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Article Title:
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Nutritional Myths that Just Won't Die: Protein!

Article Description:
====================
When it comes to the topic of sports nutrition there are many
myths and fallacies that float around like some specter in the
shadows.


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3385 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line
Distribution Date and Time: Wed Feb 8 00:55:28 EST 2006

Written By: Will Brink
Copyright: 2006
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Nutritional Myths that Just Won't Die: Protein!
Copyright © 2006 Will Brink
Author of "Muscle Building Nutrition"
http://musclebuildingnutrition.com



When it comes to the topic of sports nutrition there are many
myths and fallacies that float around like some specter in the
shadows. They pop up when you least expect them and throw a
monkey wrench into the best laid plans of the hard training
athlete trying to make some headway. Of all the myths that
surface from time to time, the protein myth seems to be the most
deep rooted and pervasive. It just won't go away. The problem is,
exactly who, or which group, is perpetuating the "myth" cant be
easily identified. You see, the conservative nutritional/medical
community thinks it is the bodybuilders who perpetuate the myth
that athletes need more protein and we of the bodybuilding
community think it is them (the mainstream nutritional community)
that is perpetuating the myth that athletes don't need additional
protein! Who is right?

The conservative medical/nutritional community is an odd group.
They make up the rules as they go along and maintain what I refer
to as the "nutritional double standard." If for example you speak
about taking in additional vitamin C to possibly prevent cancer,
heart disease, colds, and other afflictions, they will come back
with "there is still not enough data to support the use of
vitamin C as a preventative measure for these diseases," when in
fact there are literary hundreds of studies showing the many
benefits of this vitamin for the prevention and treatment of said
diseases.

And of course, if you tell them you are on a high protein diet
because you are an athlete they will tell you, "oh you don't want
to do that, you don't need it and it will lead to kidney disease"
without a single decent study to back up their claim! You see
they too are susceptible to the skulking myth specter that
spreads lies and confusion. In this article I want to address
once and for all (hopefully) the protein myth as it applies to
what the average person is told when they tell their doctor or
some anemic "all you need are the RDAs" spouting nutritionist
that he or she is following a high protein diet.


Myth #1 "Athletes Don't Need Extra Protein"

I figured we should start this myth destroying article off with
the most annoying myth first. Lord, when will this one go away?
Now the average reader person is probably thinking "who in the
world still believes that ridiculous statement?" The answer is a
great deal of people, even well educated medical professionals
and scientists who should know better, still believe this to be
true. Don't forget, the high carb, low fat, low protein diet
recommendations are alive and well with the average nutritionist,
doctor, and of course the "don't confuse us with the facts" media
following close behind.

For the past half century or so scientists using crude methods
and poor study design with sedentary people have held firm to the
belief that bodybuilders, strength athletes of various types,
runners, and other highly active people did not require any more
protein than Mr. Potato Head.....err, I mean the average couch
potato. However, In the past few decades researchers using better
study designs and methods with real live athletes have come to a
different conclusion altogether, a conclusion hard training
bodybuilders have known for years. The fact that active people do
indeed require far more protein than the RDA to keep from losing
hard earned muscle tissue when dieting or increasing muscle
tissue during the off season.

In a recent review paper on the subject one of the top
researchers in the field (Dr. Peter Lemon) states "...These data
suggest that the RDA for those engaged in regular endurance
exercise should be about 1.2-1.4 grams of protein/kilogram of
body mass (150%-175% of the current RDA) and 1.7 - 1.8 grams of
protein/kilogram of body mass per day (212%-225% of the current
RDA) for strength exercisers."

Another group of researchers in the field of protein metabolism
have come to similar conclusions repeatedly. They found that
strength training athletes eating approximately the RDA/RNI for
protein showed a decreased whole body protein synthesis (losing
muscle jack!) on a protein intake of 0.86 grams per kilogram of
bodyweight. They came to an almost identical conclusion as that
of Dr. Lemon in recommending at least 1.76g per kilogram of
bodyweight per day for strength training athletes for staying
in positive nitrogen balance/increases in whole body protein
synthesis.

This same group found in later research that endurance athletes
also need far more protein than the RDA/RNI and that men
catabolize (break down) more protein than women during endurance
exercise.

They concluded "In summary, protein requirements for athletes
performing strength training are greater than sedentary
individuals and are above the current Canadian and US recommended
daily protein intake requirements for young healthy males." All
I can say to that is, no sh%# Sherlock?!

Now my intention of presenting the above quotes from the current
research is not necessarily to convince the average athlete that
they need more protein than Joe shmoe couch potato, but rather to
bring to the readers attention some of the figures presented by
this current research. How does this information relate to the
eating habits of the average athlete and the advice that has been
found in the lay bodybuilding literature years before this
research ever existed? With some variation, the most common
advice on protein intakes that could be -and can be- found in
the bodybuilding magazines by the various writers, coaches,
bodybuilders, etc., is one gram of protein per pound of body
weight per day.

So for a 200 pound guy that would be 200 grams of protein per
day. No sweat. So how does this advice fair with the above
current research findings? Well let's see. Being scientists like
to work in kilograms (don't ask me why) we have to do some
converting. A kilogram weighs 2.2lbs. So, 200 divided by 2.2
gives us 90.9. Multiply that times 1.8 (the high end of Dr.
Lemon's research) and you get 163.6 grams of protein per day.
What about the nutritionists, doctors, and others who call(ed) us
"protein pushers" all the while recommending the RDA as being
adequate for athletes?

Lets see. The current RDA is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of
bodyweight: 200 divided by 2.2 x 0.8 = 73 grams of protein per
day for a 200lb person. So who was closer, the bodybuilders or
the arm chair scientists? Well lets see! 200g (what bodybuilders
have recommended for a 200lb athlete) - 163g ( the high end of
the current research recommendations for a 200lb person) = 37
grams (the difference between what bodybuilders think they should
eat and the current research).

How do the RDA pushers fair? Hey, if they get to call us "protein
pushers" than we get to call them "RDA pushers!" Anyway,
163g - 73g = (drum role) 90 grams! So it would appear that the
bodybuilding community has been a great deal more accurate
about the protein needs of strength athletes than the average
nutritionist and I don't think this comes as any surprise to any
of us. So should the average bodybuilder reduce his protein
intake a bit from this data? No, and I will explain why. As with
vitamins and other nutrients, you identify what looks to be the
precise amount of the compound needed for the effect you want (in
this case positive nitrogen balance, increased protein synthesis,
etc) and add a margin of safety to account for the biochemical
individuality of different people, the fact that there are low
grade protein sources the person might be eating, and other
variables.

So the current recommendation by the majority of bodybuilders,
writers, coaches, and others of one gram per pound of bodyweight
does a good job of taking into account the current research and
adding a margin of safety. One things for sure, a little too
much protein is far less detrimental to the athletes goal(s) of
increasing muscle mass than too little protein, and this makes
the RDA pushers advice just that much more.... moronic, for lack
of a better word.

There are a few other points I think are important to look at
when we recommend additional protein in the diet of athletes,
especially strength training athletes. In the off season, the
strength training athletes needs not only adequate protein but
adequate calories. Assuming our friend (the 200lb bodybuilder)
wants to eat approximately 3500 calories a day, how is he
supposed to split his calories up? Again, this is where the
bodybuilding community and the conservative nutritional/medical
community are going to have a parting of the ways... again. The
conservative types would say "that's an easy one, just tell the
bodybuilder he should make up the majority of his calories from
carbohydrates."

Now lets assume the bodybuilder does not want to eat so many
carbs. Now the high carb issue is an entirely different fight
and article, so I am just not going to go into great depth on
the topic here. Suffice it to say, anyone who regularly reads
articles, books, etc, >from people such as Dan Duchaine, Dr.
Mauro Dipasquale, Barry Sears PhD, Udo Erasmus PhD, yours truly,
and others know why the high carb diet bites the big one for
losing fat and gaining muscle (In fact, there is recent research
that suggests that carbohydrate restriction, not calorie
restriction per se, is what's responsible for mobilizing fat
stores). So for arguments sake and lack of space, let's just
assume our 200lb bodybuilder friend does not want to eat a high
carb diet for his own reasons, whatever they may be.

What else can he eat? He is only left with fat and protein. If he
splits up his diet into say 30% protein, 30 % fat, and 40% carbs,
he will be eating 1050 calories as protein (3500x30% = 1050) and
262.5g of protein a day (1050 divided by 4 = 262.5). So what we
have is an amount (262.5g) that meets the current research,
has an added margin of safety, and an added component for
energy/calorie needs of people who don't want to follow
a high carb diet, hich is a large percentage of the
bodybuilding/strength training community. here are other reasons
for a high protein intake such as hormonal effects (i.e. effects
on IGF-1, GH, thyroid ), thermic effects, etc., but I think I
have made the appropriate point. So is there a time when the
bodybuilder might want to go even higher in his percent of
calories from protein than 30%? Sure, when he is dieting.

It is well established that carbs are "protein sparing" and so
more protein is required as percent of calories when one reduces
calories. Also, dieting is a time that preserving lean mass
(muscle) is at a premium. Finally, as calories decrease the
quality and quantity of protein in the diet is the most important
variable for maintaining muscle tissue (as it applies to
nutritional factors), and of course protein is the least likely
nutrient to be converted to bodyfat. In my view, the above
information bodes well for the high protein diet. If you tell the
average RDA pusher you are eating 40% protein while on a diet,
they will tell you that 40% is far too much protein. But is it?
Say our 200lb friend has reduced his calories to 2000 in attempt
to reduce his bodyfat for a competition, summer time at the
beach, or what ever. Lets do the math. 40% x 2000 = 800 calories
from protein or 200g (800 divided by 4). So as you can see, he is
actually eating less protein per day than in the off season but
is still in the range of the current research with the margin of
safety/current bodybuilding recommendations intact.

Bottom line? High protein diets are far better for reducing
bodyfat, increasing muscle mass, and helping the hard training
bodybuilder achieve his (or her!) goals, and it is obvious that
endurance athletes will also benefit from diets higher in protein
than the worthless and outdated RDAs.


Myth #2 "High Protein Diets Are Bad For You"

So the average person reads the above information on the protein
needs and benefits of a high protein diet but remembers in the
back of their mind another myth about high protein intakes. "I
thought high protein diets are bad for the kidneys and will give
you osteoporosis! " they exclaim with conviction and indignation.
So what are the medical facts behind these claims and why do so
many people, including some medical professionals and
nutritionists, still believe it?

For starters, the negative health claims of the high protein diet
on kidney function is based on information gathered from people
who have preexisting kidney problems. You see one of the jobs of
the kidneys is the excretion of urea (generally a non toxic
compound) that is formed from ammonia (a very toxic compound)
which comes from the protein in our diets. People with serious
kidney problems have trouble excreting the urea placing more
stress on the kidneys and so the logic goes that a high protein
diet must be hard on the kidneys for healthy athletes also.

Now for the medical and scientific facts. There is not a single
scientific study published in a reputable peer - reviewed journal
using healthy adults with normal kidney function that has shown
any kidney dysfunction what so ever from a high protein diet. Not
one of the studies done with healthy athletes that I mentioned
above, or other research I have read, has shown any kidney
abnormalities at all. Furthermore, animals studies done using
high protein diets also fail to show any kidney dysfunction in
healthy animals.

Now don't forget, in the real world, where millions of athletes
have been following high protein diets for decades, there has
never been a case of kidney failure in a healthy athlete that was
determined to have been caused solely by a high protein diet. If
the high protein diet was indeed putting undo stress on our
kidneys, we would have seen many cases of kidney abnormalities,
but we don't nor will we. From a personal perspective as a
trainer for many top athletes from various sports, I have known
bodybuilders eating considerably more than the above research
recommends (above 600 grams a day) who showed no kidney
dysfunction or kidney problems and I personally read the damn
blood tests! Bottom line? 1-1.5 grams or protein per pound of
bodyweight will have absolutely no ill effects on the kidney
function of a healthy athlete, period. Now of course too much of
anything can be harmful and I suppose it's possible a healthy
person could eat enough protein over a long enough period of time
to effect kidney function, but it is very unlikely and has yet to
be shown in the scientific literature in healthy athletes.

So what about the osteoporosis claim? That's a bit more
complicated but the conclusion is the same. The pathology of
osteoporosis involves a combination of many risk factors and
physiological variables such as macro nutrient intakes (carbs,
proteins, fats), micro nutrient intakes (vitamins, minerals,
etc), hormonal profiles, lack of exercise, gender, family
history, and a few others. The theory is that high protein
intakes raise the acidity of the blood and the body must use
minerals from bone stores to "buffer" the blood and bring the
blood acidity down, thus depleting one's bones of minerals. Even
if there was a clear link between a high protein diet and
osteoporosis in all populations (and there is not) athletes have
few of the above risk factors as they tend to get plenty of
exercise, calories, minerals, vitamins, and have positive
hormonal profiles. Fact of the matter is, studies have shown
athletes to have denser bones than sedentary people, there are
millions of athletes who follow high protein diets without any
signs of premature bone loss, and we don't have ex athletes who
are now older with higher rates of osteoporosis.

In fact, one recent study showed women receiving extra protein
from a protein supplement had increased bone density over a group
not getting the extra protein! The researchers theorized this was
due to an increase in IGF-1 levels which are known to be involved
in bone growth. Would I recommend a super high protein diet to
some sedentary post menopausal woman? Probably not, but we are
not talking about her, we are talking about athletes. Bottom
line? A high protein diet does not lead to osteoporosis in
healthy athletes with very few risk factors for this affliction,
especially in the ranges of protein intake that have been
discussed throughout this article.


Myth #3 "All Proteins Are Created Equal"

How many times have you heard or read this ridiculous statement?
Yes, in a sedentary couch potato who does not care that his butt
is the same shape as the cushion he is sitting on, protein
quality is of little concern. However, research has shown
repeatedly that different proteins have various functional
properties that athletes can take advantage of. For example, whey
protein concentrate (WPC) has been shown to improve immunity to
a variety of challenges and intense exercise has been shown to
compromise certain parts of the immune response. WPC is also
exceptionally high in the branch chain amino acids which are the
amino acids that are oxidized during exercise and have been found
to have many benefits to athletes. We also know soy has many uses
for athletes, and this is covered in full on the Brinkzone site
in another article.

Anyway, I could go on all day about the various functional
properties of different proteins but there is no need. The fact
is that science is rapidly discovering that proteins with
different amino acid ratios (and various constituents found
within the various protein foods) have very different effects
on the human body and it is these functional properties that
bodybuilders and other athletes can use to their advantage.
Bottom line? Let the people who believe that all proteins are
created equal continue to eat their low grade proteins and get
nowhere while you laugh all the way to a muscular, healthy, low
fat body!


Conclusion

Over the years the above myths have been floating around for so
long they have just been accepted as true, even though there is
little to no research to prove it and a whole bunch of research
that disproves it! I hope this article has been helpful in
clearing up some of the confusion for people over the myths
surrounding protein and athletes. Of course now I still have to
address even tougher myths such as "all fats make you fat and are
bad for you," "supplements are a waste of time," and my personal
favorite, "a calorie is a calorie." The next time someone gives
you a hard time about your high protein intake, copy the latest
study on the topic and give it to em. If that does not work, role
up the largest bodybuilding magazine you can find and hit hem
over the head with it!


See Will's ebooks online here:

Muscle Building Nutrition http://musclebuildingnutrition.com A
complete guide bodybuilding supplements and eating to gain lean
muscle

Diet Supplements Revealed http://aboutsupplements.com A review
of diet supplements and guide to eating for maximum fat loss

He can be contacted at: PO Box 812430 Wellesley MA. 02482.
BrinkZone.com Email: will@...


Article References

1 Lemon, PW, "Is increased dietary protein necessary or
beneficial for individuals with a physically active life style?"
Nutr. Rev. 54:S169-175, 1996.

2 Lemon, PW, "Do athletes need more dietary protein and amino
acids?" International J. Sports Nutri. S39-61, 1995.

3 Tarnopolsky, MA, "Evaluation of protein requirements for
trained strength athletes." J. Applied. Phys. 73(5): 1986-1995,
1992

4 Phillips, SM, "Gender differences in leucine kinetics and
nitrogen balance in endurance athletes." J. Applied Phys. 75(5):
2134-2141, 1993.

5 Tarnopolsky, MA, 1992.

6 Carroll, RM, "Effects of energy compared with carbohydrate
restriction on the lipolytic response to epinephrine." Am. J.
Clin. Nutri. 62:757-760, 1996.

7 Bounus, G., Gold, P. "The biological activity of undenatured
whey proteins: role of glutathione." Clin. Invest. Med. 14:4,
296-309, 1991

8 Bounus, G. "Dietary whey protein inhibits the development of
dimethylhydrazine induced malignancy." Clin. Invest. Med. 12:
213-217, 1988




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Will Brink writes for numerous health, fitness, medical, and
bodybuilding publications. His articles can be found in Life
Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise
For Men Only, Oxygen, Women's World, The Townsend Letter For
Doctors and many more. His website is http://www.brinkzone.com

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