Q: I am a 17-year-old male. I work out every day and want to build more muscle. Are there serious side effects from taking protein supplements?
A: A male of average size needs no more than 100 grams of protein per day, even if he is a vigorous bodybuilder. Unless you’re a vegetarian or eat poorly, you likely get at least this amount of protein and probably much more in your daily diet.
Taking extra amino acids and proteins will not enhance strength or performance.
I have some concern about protein supplements, primarily because of non-protein ingredients that are added to some of the products. The protein itself is probably safe unless you’re taking an extreme amount. Too much protein and amino acids can have adverse consequences, such as dehydration, gout, kidney stones, and higher risk of osteoporosis.
If people wish to have a portion of their daily protein requirement be in the form of a protein shake, then a mixture of whey and casein is a reasonable choice. Whey is absorbed by the intestine relatively quickly. Casein is absorbed more slowly.
Popular protein supplements often have individual amino acids, such as creatine. Creatine is the one amino acid that may have some athletic benefit. It contributes to rapid energy production and may enhance power or speed bursts requiring short periods of anaerobic activity.
Q: I’m a 38-year-old male with moderately elevated cholesterol . I have high muscle mass that has been gained through many years of weightlifting. My physician has just started me on a 10-mg dose of simvastatin (Zocor), which could be increased to 20 mg. Will it begin to reduce my muscle mass/strength, or prevent me from further weightlifting gains?
A: We don’t have good medical evidence to answer this question definitively. It is possible that simvastatin (Zocor) or any other statin drug could diminish strength and muscle mass over time.All the statins can be toxic to the muscles. You can decrease the risk of muscle toxicity from statins by making sure that any new medication or supplement you take does not have an adverse interaction with the statin and limiting alcohol to no more than two drinks per day.Harvard Health
Dr. Howard LeWine, M.D. is a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty and practicing internist.
