancy or lactation.
- Creatine: Creatine is found naturally in the body and in breast milk. There are no studies examining the use of creatine as a supplement during human pregnancy or lactation.
So what now?
Emily realized that since there isn’t much information about taking protein supplements during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The best next step for her was to talk with her health care team about what would best support her health and pregnancy. Some providers on her health care team include her primary care provider, her nurse-midwife, her nutritionist, and her endocrinologist. Emily decided she would even talk to a lactation consultant now so she would have time to prepare for breastfeeding. She knew how to measure how much protein she was getting in her protein powder, but she needed help estimating how much protein she was getting naturally in her diet.
Have more questions about supplements or other exposures during pregnancy or breastfeeding? Talk to a teratogen information expert at MotherToBaby.org.
References
Elango R. & O Ball, R. 2016. Protein and amino acid requirements during pregnancy. Advances in Nutrition, 7(4): 839-844. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.115.011817.
Food and Nutrition Board. 2005. Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
National Research Council. 1989. Recommended Dietary Allowances: 10th Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/1349.
