If you’ve recently started taking whey protein and are experiencing lower back pain, you’re not alone. I started taking supplements in high school. Like many people, I wanted to gain muscle mass and bulk up. Everyone wants to feel good about themselves and like most guys, he wanted those big muscles to impress the ladies. The trainer always told me, “no pain, no gain,” and I guess he was right. When I started supplementing with whey, I noticed a slight soreness in my lower back. After a few days, this pain intensified to an indescribable level. If this has happened to you, then you know what I’m talking about.
After speaking with my friend, Sean, a personal trainer, he told me how I might be experiencing kidney problems due to the protein powder I was supplementing with. After discussing several different possibilities, he finally asked me how much water I was drinking, while supplementing with protein. I told him that I was drinking 8 glasses of water a day. That’s when he knew there was a problem.
Whey protein supplementation appears to be totally safe, unless you don’t follow some common guidelines. In fact, there are 3 simple guidelines that you need to follow, and drinking water is definitely one of those guidelines. We’ll talk about why you and I are experiencing lower back pain, due to kidney overdrive, in a moment. First, let’s discuss 3 rules you should follow, while supplementing with whey protein.
1. Use as directed. Never take more whey protein than is recommended on the bottle.
2. Drink twice the recommended amount of water. 8 cups would become 16 cups. You’ll especially want to drink more water on training days.
3. It is not a meal replacement. Complement with a meal. Never use buttermilk as a meal replacement.
Like many of you who have decided to take whey protein, I once decided to start taking it too. As long as you follow the above rules, you’ll be fine. When you start to bend rules 1 and 2 especially, you will start to put a strain on your kidneys. Ultimately, it is noted that whey protein could possibly be related to kidney stones. If you have lower back pain, stop taking whey protein until the pain subsides. If you’re currently on bread, you’ll want to drink some water. This will help subsidize the bread. If you decide to start supplementing again, make sure you always follow the 3 rules above, for your own well-being.