[DarCSA]

Will Eating More Protein Help Your Body Gain Muscle Faster?

Find out how consuming too much protein can harm your body

By Miriam Nelson

WebMD Medical News

Reviewed By Gary Vogin, MD


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Seems like everyone at the gym is doing it: filling up on protein to bulk up those biceps. But it's a misconception. Eating extra protein actually doesn't do much toward boosting your muscle mass and strength.

In fact, medical research shows that consuming too much protein -- more than 30% of your total daily caloric intake -- could actually harm your body, says protein expert Gail Butterfield, PhD, RD, director of Nutrition Studies at the Palo Alto Veterans' Administration Medical Center and nutrition lecturer at Stanford University.

She says that a diet containing excess protein can have the following adverse effects:


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<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1">Adding more protein but not more calories or exercise to your diet won't help you build more muscle mass, but it may put your other bodily systems under stress.


<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1">Eating more protein and increasing total caloric intake while maintaining the same exercise level will build an equal amount of additional fat and muscle mass, according to a study published in 1992 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. [/list]

<H3 style="MARGIN: auto 0in">Too Much Protein</H3>So think twice when you consider sacrificing the carbohydrates for a protein-dominant diet, Butterfield says. Drastically cutting carbohydrates from your diet may force your body to fight back.

She says that's because a diet in which protein makes up more than 30% of your caloric intake causes a buildup of toxic ketones. So-called ketogenic diets can thrust your kidneys into overdrive in order to flush these ketones from your body. As your kidneys rid your body of these toxic ketones, you can lose a significant amount of water, which puts you at risk of dehydration, particularly if you exercise heavily.

That water loss often shows up on the scale as weight loss. But along with losing water, you lose muscle mass and bone calcium. The dehydration also strains your kidneys and puts stress on your heart.

And dehydration from a ketogenic diet can make you feel weak and dizzy, give you bad breath, or lead to other problems.


<H3 style="MARGIN: auto 0in">How Much Protein Do I Need?</H3>The amount of protein you require depends on your weight and your daily caloric intake. Most Americans consume more than enough protein in their daily diets. A few specific groups of people are at risk for being protein-deficient, including elderly women and people with illnesses or eating disorders. A protein deficiency is defined as eating 50% to 75% of the recommended amount of daily protein, Butterfield explains.

Ideally, you should consume 0.36 grams of protein for every pound of body weight, according to recommended daily allowances (RDA) set by the Food and Nutrition Board. So if you weigh 170 pounds, you need about 61 grams of protein each day.

Protein should also make up approximately 15% of your total daily caloric intake, also according to the RDA. In a diet of 1,800 calories a day, for example, about 270 of those calories should come from protein.


<H3 style="MARGIN: auto 0in">It's Essential</H3>Although limiting protein intake is important, you should also realize that protein is essential to our bodies' normal functions. It assists in synthesizing enzymes and hormones, maintaining fluid balance, and regulating such vital functions as building antibodies against infection, blood clotting, and scar formation.

Protein is also a building block for our muscles, bones, cartilage, skin, hair, and blood. Protein-rich foods include meat, cheese, milk, fish, and eggs. For vegetarians, protein can be found in soy products such as tofu as well as in combinations of foods, such as rice or corn with beans.

Whether you are an avid strength trainer, a marathon runner, or just an average exerciser, a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, and complex carbohydrates is what nutritionists recommend.

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[DarCSA]

I thought this could be a great asset to those who are new to bodybuilding in general when it comes to protein. It also helped address some issues of the over indulgence of protein with a lack of carbohydrates. Now this only covers the basic needs for a diet not one for building optimal muscle potential. For that you still need at least 1 gram of protein per body pound. Just trying to help and I liked the possible side effects she put in here as well.

[shpongled]

I think she's on crack. Some of the points are decent, but there's no empirical evidence for high protein diets hurting kidney function. They've stuffed rats with unbelievable amounts of protein. One study showed that an 80% protein diet over an extended period did not effect kidney function at all. I do think some people go overboard, but I don't think extra protein will hurt. You could survive on a 100% protein and fat diet, but not on a 100% carb diet, I think that says something in and of itself. Not knocking on carbs, though... going to be at 600 g a day here pretty soon.

David

[Nelson]

Obviously bber`s need more protein than the average person.
But that doesn`t mean taking it to extremes like some people do.
Of course the magazines and supplements companies are going to be brainwashing the masses into thinking that they need
I think that moderation and a good balance is the key.
I found that eating any more than 1.5 times my weight in lbs didn`t give any additional benefits.
All it did was cause a bit of gas.
BTW I aim for 1-1.5 times my weight in lbs, which equates to about 30% of my diet in protein.
Of course the magazines and supplements companies are going to be brainwashing the masses into thinking that they need a lot more than they actually do.
But hey, that`s business.

[Yukon Cornelius]

High Protein Diet Found Beneficial


Contrary to what many conventional medical authorities, vegetarians, and other promoters of low-fat diets say, consumption of very high levels of protein may not have adverse effects and may in fact boost antioxidant levels, new research from Germany has found.


Since "The maximum dietary protein intake that does not cause adverse effects in a healthy population is uncertain," as the researchers note, they decided to test their theory that increased protein consumption would induce greater oxidative stress in order to determine this threshold of protein consumption at which adverse effects could be seen.


Researchers performed tests on laboratory rats, splitting them up into groups receiving one of three different levels of dietary protein:




14% of total calories
26% of total calories
51% of total calories

After 15 weeks of feeding on the specific protein level diets, various parameters of antioxidant status were measured.


Much to the authors surprise, it was found that the groups consuming the higher protein diets had better antioxidant parameters than the lower protein diets, such as reduced lipid peroxide levels.


"Long-term intake of high protein diets did not increase variables of oxidative stress, in contrast to our initial hypothesis," the authors concluded. "An unexpected finding was that adequate (14%) protein feeding may in fact induce oxidative stress," they add.

Journal of Nutrition 2000; 130: 2889-2896

[YellowJacket]

But you have to worry mostly about the uric acid formation in excess when entering a high protein diet, uric acid is tough on the kidneys and will lead to kidney stones (trust me, I had them 2 years ago from a monster protein diet).

[John Benz]

Originally posted by YellowJacket
But you have to worry mostly about the uric acid formation in excess when entering a high protein diet, uric acid is tough on the kidneys and will lead to kidney stones (trust me, I had them 2 years ago from a monster protein diet).

This problem can avoided for the most part by drinking enough water. Soda pop and juice are not the same in this respect.

[YellowJacket]

Originally posted by John Benz

This problem can avoided for the most part by drinking enough water. Soda pop and juice are not the same in this respect.

LoL... well I kind of figured that JB

But if you're to consumer high protein, ample amounts of water must be consumed. Good article though Bobo, never seen one that indepth as related to high protein diets.....

[DarCSA]

Nice article Bobo. There are always two sides to a coin. I have not seen that article before either. Thanks for the uric acid post there YJ. There are still probs with a high protein diet if one is not careful. We are all here to help and let's keep doing so.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Originally posted by DarCSA
There are still probs with a high protein diet if one is not careful.

Still don't understand where you get this from.

[Yukon Cornelius]

IS INCREASED DIETARY PROTEIN NECESSARY OR BENEFICIAL FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A PHYSICALLY ACTIVE LIFESTYLE?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lemon (1) wrote an overview on protein metabolism and the effects of physical activity on protein requirements. He reviewed existing research on protein intake for strength athletes and endurance athletes, as well as addressed the possible negative health concerns of high protein diets.

FINDINGS: Overall, research on strength athletes suggests that an optimal intake of protein for building muscle mass is 1.7-1.8 g/kg of bodyweight per day. The optimal intake for endurance athletes appears to be 1.2-1.4 g/kg of bodyweight per day. These recommendations are significantly greater than the RDA of .8 g/kg and are only valid if caloric needs are being met. These recommendations are also based upon research on college-aged males consuming adequate energy intake. Protein requirements may be different for individuals on lower calorie diets, females, individuals of different age groups (such as elderly individuals, children or adolescents experiencing rapid growth, or pregnant women), and individuals less likely to consume an optimal mixture of nutrients (such as vegetarians).

The idea that high protein intakes can cause kidney problems appears to be a myth. This idea has been taken from research done on individuals with preexisting kidney disorders; however, such research cannot be extrapolated to healthy individuals. Numerous strength athletes consume diets extremely high in protein; if high protein diets caused kidney problems, one would see a much higher prevalence of kidney disorders in this population, which is not the case. In addition, animal studies utilizing very high protein intakes have not shown kidney problems. The increased nitrogen load placed upon the kidney by increased protein intake does not pose a potential threat to a healthy kidney.

When protein intake is high, water loss may be increased due to the excretion of additional nitrogen. Individuals must ensure that water intake is high to prevent dehydration.

The potential for high protein diets to increase calcium loss appears to be only a problem in purified protein. The high phosphate content of food protein negates any effect of protein on calcium.

IMPLICATIONS: Strength athletes should consume 1.7-1.8 g/kg body weight of protein a day, and endurance athletes should consume 1.2-1.4 g/kg body weight of protein a day, assuming that caloric needs are being met.

1. Lemon, P.W. Is Increased Dietary Protein Necessary or Beneficial for Individuals with a Physically Active Lifestyle? Nutr. Rev. 54(4):S169-S175. 1996.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Protein Myths That Just Won't Die
by Will Brink


When it comes to the topic of bodybuilding nutrition, there are many myths that lurk around like demons in the shadows. They rear their ugly heads when you least expect them and threaten to destroy the efforts of noble bodybuilders who are determined to build stronger, leaner, more muscular bodies. Of all the myths that pop up from time to time, the "protein myth" could be the most persistent — it just won't go away.

The conservative medical community perpetuates the myth that athletes don't need additional protein. But this same community turns from the face of scientific evidence on many issues. With respect to high doses of Vitamin C for the prevention of cancer, heart disease, and colds, there are literally hundreds of studies supporting its effectiveness. Yet, the medical community's response is usually, "There's still not enough data." Try explaining you're on a high-protein diet because you're trying to build your body to your doctor, and he/she will respond, "Don't do that; it's excessive and can lead to kidney disease." Is there one decent study to back up that claim? No! In this article, I'll address, once and for all, the protein myth.

MYTH 1: ATHLETES DON'T NEED EXTRA PROTEIN

When will this one go away? The average MuscleMedia reader is probably thinking, "Who in the world still believes this ridiculous statement?" The answer is, a great number of people do. Don't forget that the high-fat, low-protein diet recommendation is alive and well with the general nutritionist, doctor, and the "don't-confuse-us-with-the-facts" media. For the past half century, scientists using poor study design with sedentary people have held firm to the belief that bodybuilders, runners, and various other athletes don't need more protein than Mr. Potato Head... er, I mean the average couch potato. However, in the past few decades, researchers using better study design with real athletes have come to a different conclusion altogether. They found (as bodybuilders have known for years) that active people need far more protein than the RDA recommends to maintain their hard-earned muscle tissue.

In a recent review paper, one of the top researchers in the field of protein metabolism, 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/kg of bodyweight (150%-175% of the current RDA) and 1.7-1.8 grams of protein/kg bodyweight (212%-225% of the current RDA) for strength exercisers. Another group of researchers in the field of protein metabolism came to similar conclusions. They found strength-training athletes with a protein intake of 0.86 grams/kg of bodyweight (approximately the RDA) suffered a decrease in whole-body protein synthesis. (In other words, they lost muscle, folks!) Their recommendation was 1.76 grams/kg for strength-training athletes to maintain a positive nitrogen balance. This same group found that endurance athletes also need a lot more protein than the RDA and that men catabolize (break down) more protein than women during exercise.

How does this information relate to the eating habits of the average bodybuilder and the advice that has been found in bodybuilding literature for years? The most common advice for protein intake from the bodybuilding magazines, by various writers, coaches, bodybuilders, etc., is one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. So a 200-lb guy should take in 200 grams of protein per day. How does this number compare to the above research findings? Let's see, since scientists work in kilograms (kg), we have some converting to do. One kilogram is equal to 2.2 lbs. So, 200 lbs divided by 2.2 lbs gives us 90.9 kg. Multiply this by 1.8 (the high end of Dr. Lemon's protein recommendation), and you get 163.6 grams of protein per day. How about the nutritionists and doctors? What do they recommend? The RDA is 0.8 grams of protein/kg of bodyweight. So a 200-lb or 90.9-kg guy with a protein intake of 0.8 grams/kg would consume 73 grams of protein per day. Who is closer to Dr. Lemon's recent protein intake recommendations? Obviously, the bodybuilder.

Some bodybuilders use 30% as the proper percentage of calorie intake from protein. There may be a time when the bodybuilder wants to exceed this percentage: e.g., during dieting. It is well established that carbs are "protein sparing," so more protein (perhaps up to 40%) is needed as a person reduces carbs during dieting. Let's say our 200-lb friend reduced his calories to 2,000 calories per day in an attempt to reduce his bodyfat for a competition, prepare for summer at the beach, or win Bill Phillips' Lamborghini Diablo. Back to the math: 40% protein x 2,000 calories = 800 calories from protein or 200 grams of protein (800 calories . 4 calories per gram of protein). As you can see, he's dieting but still within the range of the current research recommendations. And, protein is the least likely nutrient to be converted to bodyfat.

Bottom line? High-protein diets are better for reducing bodyfat, increasing muscle mass, and helping the hard-training bodybuilder achieve his/her goals.

MYTH 2: HIGH-PROTEIN DIETS ARE DANGEROUS

The average Muscle Media reader may still be bothered by another myth about protein intake: that is, "High-protein diets are bad for the kidneys and will lead to osteoporosis." What are the medical facts behind these claims? For starters, the kidney-function damage caused by high protein diets is based on studies done with people who had preexisting kidney problems.

One of the jobs of the kidneys is to excrete urea (generally a nontoxic compound) that is formed from ammonia (a very toxic compound) which comes from the protein in our diets. People with kidney problems may have trouble excreting urea, and a high-protein diet increases the stress. How this logic gets extended to, "A high-protein diet is hard on the kidneys of healthy athletes," I have no idea.

Now for the medical facts. There is not a single study, published in a reputable, peer-reviewed journal, using healthy adults that has shown any kidney dysfunction whatsoever from a high-protein diet. In the real world, where millions of athletes have been following high protein diets for decades, there has never been a reported case of kidney failure in a healthy athlete attributable to a high-protein diet. If the high-protein diet were putting undo stress on our kidneys, we would have seen many cases of kidney abnormalities. As a trainer of many top athletes, I've known guys who ate much more than what the above research recommends (even more than 600 grams of protein per day!) who showed no kidney dysfunction, and I personally read the damn blood tests! Bottom line? One to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight will have no ill effects on the kidney function of a healthy athlete. Period.

What about the osteoporosis claim? That's a bit more complicated, but the conclusion's the same. The pathology of osteoporosis involves a combination of many risk factors and physiological variables such as macronutrient (carbs, proteins, fats) intake, micronutrient (vitamins, minerals, etc.) intake, hormonal profiles, lack of exercise, gender, family history, etc. The theory is 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 acidity down, thus depleting the bones of minerals. Even if there were a clear link between a high-protein diet and osteoporosis (and there isn't), athletes have few of the above risk factors, as they tend to get plenty of exercise, calories, minerals, vitamins, and have positive hormonal profiles. There are millions of athletes who follow high-protein diets without any signs of premature bone loss. Bottom line? A high-protein diet doesn't lead to osteoporosis in healthy athletes who have few risk factors, especially if the protein intake is within the range discussed in this article.

MYTH 3: ALL PROTEINS ARE CREATED EQUAL

How many times have you heard this ridiculous statement? Yes, to a sedentary couch potato who doesn't care that his butt is the same shape as the cushion he's sitting on, protein quality is of little concern. However, research has shown repeatedly that different proteins have various functional properties athletes can take advantage of. For example, whey protein has been shown to improve immunity in a variety of situations.

Whey protein is also high in branched-chain amino acids which are beneficial to athletes. I could go on all day about the various functional properties of different proteins, such as nitrogen retention and IGF stimulation. The fact is that science is rapidly discovering proteins with unique amino acid ratios have very different effects on the human body. Bottom line? Realize the important differences between proteins, and then choose your proteins wisely; you'll soon be on your way to a muscular body.

CONCLUSION

The protein myths discussed in this article have been lurking around for so long that they've just been accepted as truth. Now there is the proper research to kill these fallacies and dispel the protein myths

[Yukon Cornelius]

Just some more articles on High Protein diets and Myths. Mostly opinion though but they make a strong case about previous research.

[DarCSA]

The High Risks of High Protein Diets

By Karen Kupinski, R.D., contributing writer to healthatoz

If you are a dieter who likes meat, then a high protein diet may strike you as a meal plan&nbsp;made in&nbsp;heaven. Bacon and eggs for breakfast. Fried chicken for lunch. Steak for dinner.

But before you raise the bunless brger to your lips, you should read beyond the high protein diet books to what the American Heart Association (AHA) has to say. The AHA has issued a warning about the dangers of high protein diets, saying that they have the potential to put you at risk for cardiovascular disease, particularly heart attacks. If that's not convincing enough, maybe this is: They don't work.

"There are no short term or long term studies proving that their effectiveness," says Barbara Howard, Ph.D., a member of the AHA's Nutrition Committee.

High protein diets have been around since the 1960's but are enjoying a resurgence, thanks to best selling diet&nbsp;books (including one by the father of high protein diets himself, Dr. Robert Atkins.)&nbsp;A study that was reported in the AHA publication Circulation compared five different diets - the Atkins' diet, the Zone, Protein Power, Sugar Busters, and the Stillman Diet.

According&nbsp;to the AHA nutrition committee, the Protein Power diet has the highest fat content with 54 percent of total calories from fat. Atkins has the next highest with 53 percent, and Stillman, the Zone, and Sugar Busters have 33 percent, 30 percent, and 21 percent, respectively.&nbsp;

These diets diet plans advocate that you ditch carbohydrates and replace them with high protein foods. In this diet game plan, you bring on the meat, eggs, and dairy and cut out carrots and potatoes.

The AHA isn't the only health&nbsp;organization to criticize low carbohydrate, high protein diets. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) &nbsp;says these meal plans are "not in sync" with its nutrition reccomendations.

The Science behind the diet

According to Howard, these diets work initially because "when you eat more protein and fat, the body produces ketone bodies, which cause you to lose fluid. The initial weight loss is actually water."

Ketone bodies are the fuel our bodies get from fat. If we eat too few carbohydrates or we starve ourselves, ketone bodies build up in the bloodstream. Ketosis is the condition of having too many ketone bodies in the bloodstream, which must be excreted by urine. This is why fluid loss occurs. After time, ketosis causes a loss of appetite and nausea, which eventual results in consuming fewer calories. So the real reason people lose weight is not because of&nbsp;some magical combination of protein and carbohydrate.&nbsp;Rather, they eat less and have a dramatic loss of body water.

&nbsp;High protein diets cause dehydration for this very reason. According to the AHA, high protein diets can&nbsp;increase these other following health risks:

1. High Protein diets are high in fat, and, therefore, can increase the risk&nbsp;of heart disease.&nbsp;Meat, eggs, and dairy products contain saturated fats, and eating too much of them can raise artery-clogging cholesterol levels in the blood, a known risk factor for heart disease.

"Since it's difficult to follow a high protein diet without eating a lot of meat, people will be more