Getting Enough Protein for Lactose Intolerant Athletes

When they say you 'are what you eat' this is probably a lot more literal than most people assume. While what you eat of course affects your health and your wellbeing generally, when you eat protein you eat the building blocks of tissue and muscle and this literally gets recycled to help you repair wound, grow, build muscle, and generally make your own body.

Not getting enough protein then is a serious problem which can lead to a range of problems ranging from muscle weakness to slow healing. For athletes this is even more important, as extreme physical exertion causes muscle tissue to break down. It's through protein that the body can rebuild this and ultimately make it stronger.

Unfortunately for the lactose intolerant however, most protein supplements are made from milk. Here we will look at how to avoid those, and at the alternative sources of protein you can use.

Protein Shake

Most protein shakes come from milk. The most common form of protein shake of all is 'whey protein' which is a by-product of the cheese making process. In other words, when they make cheese, whey is left over. Casein meanwhile is also a popular form of powdered protein, but this too comes from milk.

Fortunately there are two kinds of protein shake that are suitable for the lactose intolerant. One of these is egg protein which is made from egg whites and which has the best amino acid profile of all although it's relatively expensive. The other is soy protein which comes from soy beans. This is cheaper, but unfortunately not as 'bioavailable' meaning your body can't take as much from it. Choose egg protein if you can afford it, but otherwise soy protein will be a suitable alternative.

Protein

Of course you can eat meat if you are lactose intolerant, but the problem for most athletes when it comes to binging on meat is that it often contains fat and cholesterol, and that it is expensive and inconvenient - you can't very well take a steak to work with you.

A solution is to eat sources of protein that are more lean and more easy to carry and eat. One example of this is tuna. Tuna comes in convenient cans, is quick to eat, and is very lean (though eating too much can cause a mercury poisoning). Take a small can of tuna to work with you or to the gym (without brine, with a ring pull) and sprinkle on some pepper and you have a very lean and convenient protein snack.

Of course eggs are also a good source, if you use soy protein you can use a whole egg at the same time in order to complete the amino acid profile you're getting. These eggs don't have to be raw (in fact that can cause a biotin deficiency), so hard boil a whole load at the start of the week and then they'll be ready to eat quickly when you need them. The yolk contains a little fat, but that isn't actually bad at all for you.

These tips can help you to get protein in higher qualities even if you're lactose intolerant. Click here for more tips.