Can protein shakes make you gain weight?

Updated on July 7th, 2023 at 08:00 pm

There’s no question that protein shakes can be a great way to get some extra protein into your diet. But are they effective weight loss tools when all you’re doing is sitting on the couch?

With protein shakes, it’s not hard to add a lot of calories to your diet, as many protein shakes on the market contain more sugar than you should eat in a day. So instead of adding protein, you’re adding additional calories and sugar to your diet, which will make you gain body weight quickly.

You can also refer to it as “dirty bulking” with sufficient resistance training to grow your muscles. The main idea behind dirty bulking is eating as many calories as possible day in and day out. This article will look at how protein shakes can increase weight when you are not working out, their effect on your body, and the dangers of dirty bulking.

How much weight can you gain from protein shakes?

Depending on the brand and type of protein shake, the frequency and size of shakes, most people can expect to gain about 10-20 pounds in a single month. Even worse, many of these high-sugar protein shakes will be extremely hard on your body. The shakes will increase blood glucose even when you are not consuming that much sugar in your diet!

As insulin resistance increases with age, rising insulin levels can lead to diabetes and heart disease conditions. For more information on this, read Why does obesity cause diabetes?

Effects of drinking protein shakes without working out

Our research indicates that consuming protein shakes can have a wide range of effects on your body depending on the type and quantity of products used. When you ingest too much protein, it can negatively affect your body.

According to some research done by the Harvard School of Public Health, too much protein in your diet can affect your body’s glucose regulation.

What is glucose regulation?

Glucose regulation is the body’s mechanism that helps control blood sugar levels and lower them when they get too high. There is nothing wrong with consuming a high-protein diet. But, when people consume too many protein supplements, it can throw glucose regulation out of balance.

It also makes it a problem to lose weight and can also lead to serious health issues like obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease.

Dangers of dirty bulking

Dirty bulking can have some side effects if you do not do it right. The main side effect of dirty bulking is fat gain. You can gain several pounds of fat in a short time by eating junk food and drinking a few protein shakes per day. Protein shakes packed with sugar can even cause the body to store fat.

Dirty bulking sounds excellent on paper, but based on our firsthand experience, it can lead to some significant health issues that you don’t want to deal with when you’re on a weight loss program.

You can be sure that your weight gain is not average because of excessive calories. The best remedy is to lose weight gained from drinking protein shakes and regaining all of your health.

How many protein shakes should you drink a day?

There is no exact rule about how many protein shakes you should drink. Some studies show that most people don’t do it right. From some studies, you need about 3500 calories to gain 1 pound of fat. If you drink protein shakes without working out, the body does not know when to stop storing those extra calories. The body will continue to hold any excess calories that it can find and keep them as fat.

The goal of a protein shake is to receive your basic dietary needs for vitamins and minerals in your diet. However, most people tend to overdo this.

Can protein shake make your muscles bigger?

When it comes to gaining muscle mass, people’s biggest mistake is consuming a high protein shake with a lot of calories and not working out. You should never be drinking a lot of whey protein supplements as your source of protein if you are not working out.

Consuming large amounts of protein powder can cause kidney damage. It happens because the kidneys concentrate on breaking down the protein instead of filtering out harmful toxins. It, therefore, puts a strain on kidney function. Anyone looking to build muscles should avoid too much protein consumption without exercising.

If you are working out to gain weight, there are better ways you can consume proteins. One good way is by eating more calories from high-calorie foods like chicken breast and whole grains. When you consume these whole foods, the body will be able to digest these nutrients easier than if you used protein shakes as a meal replacement.

How often should you drink protein shakes for them to work?

Just like food and drink, you should ingest protein shakes in moderation. But most people do not do this. They consume these shakes too often or consume only small amounts of them per day. Some people will even drink up to three protein shakes per day!

People try to make perfect gains with no luck because of how much they are consuming and because they do not know how to use the protein shake properly. There is no harm in consuming a protein shake, but you should be careful about your overall calorie intake.

Can protein shakes help you gain muscle?

Yes, a protein shake can help you gain muscle when combined with a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. After putting it to the test, consuming reasonable amounts of a high-protein diet will help you gain weight because it builds up muscles while not causing the body to store fat.

Should you continue taking protein shakes?

There’s no question that protein shakes are great for anyone who needs to increase their protein intake in their diet. But when you go over the top with them, you can increase your calorie intake without improving your health at all.

The best way to enjoy the benefits of protein shakes is to use them as supplements to a well-balanced and healthy diet. It is best for use after a workout session since it plays a big role in muscle protein synthesis.

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