What is protein good for and how much should I have?

Protein – your main focus!

When we talk about diet, we must remember that research still has difficulty doing really good studies on this. This is partly because it is difficult to get people to follow a certain diet for a long time and self-reporting is a difficult quantity for us humans. Something we do know a lot about, however, is proteins.

Protein is one of the 4 macronutrients that consist of; Protein, Fat, Carbohydrates and Alcohol. Yes, alcohol is also a source of fuel, it is just less appropriate as it comes with other side effects.

A protein consists of amino acids and these are the ones we need to get through our diet. We create some ourselves and others we need to consume through food. Basically, you get all the essential amino acids when you consume animal products, where through a plant-based diet, basically, you have to find it through various food sources such as beans, oats, nuts, etc.

So, it can be a challenge, if you are not careful, to get the right amount and the right ratios of proteins if you cut out some foods. However, it can be done and there are cases where it makes good sense to remove certain foods from the diet, but then it is important to be even more careful about what is consumed. These are some of the basic factors that we at Functional Medicine look at first before we dive deeper into biochemistry and the body.

How much do you need?

It is important that proteins are consumed daily and optimally several times during the day, as proteins are not stored in the body and can be used the next day for, for example, muscle tissue, or what we call muscle synthesis. Previously, it was assumed that approximately 0.8 grams of protein per optimal kilogram of body weight was sufficient, but more and more research points to the fact that at least twice that is necessary if you exercise regularly, which we all should do. Proteins are essential for maintaining muscle mass, but proteins are also used as enzymes throughout your body, which makes the things that need to happen happen.

Source: Sundhed.dk

Calculation of protein

When we talk about proteins in food, it is important to remember that 100 grams of chicken does NOT contain 100 grams of protein, but approx. 25 grams of protein. This means that if you weigh 70 kg, and this is close to your optimal weight, you should consume 70 x 1.6 grams of protein = 112 grams of protein daily. This would correspond to around 400 grams of chicken per day divided over several meals, as we can only absorb a maximum of somewhere between 25-50 grams of protein for muscle synthesis per meal. This is actually relatively much, but here we also assume that you stay active and need this.

If you simply consume large amounts of protein without exercise, it will end up as fat deposits on your body, and when they need to be retrieved again for energy, it will be in the form of sugar (glucose). The absolute most important energy source for your brain and body. As I said, you cannot retrieve stored protein and use it for your muscles if you consume too little.

Proteins require a little more energy for the body to break down, which for some can be beneficial if we are talking about weight loss and some also experience a better feeling of satiety when they consume proteins.

Fasting and proteins?

Protein intake is important if you want your body to cooperate, build muscle tissue after exercise, and keep your bones strong. Keeping track of the right amount of protein is a simple place to start for most people.

Research suggests that it is best done over 3-4 meals, which is why intermittent fasting or Time Restricted Eating can be a challenge in some cases – but it is always about context and individual needs and the pros and cons must be weighed up. Fasting can therefore make it difficult to consume proteins and it should therefore be strongly considered why this approach is used. Fasting can make great sense in some cases, as it can make individuals eat less and therefore enable weight loss and possibly make them healthier. But the consequences and disadvantages should be considered, especially with longer fasts over 12 hours. Insufficient protein intake is one of the fall-off points here.

Is there something to do with age?

As we age, it becomes more and more important to consume enough protein, whereas in our teenage years we can put little emphasis on our hormones. The challenge for many older people, however, is that they have reduced appetite, and then it only becomes really problematic when muscle mass and bone density decrease, which, however, also depend on factors other than protein.

What if I train hard – can I get too much protein?

When you train, you break down the body so that it can get stronger through recovery. This phenomenon is called Hormesis in biology. We expose the body to something it doesn’t like, and it thinks, “Now I better make myself stronger and more robust for next time.” However, this healing requires that the body gets a break and that the building blocks are present. Here, proteins are extremely important as building blocks for your body, as we discussed earlier.

It is possible to get too much protein if you have kidney problems or if, like some bodybuilders, you exceed a staggering 3.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, it is extremely rare and almost impossible to get these amounts, so if you are healthy and fit you should not fear getting too much protein. Your focus should be on getting enough!

Protein supplements; does it make sense?

The short answer is; often!
It is difficult for us with a busy everyday life, and a lot to achieve, to reach optimal protein intake – at least that is my experience at the clinic. Especially with the good intentions that have come in connection with the climate, where there is a limitation of meat in everyday life, most people are starting to adjust.

If you find it difficult to reach optimal protein intake in your daily life, then a protein supplement may be an excellent idea.

The supplements that have the best composition of amino acids are Whey protein, which is extracted from whey protein, which comes from cow’s milk. However, they contain lactose, so you should be aware if you have an intolerance here, but they are also available in hydrolyzed/isolated forms, where the lactose is very limited and which people with lactose intolerance can therefore often tolerate.

You can also get rice protein, hemp protein, pea protein and other forms, which can be quite excellent. The most important thing to look for is that the protein per 100 grams is as high as possible, because there is no need to add unnecessary calories in most cases. Here I would go for protein supplements with over 80 grams of protein per 100 grams. There are several good products on the market, so just do some research.

A small part of the big picture

Protein intake is a small part of your overall health and well-being, but it is an important part that is a step you can take yourself. There are many factors that should be taken into consideration when looking at the individual – be it in relation to diseases, symptom improvement or health optimization. No two people are the same, but research gives us some good probabilities of where we should look first. Protein is part of the big picture and a good place to start when it comes to all the different initiatives that can be initiated.

Tip:

During a Functional Medicine consultation, all relevant lifestyle factors are taken into account when assessing a client. In addition, tests that have been done by the patient’s own doctor and tests that we sometimes take privately are reviewed. It can be a big puzzle and it is sometimes good to have a therapist as a detective on the sidelines so that we don’t lose track.