Too much Protein?

[WantFit]

Because my 8 yr old daughter is competitive figure skater, I am reading book called:Advanced Sports Nutrition by Dan Benardot. I was surprised to see that it said most athletes took too much protein. It said people have mis conception of protein intake and its function to body. Protein actually provides a little portion of energy that athletes need. If protein intake vol is more than body needs, the liver had to work hard to get it out of body system. So too much protein is no good. On the contrary, it said carbohydrate actually is better in providing energy and repairing the muscle tissue. The book also provides a very interesting tip, timing of nutrition intake has a big impact for the performance.

My key question here to your educated ladies is, is that true? I would like to hear your feedback.

Thanks


WantFit

"Become the change you want to see in the world. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi

 

[Gayle]

Hi WantFit,

I'm no expert, but based on the writings of other sports nutritionists, I would have to agree with it. I have heard others mention that too much protein can stress the liver, but I can't remember who specifically so I can quote it.

In Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, she puts a strong focus on quality carbs for athletic performance. Here's a link to an article she wrote about protein intake, hope it helps.

http://www.xterraplanet.com/training/dsp_content.cfm?id=105

 

[alsrnbsn]

Too much protein is also very hard on the kidneys as that is how excess is removed from the body. The protein molecule is considered a large molecule and is very hard on the kidneys to excrete (it's not designed to filter it). That's partly why the Adkin's diet is not a healthy way to lose weight, and many people actually went into renal failure because of too much protein. It damaged the kidneys.

Also, too much of any nutrient, be it protein, fat, or carbohydrate is only converted and stored as fat anyway, regardless.

 

[lorajc]

My sister who is a Registered Dietician told me this a long time ago. The part about too much protein not being good due to the liver not being able to process it. It's sort of like taking too much of a certain vitamin that doesn't break down in the body. I didn't know about the carbohydrate part, but she has told me that eating too many carbohydrates cannot cause weight gain.........only too many calories can!!

 

[marcy]

We just had a registered dietitian at our firm for a seminar. I had asked how much protein we need and she said not much - 45 grams a day. I asked "what if you work out?" and she said 45-60 grams a day. She said too much of anything, whether it be carbs, protein, etc. turn to fat if not used. According to this article, at 123 pounds, I would need 110.70 grams of protein. This is almost double. I also read in Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle that it was recommended that you get between .8 and 1 gram of protein per pound. I have heard so many different numbers from all over the place. Which is correct? Anybody?

Marcy

 

[kathryn]

Excessive protein is more of a problem than not enough protein. In fact, in studies that have tested for adequate protein intake (to see if subjects remain in positive nitrogen balance), it's difficult for researchers to come up with a diet that offers too little protein, unless it is based on junk food or citrus fruits.

Excess protein (as in the amounts most Americans get, not even counting the Atkins people) stresses the kidneys, leads to an acidic condition of the body that can leach alkaline minerals (calcium, magnesium, all of the ones that are essential for bone health) from the bones or take them from what is ingested so the body doesn't absorb them, and can compromise the immune system (according to Andrew Weil, a well-respected complimentary medicine expert). Animal proteins are particularly acidifying because of the sulfur-containing amino acids they contain in greater quantity than plant proteins.

While protein is important, it is often overemphasized (depending on what diet people are trying to sell at the moment, or what profit losses the meat and dairy industry is having, so it seems). The RDA for protein is based on average human needs, DOUBLED as safety factor. There is no need to get more than that.

For exercise recovery, it's important to replenish glycogen stores soon after exercise, in order to reverse the catabolic (breaking down) process the body is going through. A perfect after-workout feeding has about 4 parts carbs to 1 part protein. See here: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/Nutrition_articles.asp?id=627&page=3

Extra protein may be necessary for those who are looking for humungous, abnormally large muscles (ie: male body builders, who are hardly a model for good HEALTH), but endurance athletes, like ultramarathon runners who run more than 100 miles in a race, eat a carb-heavy diet.

Most populations that enjoy good health eat from 55-70% of their calories from carbohydrates (whole food carbs, not processed carbs).

 

[WantFit]

Thanks for your valuable input.

My daughter is figure skater. She definitely is not looking to built bulky muscles. She trains about 3 - 5 hours per day, 6 days per week. However, she is not meat eater. I was thinking to add some protein shake for her. Now I have to re evaluate that. Thanks for the links.


WantFit

"Become the change you want to see in the world. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi

 

[marcy]

Thanks, Kathryn. As always, you are a wealth of information.

Marcy