Are protein shakes safe during pregnancy

What does the evidence say about protein shakes and meal-replacement drinks during pregnancy?

1. Not every protein supplement has been well studied, so information on using them during pregnancy or breastfeeding is limited; because the FDA doesn't check every product for safety or effectiveness before it goes on the shelf, some protein powders and drinks might contain unknown or unlisted ingredients, and two common add-ins, collagen and creatine, have no studies looking at their use during human pregnancy specifically. 1
2. Recommended protein intake rises during pregnancy to about 60 g a day, roughly 1.1 g per kilogram of body weight, up from about 46 g a day (0.8 g per kg) before pregnancy. 2
3. The same nutrition review notes that supplemental vitamin A above 10,000 IU a day has been associated with cranial-facial and cardiac birth defects, with 8,000 IU a day suggested as a safer supplement ceiling, worth knowing since some fortified shakes add vitamin A on top of a prenatal vitamin. 2
4. Registered dietitians managing hyperemesis gravidarum in UK hospitals reported using oral nutrition supplements, the same product category as many bottled protein and meal-replacement shakes, either 'sometimes' or 'most of the time' in 73% of cases, ahead of tube feeding or IV nutrition. 3
5. The pregnancy caffeine ceiling is 200 mg or less a day from all sources combined, including coffee, tea, chocolate, some medications, and any caffeinated flavor added to a protein or meal-replacement drink. 4

Is protein shakes and meal-replacement drinks safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. If nausea makes solid food hard to keep down, a protein shake can be an easier way to get in some nutrition, similar to how dietitians already use ready-to-drink nutrition supplements for severe morning sickness.
• Second trimester. Appetite and protein needs both rise this trimester, going from about 46 g a day before pregnancy to about 60 g a day now, so a shake can help you hit that target on a busy day without being a required part of your diet.
• Third trimester. Keep checking labels as you go. Some flavored shakes add caffeine, which counts toward your daily 200 mg limit alongside coffee and tea, and this is a good time to make sure any fortified vitamin A isn't stacking too high with your prenatal.