Protein Myths

Protein has a pretty strange reputation. It’s lauded by bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts as the greatest thing since sliced bread (which, funnily enough, many of them are afraid to eat) and reviled by many in the medical community as something that will make your kidneys explode if you eat too much.

Let’s talk about some common misconceptions about protein’s role in our diet and health…

Untitled design (6).png — How much do we really need?

The current UK recommendation (RNI) for protein is 53g per day (6) for a 70kg person, which is needed to prevent deficiency. Research on the importance of muscle health as we age indicates that more may be better, especially for older people with recommendations closer to 84g per day (7, 8). This is to help reduce the risk of muscle loss as we get older. While most younger adults are able to eat this much, as many as 35% of older people fail to consume ≥ 53g and fewer than 15% consume ≥84g per day (9).

Myth #1 – Protein is needed only for muscle building

Protein’s most well-known role is of course building healthy muscles, but this isn’t just important for bodybuilders. Muscle is important because the loss of muscle as we age (known as sarcopenia) is directly related to the development of frailty (1) and on top of that muscle loss is believed to increase the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline and even depression (2). So, maintaining healthy muscle with protein is important.

That said, protein is necessary for so much more. People who eat more protein tend to have stronger bones and fewer fractures as protein is directly involved in bone formation (3-5), something that’s also very important as we age. On top of that, protein is used to form enzymes which are responsible for virtually everything that happens in your body. If you can think of something your body does, producing energy, warming us up, cooling us down, clotting blood… an enzyme, made of protein, is responsible. Protein is essential for growth and repair of all our tissues so it’s very important for the healing process. Hormones like insulin and other signalling molecules which direct many processes in our body are all proteins. It’s used to form antibodies and enzymes, essential for our immune system. The protein Haemoglobin, transports oxygen around your body and ferritin, another protein, stores iron. Protein is involved in everything your body does.

Myth #2 – Vegans can’t get enough protein through their diet

UK vegans get on average 77g of protein compared to 96g for meat eaters (3), which is linked to lower muscle mass in vegans. As, plant protein from whole foods isn’t as easily digested it might be wise for vegans to aim a little higher with their protein goals (10, 11). If vegans plan their diet to include high-protein plant-based proteins like tofu, TVP and Quorn, as well as whole foods like beans, peas and lentils, getting enough protein is definitely doable.

Myth #3 – We all need protein powders to meet our protein requirement

Some athletes use very high protein diets in order to build as much muscle as possible. For them, protein powders can be a cheap and convenient way to increase their protein, but they should only be used to supplement a diet based around nutrient dense wholefoods. If you’re not an athlete, you can probably get all the protein you need from a well-planned diet.

Bottom line is that weight loss & diet trends have really put the emphasis on protein lately. With that comes a lot of misconceptions about protein. While adequate protein is important for good health and body functioning, it’s important to consume a balanced diet that provides a variety of macro & micronutrients. You should aim to eat a variety of protein sources throughout the day at meals & snacks.

Written by: Richie Kirwan

@be_more_nutrition

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Humaira AzeemApril 28, 2021Comment