IBS—Free at Last!

FODMAP-Friendly Protein Powders and Supplements

Most people can easily meet their protein needs through food alone on a low FODMAP diet,  but sometimes a little extra help from special products is needed. Athletes in training or underweight patients often ask what products are suitable, so I have reviewed the available options. Protein supplements are not right for some people, so please seek advice from your health care provider if you have any other medical conditions besides your IBS. These products are NOT meant to be sole sources of nutrition. They are used in addition to a wide variety of low FODMAP foods and beverages.

The following protein supplements do not appear to contain FODMAPs based on the list of ingredients and the nutrition info provided by the manufactureres as of today. Always double check list of ingredients before you buy:

• Nutribiotic Vegan Rice Protein Powder Vanilla
• Dr. Sears Zone Protein Powder
• Jarrow Brown Rice Protein Concentrate Vanilla Flavor (does contain a gum, gums are not FODMAPs but are close enough to be poorly tolerated by some people)
• Nestle Benecalorie (special order at pharmacy)
• Nestle Beneprotein (special order at pharmacy)
• Bi-Pro Whey Protein Isolate (online only)

 If those are not available, the next lowest FODMAP supplements would be:

• Solgar Whey to Go Whey Protein Powder Natural Vanilla Flavor (less than 1 gram of lactose per serv)
• Biochem 100% Whey Protein Powder Natural Flavor (packages claim 99% lactose free, other marketing from company says lactose-free, does contain xanthan gum). 
• Ensure Clear ("suitable for lactose intolerance" per Abbott Nutrition--not the same as lactose-free, but presumably very low lactose to support this claim)

Note that other flavors by the same companies and in the same line of products may contain FODMAPs such as fructose.

Please comment if you'd like to suggest other products. Also, please share how you consume your protein powder--low FODMAP smoothie and shake recipes are welcome!

If I have fructose intolerance must I avoid all fructose?

Should a person with fructose intolerance avoid any and all sources of fructose? The answer to this question depends on what type of fructose intolerance the person has.

Hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI) is a genetic disorder, and is not the type of fructose intolerance that some people with IBS commonly have. Individuals with HFI should not consume any fructose at all, no matter how small the amount. Many individuals with HFI are diagnosed in infancy or childhood, when caregivers not the child is violently ill after ingesting anything containing fructose, such as table sugar, fruit, or honey. Rarely, adults have undiagnosed HFI; they have an absolute aversion to sweet food of any kind, going back to chilhood. The "dislike" of sweets may run in the family.

If you have HFI or suspect you may have HFI, there are some foods on the FODMAP Elimination Diet you should not consume. Instead of proceeding with the protocol in IBS--Free at Last! you should consult your healthcare advisor for an evaluation.

Dietary fructose intolerance (DFI) is a term that describes the symptoms that some people get when they have fructose malabsorption (FM). To cleary distinguish their condition from HFI, many affected people prefer the term fructose malabsorption (FM) over dietary fructose intolerance. In my opinion it isn't as medically accurate to do so, since not everyone who malabsorbs fructose experiences uncomfortable symptoms. But still, if a patient tells me they have FM I know what they mean. Most people with DFI/FM can tolerate some amount of fructose.  With the help of the FODMAP Elimination Diet, you may be able to figure out how much is too much for you.

More information about HFI is available from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.