Protein
#350788 - 10/14/09 09:59 AM
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PMartin
Reged: 08/05/08
Posts: 140
Loc: Niagara Region
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Was wondering if anyone has thoughts or stories about taking protein?
From past experience when I was very active, exercising daily and taking protein, I noticed my IBS-D bowel movements were affected. I can't say it was better or necessarily an improvement but when you're suffering with diarrhea every day, a little constipation is O.K. (just like I'm sure those of you with IBS-C might sometimes welcome a little D). From visiting sites and forums specific to people who exercise or weight lift, I saw that constipation caused by taking too much protein (and perhaps not enough fiber) is pretty common.
Anyway, this was long before I adhered to an IBS diet, eating a lot of animal protein. These days I only eat fish and although I've started exercising again (so another reason to take the protein), I was thinking about taking it just for the purpose of helping my IBS like I take the fibre and calcium and peppermint etc.
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IBS-D. Or so a doctor says.
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Re: Protein
#350808 - 10/15/09 06:58 AM
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Fen
Reged: 03/01/08
Posts: 574
Loc: Central NY
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Hi PMartin,
Are you referring to extra animal protein in the form of meat, or in the form of a protein supplement? I don't eat a lot of meat, and I had started to notice that eating too many carbs without enough protein was really starting to drag me down - to the point where I could barely function without a nap! I'm not a big meat eater and beans (I'm a C) don't quite give me enough protein. I began using an egg white protein powder and it has helped me immensely in terms of my energy. And I have not noticed an effect on my IBS. You could try soy protein if you tolerate soy.
By the way, where in the Niagara region are you from? I'm originally from Buffalo.
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IBS-C
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Re: Protein
#350811 - 10/15/09 07:40 AM
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PMartin
Reged: 08/05/08
Posts: 140
Loc: Niagara Region
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I could say that I wasn't a big meat eater either ( I actually spent a couple years being vegetarian) but if we as IBS sufferers have an intolerance to it and its higher fat content, then I guess even a little is too much. Simply through following Heather's IBS diet, and getting my animal protein mostly from fish, I've reduced the amount of (animal) protein I take in. Unfortunately, it hasn't made much of a difference. In fact, I'm one of those people who can't say any of the eating for IBS diet; no dairy, no alcohol, no carbonation, no caffeine, limited insoluble fiber all on top of no red meats, has made a difference. At least not the significant difference you would hope for after making so many changes to your diet. It has me wondering about my tolerance for things like wheat and soy. That's why, seeing as I'm working out again, I thought I would start taking the protein (and yes soy) supplements again and maybe it will help my IBS-D.
I'm in St.Catharines but as you might know, the Niagara Region is relatively small. I go to Buffalo every now and then for a hockey game or to go shopping (a typical Canadian).
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IBS-D. Or so a doctor says.
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Re: Protein
#350821 - 10/15/09 04:52 PM
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Fen
Reged: 03/01/08
Posts: 574
Loc: Central NY
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Ah, you're one of those that comes down (or east?) just to go to the outlets or the Galleria 
I've had a similar experience - I've followed all of the guidelines and actually felt as though I was doing worse! I'm a C-type, so I definitely need more IF than someone with D. And I truly believe I have a problem with gluten. So I'm still playing around with my diet.
My advice (not to tell you what to do!) is that if you're at all concerned about your tolerance for soy, try the egg white protein. I find it to be very easily digested, and I don't digest many things easily! I personally feel that eggs are a more natural food than processed soy products anyway.
Do you eat eggs? What about adding eggwhite omelets in the morning to help get some protein?
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IBS-C
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Re: Protein
#350833 - 10/15/09 09:41 PM
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PMartin
Reged: 08/05/08
Posts: 140
Loc: Niagara Region
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Well my wife will go over for the shopping and all I'll usually have on my mind is going for some wings or to the Cheesecake Factory...not so much these days though.
I've been trying not to eat eggs (whole or just whites) on top of everything else (the vegetarian thing) but I'm finding that with so many restrictions for the purpose of the IBS diet, it's just too hard (i.e. why I still eat fish). I guess I'll have to settle for being a Pescatarian. Beans and non meat sources of protein are real bad triggers for me so I can't turn to them.
What I think I'm finally going to do is bite the bullet and fork over the money for one of those food allergy blood tests. I've always known about them but didn't like the sound of paying hundreds of dollars for it. Because my IBS-D seems so ambiguous, meaning it's there every morning rather than reactive to triggers throughout the day, I can't figure out what my triggers are even though I've eliminated so much. If I could find out if and that I simply have an allergy or am sensitive to something and know what to avoid specifically, that would make things a lot easier.
Anyway, don't worry about coming across as if you're telling me what to do. We're all here to help each other and I appreciate your advice.
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IBS-D. Or so a doctor says.
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PMartin,
Have you considered that food may not be your trigger?
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IBS-D
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Re: Protein
#350863 - 10/16/09 09:36 PM
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PMartin
Reged: 08/05/08
Posts: 140
Loc: Niagara Region
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I'm not sure what you mean exactly; something else physical or something psychological. As for anything else physical, I've posed the same questions to my doctor and GI but neither one of them went anywhere with it so I left it alone. As for anything psychological, we all know that's a tricky one because we all seem to end up dealing with psychological (anxiety) issues after dealing with IBS for an extended amount of time. The first question people/doctor's ask is what's your stress level. Well, I always say I think it's average...no better or worse than most people. And my GI's answer was that this might just be my body's way of dealing with stress. I think back to when I first started having problems and I was quite young from about 10 to 12 years old. Then it went away as fast as it came and I was fine throughout my teens and early 20's and then boom, seemingly overnight, there it was again. It's been about 10 years now. I never had any life altering event that could be the cause of this.
If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them...thanks.
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IBS-D. Or so a doctor says.
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Have you taken a lot of antibiotics or had stomach flu?
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I am probably not the best one to be going in to this cuz I am still searching for my answers as well.
But I am reading more and more that there are sooo many things other than food that can be our nemesis.
Stress, be it good or bad can be a huge factor and the stress does not have to be related to a bad crisis. It can be a very happy event as well.
The amount of sleep you get or don't.
The weather...is the barometer changing, the humidity, the temp.
Are you busier than normal?
Underlying inflammation?
Change of job/lifestyle?
Just touching on a few of the topics that seem to be everywhere once you delve in to this.
That is why so many people find such great success with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or Hypnosis.
It's not the food......... or so this one of many theories would tell us.
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IBS-D
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Re: Protein
#350889 - 10/17/09 09:40 PM
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PMartin
Reged: 08/05/08
Posts: 140
Loc: Niagara Region
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I rarely take antibiotics as the most ill I seem to get (knock on wood) is the occasional seasonal cold and even then I can't be bothered to go to the doctor and will just let it run it's course for a couple weeks. As for the stomach flu...nothing lately or that I can remember going back to when my IBS resurfaced but I did pose the possibility of having a parasitic infection with my GI as I read that they and their symptoms are known to come and go throughout a person's life. Nothing came of this either unfortunately.
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IBS-D. Or so a doctor says.
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