Protein plays a critical role in health. Your body uses protein not only to build muscle but to make antibodies that protect against disease and hormones that regulate bodily functions. In addition, protein is used to make enzymes that control chemical reactions and transport proteins that carry things through the body (one example is hemoglobin). It’s also used to build collagen for healthy skin and connective tissue. Still, there are lots of misconceptions about protein. Here are five things about dietary protein you may not know.
Most Athletes Get Enough Protein through Diet
The average, sedentary person consumes almost 110 grams of protein a day eating a normal diet. This is twice the recommended amount of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Athletes need more protein, up to 1.6 grams per kilogram, depending on the frequency and intensity of their workouts. Most can meet their protein requirements by eating food. Even a 70- kilogram athlete needs no more than 112 grams of protein a day. He or she can get that by eating two chicken breasts, a small can of tuna and an egg.
Protein Drinks May Have Some Unexpected Health Risks
According to Consumer Reports, some protein drinks and powders, including brand name ones, contain heavy metals including cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and lead, all of which are toxic. Some of these metals such as cadmium are very difficult to eliminate and can hang around in the body for years doing damage to organs such as the kidneys. The take-home message from Consumer Reports? Skip the protein drinks and try to get your protein from food whenever possible.
A High-Protein Diet is Dehydrating
When you add more protein to your diet, you need to drink more water. Protein has a nitrogen molecule attached to it, something that carbohydrates and fats don’t. The nitrogen has to be removed during protein breakdown and converted to urea so it can be processed by the kidneys. This causes a greater loss of water. That water needs to be replaced, and thirst isn’t a good indicator of whether you’re hydrated. Drink more fluids if you add more protein to your diet.
Dietary Protein Can Be Stored As Fat
Protein isn’t as easily converted to fat as carbohydrates and fats are, but if you eat enough of it, it’ll be stored as fat. On a per gram basis, protein is less likely to be stored as fat, but if you’re consuming more calories than you’re burning off, even protein can end up as blubber on your waistline, tummy or thighs. There are advantages to eating a diet that’s higher in protein if you’re trying to lose weight. Higher protein diets help to stabilize the fat storage hormone insulin. In addition, protein has a high satiety value, meaning it fills you up faster and keeps you that way longer.
Carbohydrates Are as Important as Protein for Preserving Lean Body Mass with Prolonged Exercise
Some people try to lose body fat by cutting back on calories and carbs and doing long sessions of exhaustive exercise. Even if you get adequate protein in your diet, doing long cardio sessions without eating adequate calories and carbohydrates will break down muscle tissue. When you’re in a glycogen-depleted state, your body not only burns fat but breaks down muscle to harvest the amino acids for fuel. The liver can conveniently convert some of these amino acids to glucose by a pathway called gluconeogenesis. Normally, you only use small amounts of protein for fuel (under 10%), but if you exercise for long periods of time in a calorie and carb-depleted state, you’ll cannibalize muscle tissue.
Athletes Can Supply Their Protein Requirements without Eating Meat
There are a number of vegetarian and even vegan athletes that compete successfully eating a meatless diet. This includes both power and endurance athletes. The key is to eat a variety of plant-based protein sources to supply all of the essential amino acids the body needs for health. Good non-meat protein sources include edamame, tofu, tempeh, miso, beans, peanuts, and lentils. Combine these with whole grains that are high in protein like quinoa, brown rice, millet, and buckwheat to create a complete and balanced protein source. Vegan and vegetarian athletes can supply their protein requirements through non-meat sources, but they need to eat adequate quantities of these foods.
Dietary Protein: The Bottom Line?
Protein plays a critical role in everyone’s diet, and athletes that train hard need more of it, but you can get adequate protein eating a whole food diet without supplements and without eating meat. Don’t let the advertisements for protein supplements fool you.
References:
Int J Sport Nutr. 1995 Jun;5 Suppl:S39-61.
Consumer Reports Magazine. July 2010. “Alert: Protein Drinks”
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