Busting High Protein Diet Myths
It's time to bust some myths surrounding high protein diets, health, and performance
In this edition of Momentum you’ll learn the truth about high protein diets and their impact on your health and performance.
There is no question that eating a diet high in protein is good for you.
Protein provides the raw materials we need to build and sustain muscle and it can also be a great source of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, vitamin B12, Iron, and Zinc.
High protein diets, however, have been falsely criticized for producing side effects that make them no longer very healthy.
In this article, with the help of my trusty sidekick, science, I will lay out the following:
What is considered a high protein diet
Why you shouldn’t worry about eating too much protein
The optimal protein dose
Let’s get started.
What Defines a High Protein Diet
There isn’t a consensus on what constitutes a high protein diet.
What you, me, your cousin Vinny, and my grandma consider high protein may be very different things.
The absolute minimum intake is what is recommended by MyPlate.
MyPlate recommends a daily intake of 5-6.5 ounces of protein per day. That would provide between 18-45 grams of protein per day if you ate things like chicken, steak, and Greek yogurt.
This is extremely low.
This is the bare minimum to prevent nutrient deficiencies low.
While the MyPlate initiative is better than the food pyramid and does a decent job educating some on health promoting nutrition they fall really short here.
The organization that I base the vast majority of my nutritional recommendations on is the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Here is what the ISSN’s Position Stand on Protein intake recommends:
For building and maintaining muscle mass
1.4-2.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day or 0.8-1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight per day
If you weigh 200 pounds you should eat between 160 and 240 grams of protein per day
Higher protein intakes of upwards of 3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, or 1.4 grams per pound of bodyweight, have also been shown to be beneficial for body composition
That would be around 280 grams of protein per day for a 200 pound individual
With that said, it appears that there are diminishing returns with regard to protein intake. There are greatly diminished returns in performance and muscle gain at intakes greater than 2.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight.
So, for a 200 pound person going beyond 240 grams of protein per day does not appear to provide any additional benefit to 200 grams.
So, what is considered high protein?
Based on MyPlate, the ISSN position stand, and the way most people eat on the Standard American Diet (SAD) I would say that anything over 0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight per day is eating a higher protein diet.
This is in line with the lower end of the recommendation for optimal intake from the ISSN.
Now, is a high protein diet good for you?
Busting Protein Myths
Here are the most common protein myths:
High protein intake can harm your kidneys
High protein intake can lean to bone loss
High protein intake will make you look like a bodybuilder
High protein intake will cause weight gain
Let’s tackle these one at a time…
Myth 1: High protein diets are harmful to the kidneys
One of the most prevalent myths surrounding high protein diets is that they can damage the kidneys.
While it is true that the kidneys play a vital role in filtering waste products, there is no substantial evidence to support the claim that high protein intake poses a risk to healthy people.
The latest research published last month in the journal, Frontiers of Nutrition, actually demonstrated the opposite effect to what many think: high protein diets actually protect against kidney disease.
After pooling the data from 6 studies totaling 150,000 study participants they found that:
Higher-level intakes of total protein from both plant and animal sources can lower risk of chronic kidney disease by an average of by around 18%, on average.
Other studies that were not included in the review found either no relationship between protein intake and kidney disease or a protective effect.
Where does this myth come from? Well, people who both strength train and are on higher protein diets commonly have high protein turnover products in their blood and urine. Higher concentrations of creatinine or urea nitrogen indicate high protein turnover. High concentrations of these turnover byproducts do not indicate any current or future disease.
It’s as simple as this: if you eat more protein, your body processes more protein.
Myth 2: High protein diets lead to bone loss
Another common misconception is that high protein diets contribute to bone loss and osteoporosis.
Some believe that the increased acidity resulting from a high protein intake can lead to calcium leaching from the bones, weakening them over time.
However, actual research in humans says the opposite. It shown that high protein diets, when accompanied by adequate calcium intake, do not have a detrimental effect on bone health and are actually associated with higher bone mineral densities.
This study found a positive association between bone mineral density and higher protein intakes and this study found higher bone mineral density and lower risk of fracture in older folks who ate more protein.
Sometimes… I think people just make shit up…
Myth 3: High protein diets make you look like a bodybuilder
I wish…
Protein plays a crucial role in muscle repair and signaling muscle protein synthesis.
In addition to protein intake, you need a strong and repeated muscle building stimulus for all of that protein to make your more jacked.
That means you need to train like a bodybuilder to get those results, as well as eat a lot of protein. And probably take some PEDs, too.
The good news is you don’t have to eat a giant Fred Flintstone steak to get these benefits either.
If you weigh 120 pounds you can eat 4, 4-ounce servings of chicken a day and get all the protein you need for optimal performance.
Myth 4: High protein diets cause weight gain
Contrary to popular belief, high protein diets do not inherently lead to weight gain.
Of course, protein contains calories. If you increase your protein intake two-fold and don’t reduce your intake of other foods then you may be in a caloric surplus and gain weight.
But, higher protein intakes can and should be a big part of any diet, especially one for weight loss.
Protein is known to promote feelings of fullness and satiety, which can help control appetite and reduce overall calorie intake. Further, high protein diets have been shown to increase metabolism and promote fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass. This is crucial when dieting for weight loss.
It is still essential to maintain a balanced and calorie-controlled diet to achieve weight loss or weight maintenance goals.
So, if you’re eating more protein you may have to eat less of other things.
An important note here is that some animal protein sources will also contain some fat. Make sure you are choosing fat free products, reduced fat products, or lean cuts of chicken, beef, and pork to minimize the additional calorie consumption.
The Optimal Daily Protein Dose
The optimal daily dose of protein will vary based on your size and goals.
The ISSN position stand as listed above recommends 1.4-2.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day or 0.8-1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight per day.
I always say to start with 1 gram per pound of bodyweight and adjust your intake up or down based on your preferences while staying in the range.
It is important to note that if you are very overweight, say 300 pounds, you will want to base your protein intake off of lean body mass or simply your goal bodyweight.
Wrapping Up
A high protein diet is loosely defined as any intake over 0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight and the optimal protein dose for health and performance is between 0.8-1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight. High protein diets are not bad for your kidneys and may actually be protective against kidney disease. These diets do not cause bone loss and may actually be protective against bone loss. Everyone can benefit from high protein diets, however, if you are adding in more protein make sure to balance your diet to avoid weight gain.
Now, let’s keep building Momentum together.
Dr. Nick is a sports chiropractor, fitness specialist, assistant professor of exercise science, and writer.
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