High Protein Diets: Science Or Snake Oil?
Is the high protein trend the answer to health, a passing craze, or something more nefarious?
Trends in the fitness world come and go, and today, fitness influencers are touting extreme high protein diets as the key to fat loss, muscle growth, and overall health. Protein is an essential nutrient, and while diet is a personal choice, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing.
The Role Of Protein
Protein is a vital nutrient responsible for several bodily functions. In short, protein supports the growth and maintenance of tissues, allows metabolic reactions in the body, helps maintain pH balance, and keeps the immune system strong. According to Harvard Health Publishing, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein for adults is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight or 0.36 grams per pound. This is the minimum amount of protein needed to support basic function and prevent disease.
So, someone who weighs 150 pounds needs a minimum of 54 grams of protein a day. This is a far cry from the over 100 grams a day recommended by most influencers. It’s important to note though that this number is the bare minimum.
The actual amount of protein you need varies greatly depending on your activity level, age, and whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Some studies recommend 1.2 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.54 to 0.9 grams per pound for active adults. That means 81 to 135 grams a day for our 150-pound person.
The problem is that many of these fitness influencers are much more active than their average follower. They have to be, it’s their job. If you’re just starting your fitness journey, don’t try to duplicate a public figure’s diet right away. Instead, increase your protein intake slowly and focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods.
What’s Wrong With A High Protein Diet?
A balanced diet includes the right blend of protein, fat and carbohydrates along with vitamins and minerals. Packing your diet with meats, dairy, and supplements can take space on your plate for other important nutrients from foods like vegetables and grains.
According to Mayo Clinic, high protein diets that also limit carbs, like the keto diet, come with their own risks. High protein, low carb diets often lack fiber, which can lead to constipation, headache, and bad breath. These diets also tend to include a lot of red and processed meats. High consumption of these foods is linked to high blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol which is linked to a greater risk of heart disease.
Dieting And Obsession
Aside from the physiological impact of extreme dieting, preoccupation with food to the point of obsession negatively impacts mental health. Clean eating is also heavily promoted by the same people who promote high-protein diets. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with trying to eat healthier. However, the concept of clean eating takes health to the extreme.
While there isn’t an official definition of clean eating, it’s generally taken as choosing whole and minimally processed foods. This is a healthy approach on the surface but is often taken to the extreme by influencers, just like the protein craze. If some foods are “clean”, then others must be “dirty”. In reality, nutrition isn’t black and white, and enjoying all food in moderation is the healthiest.
Thinking in terms of extremes can lead to an obsessive attitude towards food. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), orthorexia is an obsession with healthy eating to the point of malnutrition and impaired psychosocial functioning. It’s not an official diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM 5), so it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when healthy eating goes wrong.
However, many eating disorder specialists see orthorexia as a variety of anorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive disorder and want greater recognition for the disorder. Orthorexia has a long list of symptoms and can present in different ways. Some symptoms that might pertain to a strict high-protein diet include an increase in concern about the health of ingredients, and compulsive checking of ingredient lists and nutritional labels, and an increase in concern about the health of ingredients.
More Isn’t Always Better
Diets prescribed by influencers tend to focus on getting in as much protein as possible but ignore other factors that influence health. Eating enough protein is important, but the type of protein and how you consume it matter too. Recipes that pack in over 30 grams of protein are a favorite among fitness influencers, but some studies have shown that your body uses protein more efficiently if you space it out across your day’s meals.
Not all protein is created equal, either. The human body needs 20 different amino acids, the building blocks of protein, to function. Of these, nine must be consumed through food. These are histidine, Isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
For optimal health, focus on consuming varied sources of protein. If you supplement with protein powders or bars, it’s worth looking into options that supply these amino acids, especially if you eat a plant-based diet.
Be Careful Who You Trust
With so many people with platforms claiming to be experts, it can be difficult to know who to trust for diet and lifestyle advice. The bottom line is that a registered dietitian is the only professional qualified to prescribe diets and advise on individual nutritional needs. In the United States, the title “nutritionist” is not federally regulated, meaning anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. No, “clean eating specialist”, “gut health expert” and “wellness coach” are not real credentials either.
This slurry of misinformation is why it’s important to ask questions when consuming influencer content and do your own research. What are this person’s credentials? Are they trying to sell me something? Does this make sense for my life? High protein diets are not the end all be all of health and fitness, so take them with a grain of salt.
