I am interested in bodybuilding and I would like to use protein powder to help me in building my muscles. Is it permissible for me to use protein powder to build muscles?
Types of Protein
The types of protein used in protein powders are of two categories; animal source proteins and vegetable source proteins.
Animal source proteins include milk protein derivatives like whey and casein, goat’s milk, and egg white protein.
Vegetable source proteins include soy, rice, pea, and hemp proteins.
How Is Whey Protein Made?
Whey protein is one of the most common varieties of protein powders. It is produced during the process of cheese making when milk is coagulated and the fluid changes from a liquid to a solid state.
The resulting curds are then removed for cheese while the remaining liquid is dehydrated, pasteurized, and dried into powder.
The powder is then processed through special filters or a chemical filtration process to remove the remaining water.
Is Whey Protein Halal or Haram?
Protein powder has nothing to do with the meat of the animal from which it is extracted as it is mainly derived from its milk.
In this case, the question of halal meat does not fit here. Even if it is proven that the meat of the animal is included in the process of producing protein supplements, this meat is not consumed in its original form; but rather changes during the process of production to other forms.
Even if the protein powder is directly derived from meat and not milk, it is permissible to consume foods that contain substances derived from slaughtered animals permissible for human consumption.
However, it is prohibited to consume foods that contain substances derived from pigs or un-slaughtered dead animals unless they transform into other substances during the manufacturing process or baking through a chemical process etc. In such a case, they become lawful for human consumption.
In conclusion, it is permissible to consume protein supplements and powder to obtain the necessary elements for your muscles during exercise.
Almighty Allah knows best.
