Protein Information

[40winks]

I found this interesting article on protein and want to ask if the information is correct. The article explains what happens if a person over-eats or under-eats protein, and also tells how to calculate how much protein a person needs based on their body weight.

Unless somebody tells me otherwise, I'm assuming this information is accurate, so please point out anything that's wrong. Here's the link: http://www.findarticles.com/p/artic...v14/ai_18486226

Thanks!!

[Diana]

Says the pages is no longer there

[40winks]

Yikes, I don't know why the link doesn't work. Thanks for mentioning the problem.

Here's the article itself:

Protein pitfalls: exceeding or easing protein requirements may be harmful to your health - includes related information on how to calculate your protein requirements

Helen drastically altered her diet' last year. Worried by reports trumpeting the hazards of the protein-rich American diet, she cut out cheese, beef, poultry, eggs, and limited her intake of beans and milk to one cup each a day. She ate about 1,800 calories a day--theoretically enough for her height, weight and activity level--but she was getting less than half the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein.

During the nine-month period that followed her switch to a low-protein diet, she was surprised by a gradual loss of vitality. She had five colds, her proportion of body fat increased by 10%, she frequently felt tired during the day, and had to switch to lifting lighter weights. Helen expected better health, but found herself worse off. What happened?

The real target of the eat-less-protein campaign is the "average" American consuming 90 to 120 grams of animal protein every day. Such excessive protein consumption may raise the risk of developing osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer. Animal protein--especially beef--is loaded with artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol, and excessive consumption is also associated with osteoporosis. However, eating too little protein can be as harmful as eating too much. Moderate protein consumption provides essential amino acids, boosts immunity and maintains strength and muscle function.

Benefits of Protein

Virtually all of the molecules that regulate metabolism and keep the body functioning, including hormones, enzymes, and the oxygen carrier hemoglobin, are proteins. But the ability to produce vital proteins is based on the availability of amino acids. "Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and we have to get essential proteins (the ones we can't make) from dietary protein," explains Kyle Brown, M.D., of St. Louis University Medical Sciences Center. "To make sure you get enough amino acids, you need to eat the RDA of protein every day."

What happens if you are like millions of men and women who don't eat enough protein? "Common problems include muscle wasting, loss of muscle strength, longer recovery time from illness, and overall depressed immunity," says Brown.

Many experts agree a protein-poor diet can lead to serious problems. Marilyn Crim, M.D., Ph.D., and her colleagues at Tufts University studied two groups of elderly women. Those who ate 25 grams daily (half their RDA) lost lean body tissue, muscle strength and immune response, while the women who consumed 50 grams a day had improved immune response, stronger muscles and better muscle function. "Protein has been bad-mouthed in the press to the point that there are people who are not eating very much," notes Crim. "Decreases in lean body mass and immune response normally associated with aging may be due, in part, to chronic protein deficiency."

While Crim's work clearly shows dietary protein equal to the RDA is health-sustaining, there is little evidence to support claims by supplement manufacturers that athletes' protein requirements are greater than those of the general population. The American Council on Science and Health recently issued a report citing the marketing of anabolic protein supplements as "false and misleading." In addition, The New York City Department of Health called the promotion of strength-boosting protein powders "an economic hoax with unhealthy consequences." According to Joe Millward, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at the University of Surrey, England, "Athletes need more calories than the average sedentary person--not extra protein."

Americans usually connect protein with meat like burgers, steaks, hot dogs or sausages. Red meat, especially ground beef, is the largest source of artery-clogging saturated fat in the average American's diet. Saturated fat raises cholesterol and is strongly linked to heart disease.

Heavy red meat consumption is also associated with colon and prostate cancers. Men who eat red meat as a main dish five or more times a week have four times the risk of colon cancer than men who eat red meat only, once a month, according to Edward Giovannucci, M.D., an epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School.

"The fat and cholesterol in meat may be responsible for higher rates of heart disease and cancer," says Andrew Nicholson, M.D., director of preventive medicine at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C. "The carcinogens created when meat is cooked could also be culprits."

Some believe the large amount of iron in red meat may initiate free radical attacks on cells. Damage by free radicals may cause cells to mutate and become cancerous, or, if they are in artery walls, to accumulate fat and contribute to heart disease. Other experts point to the lack of fiber in red meat as a contributing factor to these diseases.

What meat eaters don't consume may also play a role in heart disease and cancer. Studies indicate as people eat more meat, they tend to incorporate fewer fruits and vegetables into their diet. Studies have demonstrated fiber- and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables offer protection against many diseases.

Disadvantages of Protein

There is much speculation about how meat consumption increases the risk of heart disease and cancer. But it is clear the more meat a person eats, the higher their risk. Based on the evidence, many nutritionists, including Walter Willett, M.D., Ph.D., at Harvard University School of Public Health, recommend eating no more than one serving of red meat a month.

Osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease, is also linked to a high-protein diet. Mark Hegsted, Ph.D., a colleague of Willett's at Harvard University compared protein consumption by country to hip fracture rates, an indicator of osteoporosis. His study showed as protein consumption increased, hip fractures also increased. Confirming his report, Banoo Propia, Ph.D., and her colleagues at Cornell University studied 800 women in China. They found women who ate large quantities of non-dairy animal protein lost calcium, and their bones were weaker compared to women eating a plant-based diet.

The large number of sulfur amino acids in animal protein may explain the connection to osteoporosis, according to Steven Harris, M.D., an endocrinologist at the University of California in San Francisco. "Sulfur amino acids are quite acidic, and calcium is recruited to buffer the acid," explains Harris. "If there is an insufficient quantity of calcium in the bloodstream to do the job, calcium is released from bone."

Harris and his colleagues showed women consuming a high-protein diet (96 grams daily) lost calcium until they received potassium bicarbonate, an acid buffer. By buffering protein-derived acid, potassium bicarbonate slowed body calcium loss. However, all the women in the study, including those who received potassium bicarbonate, lost more calcium than they ingested, demonstrating even calcium-sparing potassium bicarbonate cannot overcome the bone-thinning effects of a high-protein diet.

The key to good health seems to lie in meeting, but not exceeding, the protein requirement. Remember, protein isn't synonymous with red meat and poultry. Legumes are great sources of protein, packed with fiber and vitamins, and most varieties are low in fat.

RELATED ARTICLE: Calculating Protein Requirements

To calculate your RDA for protein, multiply your weight in pounds by 0.42. For example, a 130-pound woman or man would need 55 grams of protein daily (130 pounds X .42 = 55). Pregnant women need an additional 30 grams each day, and lactating women need an extra 20 grams daily.

Protein-rich Foods 1 oz. cheese: 8 grams 1 cup cottage cheese: 24 grams 1 cup ice cream: 4 grams 8 oz. milk: 8 grams 1 cup yogurt: 8 grams 24 walnut halves: 7 grams 1/2 cup tuna fish: 14 grams 1 cup cooked kidney beans: 14.5 grams 1 cup cooked lentils: 15.5 grams 1 cup cooked split peas: 15 grams 1 cup cooked soybeans: 20 grams 4 oz. tofu: 8.5 grams 4 oz. lean ground beef: 20 grams 1/4 pound pork chop: 16 grams 1/2 chicken breast: 30 grams 4 oz. ground light meat turkey: 10 grams 3 oz. salmon steak: 17 grams 3 oz. scallops: 14.3 grams

Christie Knudsen, M.S., is a member of the American Institute of Nutrition and a freelance medical writer based in St. Louis, Missouri. COPYRIGHT 1996 Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

[oliveoyl]

This article is very misleading -- as Atkins dieters should know. I think there is an optimum amount for protein intake depending on how much you weigh, how active you are and how healthy you are (if you're sick, you need more) and that it's much higher than we think. I also don't think there's any danger in consuming somewhat more -- I think the consumption would have to be excessively high to cause problems. Read the Drs. Eades' excellent book Protein Power for valid information on protein consumption.