Whether you're trying to pack on muscle or simply reach a healthier body mass, protein shakes can provide a tasty vehicle for extra calories, helping you consume the energy needed for gaining weight. However, chugging down shakes won't instantly increase your body size and may not help you gain weight at all unless you consistently consume more calories than you burn. Drinking protein shakes in conjunction with a nutritious diet can help you gain weight gradually and healthfully.
Description
The term "protein shake" can refer to a wide variety of high-protein beverages, both commercial and homemade. As Muscle and Strength explains, protein shakes may contain one or more types of processed protein, including whey protein, whey isolate, whey concentrate, casein, egg albumin, soy protein, goat milk protein, pea protein, wheat protein or complete milk protein, along with other ingredients to add flavor. Individuals trying to gain muscle or overall body mass can drink protein shakes after first waking up in the morning, prior to a workout, immediately following a workout, between meals or at night before bed.
Effects
Although protein shakes allow you to gain body mass by supplying your body with extra calories, noticeable weight gain is not immediate. Approximately 3,500 calories are needed to form one pound of weight, so the only way to add pounds to your frame is by consistently eating more calories than you burn. In order to gain a single pound, for instance, you would need to consume over 17 servings of a 200-calorie protein shake while maintaining the same intake of foods you normally consume.
Alternatives
In order to gain weight healthfully and quickly, you can do more than add protein shakes to your daily menu. Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky recommends eating up to six small meals throughout the day instead of the typical three, replacing calorie-free beverages with smoothies, milk or juice, and adding high-calorie ingredients to your meals, such as putting dried milk in stews and cheese on casseroles. In addition, you can choose calorie-dense foods and snacks such as nuts, dried fruits, avocados, peanut butter and cheese to boost your calorie intake and gain weight faster.
Risks
While you can gain weight by supplementing a nutritious diet with protein shakes, depending on shakes for the majority of your calories or consuming excessive amounts of protein may endanger your health. As the American Heart Association explains, high-protein diets often fail to provide critical nutrients, put stress on your kidneys and liver and potentially contribute to osteoporosis due to the metabolic effects of protein. In addition, some types of protein shakes may contain empty calories, refined sweeteners and other ingredients that displace more nutritious foods.
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