Does Whey Protein Elevate Your Uric Acid?
Diet & NutritionNutrients & Supplements

Does Whey Protein Elevate Your Uric Acid?

Does Whey Protein Elevate Your Uric Acid?
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Updated on August 6, 2025
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Whey protein is a type of nutritional supplement made from cow’s milk. Athletes use it to aid muscle recovery following intense bouts of resistance training.

Whey is also promoted as a general health supplement to help prevent or correct a protein deficiency in your diet.

Whey protein is not associated with elevated uric acid levels.

However, excess intake of other animal-based proteins may increase uric acid, a chemical compound your body produces as a result of the breakdown of purines in protein metabolism.

 Read on to learn more.

Animal vs. Other Proteins

There are no associations between uric acid levels and total protein intake. However, not all proteins are the same.

While dairy, whey, and plant proteins can lower uric acid levels, many animal proteins can elevate uric acid and cause complications that include:

  • Kidney injury
  • Kidney stones
  • Gout
Animal proteins associated with these risks include:

  • Red meat
  • Organ meat
  • Certain seafood, like scallops, sardines, etc.

Possible Complications From High Uric Acid

The following conditions can occur as a result of high uric acid levels.

Kidney Damage

A high uric acid level is called hyperuricemia. It results from a high intake of purine-containing foods. It can cause kidney abnormalities, such as kidney stones and even kidney failure.

Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that causes pain, tenderness, stiffness, and swelling in the major joints throughout your body. Excess uric acid causes gout by forming crystals that accumulate in your joints and cause inflammation and other symptoms.

Recommendations for Uric Acid Reduction

To reduce the accumulation of uric acid in your body, limit your intake of animal proteins, like red meat, which are associated with increased uric acid levels.

Also make sure to get your daily protein requirements from a variety of protein sources, especially plant proteins, which don’t contain purines.

All dairy contains some purines. The amount varies slightly between different sources, but purines are significantly lower in dairy sources than in animal proteins.

While there is no definitive evidence that whey protein can increase uric acid levels, it has been recorded in some case reports among diets that are especially high in protein.

Talk with your doctor about whey protein to make sure it’s not adversely affecting your uric acid levels.

The Takeaway

  • Whey protein is a common nutritional supplement. It is not associated with increased uric acid levels.
  • Other animal-based proteins, however, may increase uric acid levels if consumed too frequently.
  • High uric acid levels can contribute to conditions such as gout and kidney damage.
  • Talk with your doctor about whey protein to make sure it’s not affecting your health.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Choi HK et al. Purine-Rich Foods, Dairy and Protein Intake, and the Risk of Gout in Men. New England Journal of Medicine. March 11, 2004.
  2. Villegas R et al. Purine-rich Foods, Protein Intake, and the Prevalence of Hyperuricemia: The Shanghai Men's Health Study. Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases. January 31, 2011.
  3. Gout Low Purine. Cleveland Clinic. March 14, 2022.
  4. George C et al. Hyperuricemia. StatPearls. October 14, 2023.
  5. Afzal M et al. Gout. StatPearls. June 23, 2025.
  6. Zhang Y et al. Gout and Diet: A Comprehensive Review of Mechanisms and Management. Nutrients. August 26, 2022.
  7. Alaseem AM. Continued Elevation of Creatinine and Uric Acid in a Male Athlete: A Case Report. SAGE Open Medical Case Reports. June 9, 2024.
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Allison Buttarazzi, MD

Allison Buttarazzi, MD

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Castle Connolly Top Doctor, Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Allison Buttarazzi, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine and lifestyle medicine, and is a certified health and well-being coach. In her primary care practice, Dr. Buttarazzi focuses on lifestyle medicine to help her patients improve their health and longevity, and her passion is helping patients prevent and reverse chronic diseases (like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes) by improving their lifestyle habits.

She is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine and completed a residency at Maine Medical Center. Diagnosed with celiac disease during medical school, she realized the power of improving one's health through diet and lifestyle habits, which she later incorporated into her practice.

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