Time to Kiteboard!

Jodie and I are on our way to South Padre Texas, hitting up some kiteboarding down here and some time away.  It has been a crazy year, but I would not have it any other way (ok, I will admit to wishing my dissertation was done).

Fear not though, as the blog will continue on and I have some killer posts coming up, including this guest post here.

I may be a bit late responding to and approving comments, but I will get to all of them as soon as I can for sure!

Protein Controversies Regarding Bone and Coronary Heart Disease

Today I have a very special post for all of you regarding protein.

The amount of piss poor information floating around about protein is insane!    Good thing we have Jamie here to help sort out myth from truth.

Take it away Coach Hale.

The Author Himself Out for a Stroll

Protein Controversies

By Jamie Hale

Claim: High Protein diets are bad for bone health

Investigation: At one time or another you have probably heard the claim “high protein diets are bad for your bones, they cause calcium losses.” However, when examining the scientific evidence we see a different picture. A large study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research showed that both elderly men and women who consumed the most animal protein had the lowest rate of bone loss whereas those who consumed little protein had much higher rates of bone loss. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that postmenopausal women who consumed the highest amount of protein, particularly animal protein, were least likely to suffer from hip fractures and had the strongest bones (1).

Heaney and colleagues showed, that in free-living middle-aged women who were studied in a metabolic ward and ingested diets that matched their everyday intakes of protein and phosphorus, calcium losses were significantly positively correlated with protein intake and calcium balance was significantly negatively correlated (2). This study, cited extensively since its publication, contributed to the common belief that protein is harmful to bone. Almost two decades later in an editorial that was featured in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Heaney critiqued his own study and reported on recent findings (3). In conclusion Heaney stated “analysis of the diets of hunter-gatherer societies, and nitrogen isotope ratios of fossil bone collagen, indicate that human physiology evolved in the context of diets with high amounts of animal protein. Although caution has been urged in the interpretation of such analyses, it remains true that there is certainly no evidence that primitive humans had low intakes of either total protein or animal protein. That, coupled with the generally very robust skeletons of our hominid forbears, makes it difficult to sustain a case, either evidential or deductive, for overall skeletal harm related either to protein intake or to animal protein. Indeed, the balance of the evidence seems to indicate the opposite.”

Research suggests that consuming high protein diets that contain sufficient amounts of calcium and Vitamin D do not negatively affect bone health. Researchers at Tufts University in Boston found that adequate ingestion of dietary calcium helps to promote a positive effect of dietary protein on the skeleton in older adults. Also, phosphorus (e.g. milk, meat) and potassium (e.g. milk, legumes, grains) reduce calcium loss, thus negating protein-induced urinary calcium excretion.

Conclusion: A high protein diet that lacks sufficient amounts of calcium and Vitamin D may cause harm to bones. But a high protein diet that contains sufficient amounts of calcium and Vitamin D can have positive affects on bone health.

Claim: High protein diets increase the risk of coronary heart disease

Investigation: A review conducted by Li and colleagues (4) looked at the relationship between read meat consumption and coronary heart disease factors; 54 studies were reviewed. Findings of the review indicated “Substantial evidence from recent studies shows that lean red meat trimmed of visible fat does not raise total blood cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels.” And “lean red meat is low in saturated fat, and if consumed in a diet low in SFA (saturated fatty acids), is associated with reductions in LDL-cholesterol in both healthy and hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) subjects.” In conclusion “lean red meat trimmed of visible fat, which is consumed in a diet low in saturated fat does not increase cardiovascular risk factors.”

Conclusion: High protein diets that contain excessive calories and high fat may increase risk factors associated with coronary heart disease. But high protein diets that are low to moderate in calories and saturated fat do not increase risk factors. I generally recommend a few servings of lean red meat each week. Red meat is loaded with micronutrients and is a good source of quality protein.

References

1. Tbk Fitness. How to Prevent Osteoporosis. [Online] September 11, 2009 http://www.tbkfitness.org/Osteoporosis.html

2. Heaney RP, et. al. Effects of nitrogen, phosphorus, and caffeine on calcium balance in women. J lab Clin Med, 99:46-55 1982.

3. Heaney R. Protein intake and bone health: the influence of belief systems and the conduct of nutritional science. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 73,1:5-6 Jan 2001.

4. Li D, et. al. Lean meat and heart health. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 14(2):113-9 2005.

About Jamie Hale

Jamie Hale is a Sports conditioning coach, author, lecturer, outdoor enthusiast and exercise and nutrition consultant. He is the owner and founder of MaxCondition Training, MaxCondition Nutrition and HNE Research Group. He is also a member of Kentucky Association of Science Educators and Skeptics. He has contributed to numerous exercise and sports publications (nationally and internationally) and has authored six books. Jamie is a member of the World Marital Arts Hall of Fame in recognition of his conditioning work with martial artists. In 2008 Jamie’s gym Total Body Fitness, which he owned and operated for eleven years, was featured in Men’s Health as one of the top 30 training facilities in the USA. He is considered by most in the industry as a specialist in agility and comprehensive fitness training. He is also known for his ability to get bodybuilders super lean for competition. Jamie’s scientific approach and critical thinking ability has earned him the nicknames, “The Practical Scientist” and “The Fitness Skeptic”. To learn more about Jamie, visit his websites at www.maxcondition.com and www.knowledgesummit.net

Thanks again to Jamie!

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

Q and A Time: How Much Protein Do You Need to Build Muscle?  Is Whey Protein the Best?  Is Glutamine Good?

I have been looking to get some stuff from Protein Factory per your recommendation for post workout and I was wondering if you could point me in the right direction. A lot of the stuff just confuses me past the regular whey, casein, isolate, concentrate, hydrolysate… So that would be a big help. And is it worth getting the glutamine and creatine dropped in with it?

Just curious, you know more about this one than i do so any info is appreciated!

Dustin Schlichting BS, ATC, CSCS, USAW

Answer:

Hi there Dustin!  Thanks for the comment, and yes, it can get VERY confusing and few people want to sit down and read tons o’ research on new types or protein.  Ok, I do, and I will put my hand down now.  Add to the confusion is very supplement company telling you that their gold micro filtered subfractioned protein from organic goats that live up in the Himalaya is the most anabolic thing you can buy for $90 a bottle since it will add 27 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks!  Ok, so we all know that is bogus!  There is ZERO literature to support it.

Back to the Future: Got Protein?

Protein is good.  Get some first before you go bananas trying to figure out which is best.  Cover the basics first.  Protein has been a key thing for strength trainers for decades.  Make sure you actually LIKE it as the best protein on the planet if it tastes like you are drinking week old cottage cheese gone bad will not do you any good.  You have to consume it first before it can have any effect.

Once you get that down, there are some great proteins that work well, taste good and won’t break your bank.

Got Protein, Now What?  Do I Need Whey Protein?

For post training my favorite is some type of whey protein.  Whey protein has tons of benefits for building muscle and my favorite is CFM Whey as it is high quality and tastes good. If you add enough carbs and sweetner, the Hydrolyzed 1400 is good and does not have any lactose either.  With athletes over the years, I’ve found it to be the most non allergenic of almost all proteins too (rice protein would be high on that list too).  On its own, Hyrdolyzed 1400 (and Hydrolyzed 520 is worse) tastes like crap and mixes just as bad. I get it with vanilla and sucrolose and it is fine, but most don’t care for it.  A hydrolyzed (or hyrdo) protein is one that is broken into very small pieces.  The smaller the number, the more hydrolysis, thus the smaller the pieces (measured in daltons).  The theory goes that the smaller the proteins, the faster it is absorbed and should spike protein synthesis (building muscle processes) higher.   Not sure I am completely sold that yet, but the protein seems to work well; esp if you have allergies.

A slightly cheaper whey protein is Isochill and tastes pretty good too. I have used the TriFX whey and it is good also with a slightly bitter taste if you get it plain with no flavor or sweetner.  Can’t say I notice any huge difference or have found any lit. to show a massive difference to all the different types of whey.   Buy a good high quality one (such as the ones listed above) and add about 20-40 grams around your training time and you are set.

Total Amount of Protein?

Total protein should be around 1 gram per pound of body weight.  Yes I know there is not one piece of literature that comes up with that EXACT amount, but it is pretty close and I like easy math.  Currently i weigh about 215 lbs, so I shoot for about 215 grams of protein per day.   If I get 200 or 240 grams I don’t worry about it.  6 meals a day with about 30-40 grams works great.  No, your kidneys will NOT explode and fly across the room with that amount if you are healthy.   If you want some more benefits of protein, see this newsletter from Dr. John Berardi here JB answers “Is there a limit to protein?”

I love the Precision Nutrition system and use it all the time!

Protein Factory (Click below to order)

Creatine?

You can add creatine to it directly, but I just add it on its own and I buy my creatine from Protein Factory also.  5 gm per day is about all you need. Don’t waste your money on other forms of creatine; just go wtih creatine monohydrate.  Hundreds of studies to show it is safe and effective.  I have personally been using creatine monohydrate since my graduate work at Michigan Tech in about 1995, back when I was in college the first go round – ha!  You can take some time off from it, which is a good idea with any supplement, but taking a small amount on most training days should be just fine.

Glutamine, Don’t Believe the Hype?

Glutamine is worthless. There, I said it.  Most of the studies done to show its “anti catabolic” properties were done initially on burn patients, who break down muscle at an incredibly rate; not a rate seen by even the most hard training athlete. I have not seen one study yet that shows glutamine to help your average gym rat.  If you find one in trained athletes, please post it below as I would seriously like to read it.  Heck, if it works I will report on it here.

Evil Doers of the Gut

You can make an argument that glutamine may help gut health, but I would go with a pro-biotic first then and maybe some special types of fiber (like FOS). Here is a tip, if you or your athletes you work with have been on an antibiotic in the past 1-2 years I would automatically have them use a probiotic.  While antibiotics have there place in medicine, they are like indescriminate killers and they wipe out tons of good and bad bacteria in your gut.  If your gut is left on its own, the bad guys can start to take over.   Kind of like the US in the Middle East.  We could wipe out a whole area, but it may be built up to more “evil doers”; so we would be better off seeding it with new buildings, security and returning it to the people that will take care of it and keep out the evil doers.

Protein Factory

Click on the link below to get all the great products from Protein Factory.  ff you use the links here I make a whole 4%, but every bit helps.  I lost count of how many supplement companies I have turned down offers from since I feel that clients hire me to provide the best to them, not sell them some supplement that I make 50% commission on and they pay for it.   I have not disrespect to anyone that works or sell other supplements, it is just a personal decision that I made only for myself.  If you find a company that you believe it and it helps your athletes, go for it.

Get Protein Here

This can be a confusing area, so drop me some comment love with your thoughts on this article and any questions you have.

Rock on
Mike N