If you have had a gastric bypass and need a lot of protein daily are there are any protein pills or tablets that you can take instead of having to drink a protein shake?

Answer 1

I am fairly certain that there are no pills or tablets that can provide the amount of protein needed for a gastric bypass patient. A gastric bypass patient post-op will need at LEAST 50-60 grams of protein daily. Or, if you would like to calculate the exact amount needed, 1 to 1.5 grams per kg of ideal body weight is usually recommended. Some medical professionals recommend that 1.5 grams per kg of ideal body weight be consumed for the first few months to a year post-op to prevent muscle and hair loss and promote better healing. The majority of this protein amount comes from protein shakes, because it is not possible to get it in otherwise. I have not found any protein pills that contain more than 1.5 grams of protein per pill, though most contain less than 1 gram. In that case, one would have to take at least 25 pills, maybe even up to 40 pills per day, to get the required amount of protein through that route. This is not feasible, as the pouch size does not allow for this many pills per day in addition to the required fluid intake, which is essential in preventing dehydration. There are many sites on the internet that sell protein shakes specifically for gastric bypass patients, and many of these will allow you to buy samples so that you can try all the different shakes and find the one you like without emptying your bank account in the process (paying upwards of $30 for a can of protein shake mix, then discovering that you can't stand it is not very profitable). For example, bariatriceating.com and vitalady.com both offer samples and have much helpful information regarding protein shakes. The closest I have seen to a pill is the New Whey protein shots that contain a whopping 42 grams of protein in only 3 oz. To conlcude this discussion, I am fairly sure that it is not possible to consume the required protein without protein shakes. The pills do not contain enough protein, and it is not possible to consume the required protein in a "regular" full liquid diet alone. Therefore, it would be advisable to just start looking for a protein shake that you like, because you will need it for a while.