I have been using protein shakes and have found that the whey protein runs my bs up to 300 +. Also runs it up a little when used as a meal replacement and not just a muscle recovery method. I buy the o sugar, 2 gram carb and measure. However still runs bs way up. Does anyone else experience this?
The same thing happened to me. I tried a whey shake that was supposedly very low carb and my BG shot up to 200+, even though I thought I had over bolused. I was so excited when I tried it since I miss having smoothies, but I’ve been too scared to try it again.
Can you take a picture of the label with your phone (or scan it) so we can see what’s in it?
Sometimes it’s the other stuff that’ll get you.
What else is in the shake besides whey protein powder? I drink whey isolate protein shakes frequently as meal replacement & have no problems. I bolus for it like any food & never have highs. Mine is also 2 grams per scoop.
I mix protein powder with 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk & different flavorings.
Are you bolusing for protein? If not consider checking out the group or searching for total available glucose (TAG), where you’ll find info on bolusing for the portion of protein that gets converted to glucose.
I regularly use protein shakes. I use a Costco version, 100% whey with 2g carb, 25g protein per serving. I use it with milk. I basically figure that the cup of milk is 12 g carb and about half the protein will convert to blood sugar, so about 25g effective carbs. For me, this amount of carbs would raise me 50-75 mg/dl, not into the 300s. It sounds like something else is going on. It is possible that there are other ingredients that are causing problems. If you are Celiac or have a soy, milk or dairy allergy there may be other ingredients that are a problem. Also, if you are fasting or have a weird metabolic state, like in the morning (DP), your blood sugar may do strange things with your liver dumping blood sugar.
Protein can definitely cause your BG to spike, depending on how your body handles the spike in nutrients. Like Tom said, you may need to add a correction factor for the shake. The other option is to use casein protein. Click the links for reference material and further explanation of my reasoning. Whey protein is rapidly digested and completely cleared into your GI tract in 45-60 minutes. This causes a spike in nutrients and may explain your blood sugar. Casein protein on the other hand is very slow digesting (6-8 hours) and “gels” in your stomach. A way to try to see if it’s protein or if it’s the whey is to eat a cup of cottage cheese with a normal coverage bolus. Cottage cheese is enriched in casein protein. If this works then you may want to do a mix of the proteins (50:50 whey isolate:casein isolate). This is what I do in the mornings, after workout and before bed (different amounts for each, but I always mix). It provides a rapid source of nutrients, but also allows for a slower overall digestion and not a spike. I take Optimum Nutrition shakes and bodybuilding.com has a nice combination stack available for both men and women. This may be too much for a test run, but your local nutrition shop should have 1 or 2 lb containers of whey and casein available.
The other thing you have to look at with protein is the amount of pure protein in each scoop. This guide to protein put out by ON is a great resource for understanding protein. At the bottom of page 5 it discusses how to calculate the pure protein amounts and judge the true value of the supplement you are purchasing. I have also posted it below. As Jean said, the extras within the protein can cause major problems. An example is NOXplode supplements. When I take the major components as individual supplements, I do not spike. When I take even 1/4 of the recommended amount (3 g carbs) my BG goes to 250+. So the fillers can have major issues. That’s one of the reasons I exclusively use ON and Higher Power supplements because they are pure supplements and I don’t have to worry about hidden extras.
PURE PROTEIN PERCENTAGE is another way to compare proteins. While the Nutrition Facts panel tells you how much protein is in each serving, the protein percentage tells you how pure your protein is. To calculate, Divide the grams of protein in a single serving by the serving size and multiply by 100. Here’s an example using two different proteins.
The first contains 24 grams of protein and has a serving size of 29.4 grams; the second contains 26 grams of protein in a
35 gram serving size. At first glance, the second choice appears to provide more protein. However, using the pure protein
calculation, you realize that the first protein is actually a better value because it has a higher purity level.
PROTEIN #1
24 g protein / 29.4 g serving size x 100
= 81.6% pure protein
PROTEIN #2
26 g protein / 35 g serving size x 100
= 74.3% pure protein
I’m not sure what Zierra used, but this the protein powder I used with a little cream, a couple of frozen strawberries, and some ice. I bolused for about 20g to account for the protein. It tasted very sweet. I might try again with coconut or almond milk… although I’m a little scared.
Just FYI. Whey isolate protein (not a combo of protein concentrate & hydrolyzed whey) has the highest protein & is better. Whey isolate is usually 25-23 grams of protein per one scoop, compared to this one which is 18 grams for two scoops & that’s after they’ve added extra amino acids (the L ingredients). Wonder what “natural praline flavor” is. That’s the sweet flavor.
I use NOW brand unflavored. It dissolves easily & has a nce flavor. My health food store has in bulk. I also order Ori Hofmekler’s vanilla whey protein powder on-line from Swanson’s Vitamins. That brand uses milk from grass fed, hormone-free cows.
You may have better results with a different brand.
that is weird. but it cold be other factors that cause the problem
it’s not only sugar or carbs that causes high numbes
there is stress and other environmental factors.
i do the atkins diet and my levels are better and i lost weight, but my cholesterol is going up
take care of yourself
Gosh, I’ve been type 1 'betic for almost 13 years, but every time I come to TuD;, I learn something new and consider that maybe I’m not using all of the options that are out there to keep my A1c low. Guess I’ll be researching protein shakes now to see if they’ll work for me.