Whey Protein Shake

[msanjelpie]

I am trying to create a protein shake to drink.

I purchased Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein.

It contains:

Protein Blend (Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate), Super Recovery Blend, Creatine Monohydrate, Taurine, L Glutamine, Leucine, Valine, Isoleucine, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Soy Lecithin, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose

I added it to some heavy cream and ice cubes in a blender. (Total carbs for protein + cream = 6) It reminded me of the slim fast shakes I used to drink 10 years ago... (they have since changed)

ANYWAY, an hour later I noticed my heart beating harder and faster than normal... I researched glutamine, taurine and creatine and they all listed no side effects... any clue what ingredient might have caused this effect?

[Georgiana]

I bet 10 to 1 that you had a MSG-reaction. In meats and other natural protein sources, the only kind of glutamic acid found is L-glutamic acid, and this is bound to other amino acids. In protein powders (whey, soy, etc.) however, part of the glutamic acid is often freed in the hydrolyzation process and it contains other contaminants like D-glutamic acid or pyroglutamic acid. When one has a MSG-reaction, what one is basically reacting to is the processed free glutamic acid.

Since the FDA does not classify MSG/free glutamic acid as a food ingredient, but only as a constituent of a food ingredient, the manufacturer is not required to list it on the label.

[msanjelpie]

THANKS! I did some more research and it looks like the glutamine was the culprit.

I went out and bought some Optimum Nutrition Any Whey Protein with these ingredients:

Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Hydrolysate, Natural Flavors, very small amounts of soy lecithin (TO IMPROVE MIXABILITY).

I'll test it out tonight...

[logos]

Old Thread, I know. But just to clarify the science here.

Glutamate is not the same thing as glutamine, they are very different amino acids.

While some people believe that glutamate (aka glutamic acid) causes all sorts of symptoms when its used as MSG, there is no good science backing this up. It seems to stem from hysteria over "chemicals" in food, despite glutamate being about as "natural" as you can get.

Protein powders are typically made by hydrolyzing a natual protein source. It appears the OP's protein powder had a few amino acids added. As the amino acids from the whey are biologically derrived, meaning made by enzymatic processes, and thus must be the L enantiomer. That is, there is no D-glutamate in the above product.

Wikipedia has good explainations under "amino acid" and "chirality" if anyone has any further interest in the basic biochemistry.