The Protein Perspective: Balancing Your Diet for Better Health
There are few things that are talked about in the fitness space more than protein. From building muscle to general health, we’ve all heard about how important it is for us. You have likely even had conversations about it with friends, family members, or coworkers. However, with so much discussion around it, information is bound to eventually be convoluted with different recommendations and opinions. In this article, I aim to educate you on what protein is, why it is essential for our health and wellbeing, how it can help you achieve your fitness goals, and how to incorporate it into your diet. No matter who you are or what your background in fitness is, understanding the importance of protein could completely change your approach to nutrition.
General Info
Protein is an essential macronutrient that plays a vital role in nearly every biological process that happens in our bodies. Proteins are molecules that are made up of 20 different amino acids. Of these 20 different amino acids, nine of them are considered essential, as our bodies cannot make them. In other words, we must obtain the essential amino acids through diet. The order of these amino acids is what determines the unique function of each protein. If this is hard to conceptualize, I like to compare amino acids to the alphabet. Just like the letters of the alphabet can be arranged differently to create words and form sentences, amino acids can be arranged differently to create proteins. Without the essential amino acids in our diets, we would essentially be missing letters of the alphabet and could not form many of the words we rely on to communicate.
General Health
Protein is essential for maintaining and supporting a variety of bodily functions and structures, and its importance is hard to overstate. One of the most important roles of protein is cellular repair. It works to regenerate a variety of tissues, including skin, organs, and other types of cellular structures. Proteins are also responsible for many enzymatic functions, without which we would not be able to support many vital processes. Enzymes act as catalysts for many biological processes, and without them many processes would not be able to occur as fast as we need them to (1). Many hormones are peptide/protein-based and regulate many different processes in the body. These hormones affect metabolism, growth, blood sugar levels, and much more. Proteins called antibodies are important for our immune system and help neutralize harmful pathogens. Proteins also help with nutrient transportation and fluid. A specific protein called hemoglobin transports oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body (2).
It is easy to see just how many functions protein has within our bodies, and it goes far beyond just building muscle. Lack of protein within our diets can lead to loss of muscle mass and decreased strength, but the consequences of not consuming adequate protein go far beyond that. Immune system dysfunction is one of the main concerns for those that do not ingest adequate amounts of protein, as many of the components of our immune system rely heavily on protein. Since one of the main functions of proteins is tissue regeneration, it is possible to experience delayed healing. Due to protein’s role in maintaining fluid balance within blood vessels and tissues, lack of protein could lead to edema. Lastly, hormonal imbalances and metabolism dysfunction are possible if we don’t consume enough protein to support these processes and functions. Although when we often think of protein we also think of muscle building, protein is essential for nearly every process in our body, and its responsibilities and roles go far beyond surface level.
Weight Loss/Body Composition/Lean Muscle Mass
As I have already mentioned in the previous sections, protein is absolutely essential for our bodies to repair and grow. This also means that it is essential for muscle growth and repair. Consuming enough protein in a sitting, especially after workouts, stimulates muscle protein synthesis (the creation of new muscle proteins.) It seems that this amount is around 30 grams per meal in order to stimulate muscle protein synthesis (6). This “meal threshold” theory may suggest that we need a certain amount of quality protein during each meal to maximize muscle protein synthesis.
Protein is also known to be extremely satiating and helps regulate your appetite naturally by affecting hunger hormones such as ghrelin (5). You may have noticed that when you eat quality sources of protein, such as lean meats, dairy, etc., you tend to stay full for a much longer time when compared to a carb-heavy, low-protein meal. Not only does eating adequate protein naturally help us through appetite regulation, but it also helps preserve our lean body mass while we lose weight (4). At the end of the day, we want to make sure that the weight that we are losing is coming from body fat and not our hard-earned muscle tissue. Maintaining as much lean mass as possible during weight loss is going to help preserve our strength and maintain our metabolic health. This in turn will help us to continue to lose weight with less effort in the future and make weight maintenance easier as we reach our goal body composition.
Another important consideration is that protein has potential benefits for bone health. It may increase bone mineral density and influence calcium kinetics, which in turn would lead to less risk of fractures and promote the production of bone-related proteins (7). This is an especially important consideration as we age because of normal age-related decreases in bone mineral density. Bone breakdown accelerates as we age, especially after about age 50, so it is essential that we do everything in our power to maintain as much bone density as possible.
Protein Recommendations/Sources
When determining protein requirements, it is important to consider several factors such as age, sex, weight, activity level, overall caloric intake, and the quality of the protein sources being consumed. The daily recommendations can get convoluted, but I am going to try to simplify as much as I can. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day. This comes out to just 0.36 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. That would mean for a 200 pound person, they should consume just 72 grams of protein per day. Numerous studies have shown the benefits of higher protein intake. We have already talked about the meal threshold theory in the above sections, outlining the importance of getting enough protein at each meal to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Studies have also shown that even spacing of protein every 3-5 hours is needed to maximize protein synthesis. For active individuals with the goal of optimizing body composition, several studies suggest that a protein consumption of 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day may be more optimal (9). This equates to approximately 0.7–1 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. This would mean for a 200 pound person, anywhere between 140-200 grams of protein per day would be optimal. I believe that for the majority of healthy people, this higher recommendation is ideal, especially when combined with regular resistance training. Many people worry that high protein intake will make them “bulky”, but due to the appetite regulation effects outlined above and influence on overall calories consumed, it may have the opposite effect and help individuals to remain lean.
As far as protein sources go, the biggest concern is that which I touched on earlier. In order to make a complete protein source, we need to ensure that we have adequate levels of all 9 essential amino acids. Animal-based proteins are a safe bet for complete protein sources. Lean meats, poultry, and fish such as salmon, tuna, cod, shrimp, etc. are all fantastic sources of quality protein. Eggs and dairy products are also sources of complete proteins. Although some plant proteins are incomplete and must be paired with other plants to create a complete protein, there are numerous complete plant-based sources. Some grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth are complete proteins as well as soybeans/soybean products such as tofu, tempeh, and edamame. Some seeds such as hemp seeds and chia seeds are also complete sources of protein. Some examples of plant-based proteins that can be paired to make a complete protein include rice and beans, whole grain bread and nut butter, corn and beans, hummus and pita bread, lentils and almonds, vegetables and rice, and spirulina and grains. It is also worthy to note that pairing is not absolutely essential at every meal, but should be done at minimum on a daily basis.
Conclusion
In conclusion, protein is an essential macronutrient that plays a vital role in our overall health and fitness, whose importance extends far beyond building muscle. From cellular repair and enzyme function to hormone regulation and immune support, protein is essential for maintaining optimal health. Protein is particularly important for those with fitness goals, as it aids in muscle growth, supports weight loss by promoting satiety and preserving lean muscle, and contributes to optimal bone health. The recommended protein intake varies depending on individual factors, but for most active individuals, consuming between 0.7-1 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily can be beneficial.
Understanding the importance of protein and implementing strategies to consume adequate amounts can significantly impact your health, fitness, and overall well-being. Whether you're an athlete looking to optimize performance or someone simply aiming for better health, prioritizing your protein intake is a crucial step towards achieving your goals.
Yours in health,
Luke
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