Protein...How much is too much?

Some days I would swear we were back in the 90's...then I look in the mirror, and see that my sweet, sweet MacGyver mullet is still gone.  What does remind me of the 90's however, is that fact that we seem to be right back into the Atkins Diet age.  Low Carb-High Protein diets have made such a strong strong resurgence, that I am considering growing my hair out again.  Well, maybe not...nobody looks good in a skullet!

Quite often these days, I am either asked or told about someone who has decided to jump back on the 90's Atkins train by either eliminating or significantly reducing carbohydrate (CHO) intake, and cranking up the amount of protein they are ingesting.

I have one word for those people...AMDR.  Okay, Okay...so it's an acronym, not a word.  So sue me.

The acronym AMDR stands for Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range, and basically refers to the appropriate (acceptable) levels of nutrients that we put into our bodies daily.  We need to keep in mind that anything can reach toxic or harmful levels within our bodies...even stuff that we typically consider healthy.

Take good 'ol H2O for instance.  Water, considered by some to be the fourth macronutrient, is something we take for granted.  We know we should be consuming specific amounts of this relatively benign liquid, to prevent dehydration...but have we ever thought much about hyper-hydration?  Did you know that the consumption of too much water can kill you?  

It's a similar situation with protein.  You can ingest too much protein, and it can have harmful, untoward effects on your body...and your performance.  The performance aspect is somewhat ironic, as the majority of people who overdose - yes, I said overdose - are those looking to improve their performance.  I've been there myself at times.

I was recently reading an article in a health and fitness journal about protein, that referred to protein as a substance that has a halo effect.  A halo effect is a phenomenon that leads people to overestimate the healthfulness of a food or nutrient, based on one quality.  Food manufacturers have capitalized to the tune of multi-billion dollar revenues by creating (and often simply re-labeling) new products that align with the halo effect that protein currently has.  

Don't get me wrong here...protein is absolutely essential to maintaining homeostasis, as well overall health and longevity...but the old adage "if some is good, then more is better" truly does not apply when we are talking about daily protein intake.

Let's talk Protein 101 here...

First, what is protein? 

pro·tein

ˈprōˌtē(ə)n/

noun

noun: protein; plural noun: proteins

1.

any of a class of nitrogenous organic compounds that consist of large molecules composed of one or more long chains of amino acids and are an essential part of all living organisms, esp. as structural components of body tissues such as muscle, hair, collagen, etc., and as enzymes and antibodies.

 

 

Above, is the definition of protein found in Webster's Dictionary.  Let's take it down a notch, and try to make it easier to understand.

For the purposes of this particular blog, protein can be defined as any food source or dietary supplement that is comprised of chains of amino acids.  You should know that there are complete proteins, and incomplete proteins.  Complete proteins are those that contain all of the essential amino acids, while those that are classified as incomplete, are deficient in essential amino acids.  

So what is the difference between an essential amino acid and a non-essential amino acid?  That is a great question!  

Essential Amino Acids are those that cannot be synthesized by the human body.  This means that we must consume them from food sources or dietary supplements.  There are ten essential amino acids, and most everyone who has a background in nutrition or exercise physiology, knows these as Private Tim Hall....or more accurately, PVT TIM HALL.

PVT TIM HALL is a common mnemonic that students use to remember the ten essential amino acids:

Phenylalanine

Valine

Tryptophan

Threonine

Isoleucine

Methionine

Histidine

Arginine 

Leucine

Lysine

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) were quite popular back in the nineties, and like many supplements, have come full circle.  What is old is new again.  Recent studies have linked BCAA with performance enhancement, especially when it comes to reducing fatigue levels.  This is due to BCAA's ability to be metabolized at the skeletal muscle level, rather than within the liver.  This means that BCAA's can stave off fatigue during training and competition, allowing you to push harder for longer durations.

Alright, let's talk about how much protein we should be getting.  Early on in this rant, I mentioned the word - sorry...the acronym AMDR (Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range).  But wait...there's another acronym out there that provides guidance for the quantity of nutrient intake - RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance).  The RDA provides quantities of food and nutrient intake, based on age and gender.

 "So" you ask, "What is the AMDR for protein?" 

The Institute of Medicine recommends an AMDR of 10-35% of total caloric consumption from protein.  This falls far short of the high protein diet fad recommendations of up to 50% total calories from protein sources.  The RDA for protein is as follows:

Recommended Dietary Allowance for Protein
	Grams of protein needed each day
Children ages 1 – 3	13
Children ages 4 – 8	19
Children ages 9 – 13	34
Girls ages 14 – 18	46
Boys ages 14 – 18	52
Women ages 19 – 70+	46
Men ages 19 – 70+	56

The next question one should ask is "What happens when I take in too much protein?"

There are a host of different outcomes of overdoing protein intake.  Some of them are as benign as gastrointestinal cramping and diarrhea.  If you are lucky, this is all that you will experience.  It is important to understand however, what happens to protein in your body.  The breakdown of protein cleaves nitrogen from the molecule.  Excess nitrogen levels in the body can create an acidic environment.  Acidic environments can be harmful to the body, and thus, the body strives to maintain nitrogen balance.  Athletes can benefit from a slight nitrogen balance due to their activity levels and need for muscle repair and synthesis.  The average person however, or the person who has adopted a high-protein diet in hopes of losing weight, may find that while they do lose weight (sometimes quite rapidly) their body fat levels do not drop in accordance to their total weight loss.

This condition is due to the fact that excess amino acid levels in the body, like any excess form of energy, can be converted and stored as adipose tissue...commonly referred to as fat.  Often times the significant weight loss comes at the expense of decreased lean muscle mass, and decreased body fluid levels.  

You see, when nitrogen levels begin to rise within the body, our amazingly designed 'machines' kick into protection-mode, forming greater amounts of urea, and stimulating an increase in urine production/output.  This is a mechanism used to rid the body of excess proteins and the byproducts of excess protein intake.

This may seem relatively unimportant, but it is important to understand that body fluid loss as little as 1% of total body weight, can have a profound impact on performance.  If you are an athlete, like me, the last thing you want to do is begin a training session or a competition...already dehydrated.

If you are not an athlete, and you are simply someone who has adopted the high-protein lifestyle to lose weight, it is also important for you to exercise.  You should strive to be well hydrated prior, during, and after any exercise session.

"So what else can happen if I take in too much protein?" 

For you women out there...excess protein intake can play a role in leeching bone-strengthening calcium from the body.  This can increase one's risk of developing osteoporosis later in life, which can lead to frequent bone fractures, and a significant reduction in quality of life.

Protein is good, but like anything else...too much, can be bad.  I encourage you to do additional research on your own, and make an informed decision about how you should eat...not a fad-based decision.  Fad diets and eating plans are rarely sustainable.  If you are an aging athlete like me, sustainability is paramount!

Here a just a few of the references for the information above, that you might find useful in your search for the truth.

AND (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics). 2013a. Eat right for endurance.  www.eatright.org?Publication/content.aspx?id=7085;accessed June 1, 2013.

Bonjour, J.P. 2011.  Protein intake and bone health.  International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research.  81 (2-3), 134-42

Tipton, K.D. 2011.  Symposium 2: Exercise and protein nutrition: Efficacy and consequences of very-high-protein diets for athletes and exercisers.  Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 70 (2), 205-14

Westerterp-Plantenga, M.S., Lemmens, S.G., & Westerterp, K.R. 2012.  Dietary protein: its roe in satiety, energetics, weight loss and health.  British Journal of Nutrition, 108, s105-s102.

 

Who's Milo Anyway?

Milo of Croton...or, more accurately, Milon of Kroton, was a 6th century wrestler known for his amazing feats of strength and power.  Milo however, is best known for his strength training regimen, which began while he was still a small boy.

It is said that when Milo was about eight years old, he was given a young calf to raise as his own.  Legend has it that Milo's father would ask him each morning, "How Big is your calf today Milo?"  In response, Milo would run out to the field, throw the calf over his shoulders, and run back to the house to show his father...rather than simply telling him how big the calf was getting.

This process went on daily, as the calf matured and grew to normal size and weight.  It is said Milo gained his amazing strength and power from this progressive form of strength training.  You see, the calf was growing little by little, day in and day out.  Each day Milo picked up the calf, the calf weighed a little more than the day before...but not enough to notice the difference.

By the time the calf had reached maturity...and become a bull, Milo's body had adapted and become incredibly strong.  

Milo's incredible strength and crushing power, made him a worthy opponent in both battle and athletic events.  Milo was reported to have been a six-time Olympic victor in the sport of wrestling, winning five titles between 536 and 520 BC.  Milo was also credited with leading his fellow citizens to military triumph over neighboring Sybaris, in 510 BC.

Milo's life, reportedly, came to an end while he was attempting to tear a tree apart with his bare hands.  Legend states that Milo had been cutting a tree with an axe and wedge.  When the wedge became lodged deep within the trunk of the tree, Milo used his bare hands to spread the tree trunk apart, allowing him to remove the wedge.  While reaching in to grab the wedge, the two halves of the tree sprung back, trapping Milo's hand deep within it.  While Milo was desperately trying to free himself, he was attacked by wolves, and killed.  Some accounts of the story however, state that Milo was attacked by a lion while trying to free himself. 

 A number of paintings and sculptures have been completed, depicting Milo's legendary death...with both wolves and lions.

 

 Alright, I know....if you've made it this far, you might be thinking "Why the history lesson?"  "What does this have to do with aging athletes?"

Here's the deal...the strength training regimen that Milo used to gain such extraordinary strength and power, is actually the first account of the application of the SAID principle.

The what?

The SAID Principle is a well-known principle, or law, within the realm of exercise physiology.  SAID is an acronym that stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands.  This law, or principle, refers to the body's amazing ability to adapt to various stresses placed upon it.  Milo's application of the SAID Principle illustrates a progressive increase over time, in both strength and power.  

Here's how it worked...

Each day the calf increased in size.  These increases were relatively small, and at times unnoticeable.  All the while, Milo's body...his muscles, nervous system, etc. were making their own minuscule adjustments to meet the new demands encountered while lifting the calf...and later, the bull.

It's all about progression folks.  

While the truth behind Milo's story may be more legendary than factual, the fact does remain, that it is progression that provides the most benefit for us when it comes to improving strength and fitness levels.  The SAID principle is at the very core of every well-planned training program for one reason - IT WORKS.

I have decided to experiment with Milo's SAID Principle...on myself.  You've all seen those movies where the scientist performs some crazy experiment on himself, right?  Well, this wont be anywhere near as crazy, or as exciting.  Imagine that.

I have decided to apply the MILO Principle (a little play on words there) to the pushup.  Yep, that's right...the simple, basic pushup.  Here's what I have in mind....

Actually, I am nearly one month into it right now, but I have been meaning to share it with you all for some time now.  I guess I've just been to busy performing pushups! 

On day one of my plan I performed as many pushups as I could...that's right, to failure.  When I was young, I could bang out about 70 pushups before failing.  Now, at age 49...40 was my max.  So I decided I would start at 50% of my max.  After allowing my body to fully recover (72 hours was sufficient), I began my program.  I planned to begin with 20 pushups (50% of my max), adding one pushup each day.  My thought (more accurately, my hypothesis), was that by adding just one pushup each day, my body would barely sense the increased change, and slowly adjust to each day's imposed demand.

I will be honest with you...I have missed a day or two here and there, but for the most part I have been diligent in my efforts to complete my daily pushup challenge.  I would like to see just how many pushups I will be able to do after completing my challenge for 6-months.  

If my math is correct (and my body continues to adapt at the same rate Milo's did), by the end of 6-months I should be able to 201 continuous pushups!  

Now I realize that the story of Milo is just that...a story.  I also realize however, that the SAID Principle is real.  I am simply having a little fun putting it to the test, and seeing just how much my body is capable of adapting to the ever increasing, imposed demand.

Will you join me?  I challenge you!

Let's have some fun together.