# My Big Fat Protein Headache



## Antrist (Jan 26, 2011)

Ello. C'est moi. Hi.

I've been looking around the internet for a reason why having too many eggs gives me a big headache. It's not a normal kind of acute pain headache, it's more of a nuisance dragging headache which makes me feel generally quite low. I have a feeling, though, this could be the come-down from exercise as well as other factors, since I chose to have a huge omelette (containing 4 eggs no parts removed) about an hour after a good cardio work-out.

A couple of sources point toward 'un-metabolised' proteins. I can't find a solid reason for this that doesn't sound a little bit made up, so I just wanted to ask if anyone here has the same kind of issue. I'm only a little guy, I'm 5' 9" and weigh 65kg (138 lb.) and I'd describe my body as thin and a little athletic in terms of development.

Secondly, should I recognise the boost in protein and attempt to re-create it each time I work out? I'd rather have an 'over-proteinous' diet than one that does not contain enough of what I need to grow (which is important to me at this stage). I would have to put up with headaches but that's just the same as putting up with the pain of working out. I can see the good in it. 
I'd like to know, though, whether having too much protein is a bad thing. Also, whether this "you've got too much protein in your body" theory is even close to what is actually happening, rather than me being allergic to albumen or gluten and killing myself.

Cheers. Keep running! 

Alex


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## the_natrix (Aug 10, 2011)

I see you do several eggs an hour after cardio, what about carbs post workout? From what I understand you are supposed to have carbs after cardio, and certainly not an hour after the finish but within 30 minutes. If you aren't getting enough carbs then you could be getting hypoglycemic. I love my protein as much as the next guy, but by golly carbs are what you need after cardio. I'd try a large banana and 2 eggs within 30 minutes of finishing if I were you.


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## yet another intj (Feb 10, 2013)

Try black tea for your headache, best vasodilative ever.


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## WickerDeer (Aug 1, 2012)

I haven't really heard about protein headaches. But could it be that you are having a headache from sugar withdrawal or lack of carbs? Many people have experienced headaches from avoiding carbs.


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## Orion (Jan 25, 2011)

If you want to grow, then you will need protein, but you will also need to lift (perhaps you are, but I only saw mention of cardio). As folks have already said, you will need some carbs with that protein, chocolate milk is a good way to combine both of them, the sooner after lifting the better. 

Try consuming protein from another source to see if the headaches occur, you will need to find a flavor of whey you like so I suggest you start there. Start eating something that once had a face, but with fiber of course to keep the cholesterol down.


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## yet another intj (Feb 10, 2013)

Orion said:


> Start eating something that once had a face, but with fiber of course to *keep the cholesterol down*.


Big mistake, if you "want to grow".


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## Orion (Jan 25, 2011)

yet another intj said:


> Big mistake, if you "want to grow".


meat has more than enough cholesterol. Adding mass while killing your heart is no good.


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## yet another intj (Feb 10, 2013)

Orion said:


> meat has more than enough cholesterol. Adding mass while killing your heart is no good.


There's different theories about cholesterol. Some says heightened cholesterol is the cause of vascular damage and there's also ones that claim it's just a symptom/result. You need testosterone to grow and it's made from cholesterol. I agree about meat/animal fat, it's already enough.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

4 eggs a day is a LOT of cholesterol, about 4x you need in a day. You should be careful about that. I haven't heard about headaches and protein intake, but it could be lack of carbs like they said above. Also, if you take too much protein without doing strength workouts it could be dangerous. If you want protein, better take it from lean sources like turkey and chicken, not eggs. OR if you like eggs so much, remove the yolks and eat only the whites.


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## Antrist (Jan 26, 2011)

yet another intj said:


> Try black tea for your headache, best vasodilative ever.


Thanks, I already like to drink tea I just didn't think of doing it deliberately to cure a headache.
@the_natrix Thanks, I will try that. I'm going to do a jog (post-omelette) and end up at the store, ready to down a chocolate milk @Orion . I'm aware that I need to lift, I just can't afford the equipment (or gym rental) at the moment (within the next few days should be available) so I'm doing 'just me' exercises, using my PowerBall, push ups, crunches and the like. I'm attempting a carb back-loading diet from now @meltedsorbet (you needed a mention as well) which involves carbolicious meals after having a good run. 

You're correct in assuming that I am mostly doing cardio at the moment. Any growth (from the lesser amount of strength exercise I do) would be a bonus but I also need protein to tone up and become fit in terms of endurance and stamina.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

how much protein are you taking per kg of bodyweight?


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## Antrist (Jan 26, 2011)

Red Panda said:


> how much protein are you taking per kg of bodyweight?


Not sure really. I don't take supplements right now.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

Antrist said:


> Not sure really. I don't take supplements right now.


I'm talking about protein from food, you should know how much you are taking because 1. it could be too little, or 2. it could be too much. And it's quite easy to over/under estimate the quantities.


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## Orion (Jan 25, 2011)

Antrist said:


> Thanks, I will try that. I'm going to do a jog (post-omelette) and end up at the store, ready to down a chocolate milk


Wait, you are going to jog somewhere, drink some milk, then jog home? If I am understanding this correctly I would advise against drinking milk before exercising. I suppose that depends on how you feel about vomiting.


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## Antrist (Jan 26, 2011)

Orion said:


> Wait, you are going to jog somewhere, drink some milk, then jog home? If I am understanding this correctly I would advise against drinking milk before exercising. I suppose that depends on how you feel about vomiting.


That's alright, I walked home.


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## blg (Jul 21, 2013)

Having omlettes (2 eggs) gives me a dull headache, although poached and boiled eggs don't. I'd say if other protein rich foods don't give you a headache it's probably just the eggs or the fact that you may be frying the egg. I try to avoid omlettes and instead just have protein shakes within 30mins after work outs (optimal time frame for consuming protein post work out) or a meal that has protein and carbs such as tuna on crackers or chicken and veges (optimal time frame for consuming protein post work out) and during the day you should eat foods that are high in protein such as spinach, chicken/kangaroo/turkey/fish, beans, broccoli, nuts etc. and make sure you have a good dose of carbs if you're doing cardio because that is the main fuel source. Just a little side note with exercise: cardio is great for keeping fit, losing weight and having a lean body but won't really do anything for muscle growth because it burns a lot of energy without stimulating the muscle to grow. Also there are heaps of body resistance training that you can do at home to tone up but probably won't be as effective as going to the gym and training for hypertrophy (muscle growth). Hope this helps in some way


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## Devin87 (May 15, 2011)

Just to interject-- there's never been a single study proving dietary cholesterol has any significant effect on blood cholesterol or that high cholesterol does anything to increase risk of heart disease-- in fact almost every study done shows that people with LOW cholesterol have a slightly higher general rate of death (not that that means anything). If only selling statins wasn't a multi-billion dollar a year industry.... Eat your cholesterol. It's essential to so many bodily functions.

As for the headaches-- they may be carb withdrawal. If you're doing a lot of heavy exercise, some carbs may be good for you, but I'd avoid the chocolate milk. You don't want to get those carbs from junk food. Eat some fruit along with a few eggs or, better yet, a nice sweet potato smothered in butter and nutmeg or cinnamon (no sugar). That's got a ton of nutrients along with the carbs as opposed to chocolate milk which is just sugar.


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## Scelerat (Oct 21, 2012)

Red Panda said:


> 4 eggs a day is a LOT of cholesterol, about 4x you need in a day. You should be careful about that. I haven't heard about headaches and protein intake, but it could be lack of carbs like they said above. Also, if you take too much protein without doing strength workouts it could be dangerous. If you want protein, better take it from lean sources like turkey and chicken, not eggs. OR if you like eggs so much, remove the yolks and eat only the whites.


If you're cutting carbs lean protein needs to be switched for fattier cuts. There is only one diet that I know of that successfully pulls off low-fat and low-carb and that's Lyle Mcdonald's rapid fat loss diet.


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