Protein Power

Protein Power Takeaway: Protein should be prioritised within a varied, healthy and performance-enhancing diet, and whey protein powder is a safe, easily digestible, and convenient option for one of your healthy high-protein meals. This is why we sell protein powder and encourage a high protein diet. Just like exercise, we believe in its benefits outside of making money, so here are the other reasons protein powder is worth selling, buying, and consuming.

Dietary proteins impact on your muscle.

Muscles are not static tissues but hormone-producing, energy-demanding organs (Skeletal Muscle as an Endocrine Organ: The Role of Myokines in Exercise Adaptations). We build and lose muscle daily, and sufficient exercise and protein intake ensures that we build or maintain our muscles and other protein-rich tissues, such as our organs and bones. Mr Popeye was onto this. His arm muscles would grow when he chugged his spinach (after some vigorous sailing ship work) when preparing to fight villains. While we know now spinach alone is a food source that contains minimal protein (but lots of green or purple plant-based chemicals (Are Nitric Oxide Supplements Beneficial For Strength and Hypertrophy?), other animal or plant based protein-rich meals trigger a short-term signal within our muscles to increase muscle protein synthesis (MPS), which hopefully equalises or exceeds normal muscle protein breakdown (MPB) throughout the day (as depicted in the graph and video link below). More daily MPS than MPB signals each day, over months, predicts long-term muscle growth (What is the relationship between the acute muscle protein synthesis response and changes in muscle mass?). Although daily protein intake can explain 10-20% of our daily MPS signals, strength training on its own increases MPS to a much greater extent than eating protein, and explains 80-90% of your genetic potential to grow muscle. Stating this is important so you don’t feel that having a protein-rich meal should replace strength training for muscle health (50 benefits of strength training).

(All Things Protein, Protein Synthesis and Hypertrophy - Dr. Stuart Phillips & Dr. Richard Mackenzie)

So, what is protein? Animal-based (meat, dairy, and dairy-based protein powders, eggs, and seafood) and plant-based protein sources (some types of vegetable, grain, or legume source or related powders) contain “amino acids”, the Lego™ or structural components of much of our body's tissue, especially our muscles. Adequate daily protein intake through your diet, as defined later, is essential for maintaining “lean mass,” which includes your muscles and bones, and reduces the rate of age- and lifestyle-related loss of lean mass and strength (Growing older with health and vitality: a nexus of physical activity, exercise and nutrition). You might have thought that protein intake is only essential for building bigger muscles (which is true, but not just for bodybuilders); however, long-term deficiencies in daily total protein have been associated with a higher risk of disease and premature death (Nutrient-dense protein as a primary dietary strategy in healthy ageing: please sir, may we have more?). A slow trend after the age of 30, if left unaddressed, is a loss of 3-8% of muscle mass per decade. Anything quicker than this is often a sign of a poor lifestyle or a medically related condition. Strength losses also occur at an even faster rate in the inactive (What is dynapenia?). As our muscle mass decreases, our risk of developing various diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, sarcopenia, cognitive impairment, and dementia, increases (Muscle Mass Index as a Predictor of Longevity in Older Adults). Therefore, consume adequate protein over your entire life to maintain your muscle mass and strength and reduce the risk of disease and disease-related reductions in enjoyment of life (Supplements To Enhance Hypertrophy And Combat Atrophy).

What is the recommended daily protein intake?

So, what is the optimal amount of daily protein spread across your meals? The measurement of “grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (g/kg/day)” can be used to determine the protein to consume from an animal or plant-based diet. Expressing protein intake as a percentage of total daily energy intake (e.g., 30% of total energy intake) has also been reported. However, determining this value objectively is challenging compared to measuring/guessing the weight/portion of food you consume each day. Current Australian Nutrition Guidelines recommend that adults of any gender should consume between 0.8-1.2 g/kg/day to maintain general health (The guidelines | Eat For Health). However, quantities above 1.2-1.6g/kg/day are recommended currently for all people to optimise health and exercise adaptations (See the graph below) (A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults). New research also concludes that aiming higher, even above 1.6 and 2.2 g/kg/day, might even be better (Protein Science Updated: Why It's Time to Move Beyond the “1.6-2.2g/kg” Rule • Stronger by Science). The higher amount has not been translated into the most up-to-date Australian nutritional recommendations or encouraged by many dietitians yet, despite it being a better recommendation for overall health (Protein “requirements” beyond the RDA: implications for optimizing health).

The graph shows that intake between 1.2 and 1.6g/kg/day offers the most benefits for fat-free mass (FFM), which includes skeletal muscle (A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults).

So, you often reach this recommendation by aiming to consume at least 3-5 meals evenly dispersed, with 30 to 50g (a portion larger than a fist-size) of protein in each meal, daily. This might feel like a lot at first, but 1) protein is not as filling as many believe (Is protein really more satiating than carbs and fats?), and many Australians might already eat this amount for lunch and dinner. Breakfast, however, tends to be low in protein. Consider a “Smashed Avo” or cereal, which, even with milk, is a popular but low-protein option. Enhance the protein content of your breakfast by incorporating eggs, beans, steak, or yogurt to help meet your daily protein requirements (Protein | Dietitians Australia).

Lots of protein per day is especially helpful for three critical contexts:

1. To help maintain muscle during periods of attempted weight loss (Increased protein intake reduces lean body mass loss during weight loss in athletes). Emphasising high protein meals during weight loss benefits exercise adaptation and health outcomes during weight loss periods (Similar body composition, muscle size, and strength adaptations to resistance training in lacto-ovo-vegetarians and non-vegetarians). However, eating more protein than recommended is not more beneficial for maintaining muscle when you lose weight, so stick to the recommendations outlined in this article if fat loss is your goal (Understanding this makes fat loss easier).

2. Theoretically, when you're over 70 years old and very sedentary or hospitalized, protein absorption and appetite are lessened (Nutrient-dense protein as a primary dietary strategy in healthy ageing: please sir, may we have more? + The Impact of Whey Protein Supplementation on Sarcopenia Progression among the Elderly + Efficacy and Safety of 6-Month High Dietary Protein Intake in Hospitalized Adults Aged 75 or Older at Nutritional Risk). However, this can be offset by lifting weights regularly (Mitigating disuse‐induced skeletal muscle atrophy in ageing: Resistance exercise as a critical countermeasure).

3. For vegetarians or vegans wanting to age and exercise well, where protein intake is on average lower than that of omnivores, and consuming adequate protein quality might be harder without planning (Nutrient Intake and Status in Adults Consuming Plant-Based Diets Compared to Meat-Eaters + Protein Complementation - American Society for Nutrition + How to get enough protein as a vegetarian, flexitarian, or vegan + Plant Gains? Advice to the Vegetarian and Vegan Athlete). 

   
   

   Whey and Plant-Based Protein Powder Benefits

   Ok, that is enough about protein in general; why does Method Health sell “whey” and plant-based protein powder? As an easily digestible protein source, often very tolerable for those with a dairy intolerance (How to choose the best protein powder: A guide from Precision Nutrition), these protein powders can assist you in getting to low body fat percentages, increasing muscle mass, improving bone density, reducing risk of many cancers, reducing risk of type 2 diabetes, and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (Effects of high-quality protein supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with metabolic diseases + Milk and dairy products: good or bad for human health? + Association between dairy intake and multiple health outcomes). Whey protein is much more digestible than other forms of protein, such as casein or soy protein, as shown in the graph below. 

   
   

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There are three common uses for consuming protein powder instead of other meat or plant-based protein sources:

1. An easy post-workout meal replacement. For those who go from the gym to work in the mornings and don't have time to go home to make a meal, or who are not very hungry after a workout, adding powder to milk or water can be an easy way to facilitate your hard-earned exercise adaptations. However, don’t feel like you have to rush to consume protein right after a workout. Technically, having a protein meal six hours after a workout is just as good as right after, a greater “post-exercise anabolic window” than was once thought (How Important is a Post-Workout Shake? + Is There a Post-workout Anabolic Window of Opportunity for Nutrient Consumption? Clearing up Controversies). 

2. As a meal replacement during weight loss phases. A high-protein diet can support muscle retention and suppress hunger when trying to lose weight (Scientific evidence of diets for weight loss: Different macronutrient composition, intermittent fasting, and popular diets). Retaining muscle during weight loss maintains a energy expenditure (Energy cost of isolated resistance exercises across low- to high-intensities) and reduces hunger (The impact of acute and chronic resistance training on appetite and energy intake) and will improve long-term consistency in a weight loss phase, thereby reducing the risk of weight loss “failing” (Biology's response to dieting: the impetus for weight regain). One or two of your meals could include a generous serving of our protein powder, which is more cost-effective than other protein-rich, low-calorie meal options from meat or eggs. This is also a practical solution for people who do not feel hungry enough to eat more protein from whole foods—or do not have the time to prepare a full meal.

3. Add protein-rich ingredients to smoothies or desserts at home to boost their nutritional value. People can fall short of daily protein requirements mainly because most breakfast choices are low in protein. Adding a scoop of whey protein to your fruit smoothie or pancake mixture is a fun nutritional option.

Common myths about protein

Like with the other macronutrients, fats and carbohydrates, there are some common misconceptions about high-protein diets (Common questions and misconceptions about protein supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? + The harms of high protein intake: conjectured, postulated, claimed, and presumed, but shown? - ScienceDirect + The Protein Scaries: What the Research Says About Your Kidneys, Cancer, Bones, and Body Fat). Unfortunately, a significant amount of fear-mongering about high protein intakes has altered our culture's perception of protein safety, which we will elaborate on. These concerns include becoming too muscular, gaining fat, and reducing kidney, liver, and bone health. 

Becoming “too muscular” or “bulky”.

• First, high-protein meals without progressive, long-term progressive strength training at least four times a week will not make you the Incredible Hulk (A randomized controlled trial of the impact of protein supplementation on leg lean mass and integrated muscle protein synthesis during inactivity and energy restriction). Driving a car won’t turn you into an F1 driving champion. Second, muscle changes we see in people who consume enough protein and strength train less than 4 times a week are often either unnoticeable or often become desirable small amounts (Motivational Factors and Barriers Towards Initiating and Maintaining Strength Training in Women). 

• Not wanting to be “too muscular” can be an understandable aesthetic-based goal, but a warning for those concerned about “getting too muscular” accidentally. Fear of muscle or heavy lifting should not be encouraged due to 1) more muscle (Muscle Mass Index as a Predictor of Longevity in Older-Adults + Relation of Muscle Mass and Fat Mass to Cardiovascular Disease Mortality), more strength (Muscular Strength as a Predictor of All-Cause Mortality in an Apparently Healthy Population:Data From Approximately 2 Million Men and Women + Muscle Weakness & Mortality Risk - Get Back To Sport) or just the habit of lifting weight each week (Resistance Training and Mortality Risk+ Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases + Does Strength-Promoting Exercise Confer Unique Health Benefits?) is associated with better rather than worse health (50 benefits of strength training) and 2) people think “more muscle” and then think “bodybuilders die early.” Well this is not as true as intuitively believed and an increase in mortality if any ( Lack of evidence that doping is harmful to the health of elite athletes) is more associated with drug use rather then muscle mass (Increased mortality rate and suicide in Swedish former elite male athletes in power sports + Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) Related Deaths: Autoptic, Histopathological and Toxicological Findings). Protein is essential for all of us, but it also supports the extreme end-of-the-muscle-gaining spectrum goals of bodybuilders. Most people with weight loss or muscle-building goals can learn a great deal from drug-free bodybuilders, who, despite being stigmatized, are arguably the best at these practices, which when mastered are highly beneficial for health (Team3DMJ - YouTube). 

  
  

Fat gain.

• A previous misconception was simplified: an older research misinterpretation suggested that 20g of protein after strength training is sufficient to increase “muscle building pathways” and 40g was not better. This interpretation led to advice to limit consumption to that amount per meal, as the rest would be “wasted” and/or lead to fat gain.  

• Modern findings:

  • In general, be extremely cautious about beliefs about a single component of your diet causing weight gain anyways (Energy balance and its components: implications for body weight regulation).

  • In the original study, only one muscle group was trained and fat storage was not measured (Myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis rates subsequent to a meal in response to increasing doses of whey protein at rest and after resistance exercise). When you strength train more than just one muscle group, “sufficient” grams of protein can increase to 40g (The response of muscle protein synthesis following whole-body resistance exercise is greater following 40 g than 20 g of ingested whey protein). We can absorb 20 to 40 grams of protein per hour, not per meal. We know that we can use every bit of even a 100g protein meal (which no one is encouraging you to consume), it just takes multiple hours to digest (The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit). So no protein is “wasted” during large protein meals. 

  • This does not mean you can eat unlimited protein, but our bodies are very good at using and not “wasting” protein. Fat gain/storage specifically from increased protein intake will only occur when 1) you overconsume more total daily calories than you need, and 2) if you do not consume any fat from your diet (which is very unlikely for most who are overeating). This is because protein (and carbohydrates) are not stored as body fat as easily as dietary fat. So, over-consuming protein (or even pure sugar as a form of carbohydrate) does not get turned into body fat as easily as when overconsuming fats. I.e., when we “over-feed” on protein or carbohydrates, both are more likely to be 1) used as daily energy before any dietary fat and 2) or excreted rather than being converted to fat and then stored as body fat. Our metabolic system does not quickly convert protein or carbohydrates to fat, although we have the “textbook” pathways to do it. We only convert protein to fat when we over-feed and do not consume any dietary fat (which again, is very unlikely, looking at the many sources of food we commonly overconsume). Metabolism across your body is never fed by only one macronutrient but a ratio of different dietary sources. Your metabolism adapts very well to what you eat by changing this ratio. So, with increased protein intake your metabolic system 1) “ratio-switches” to using more protein and carbohydrate for energy relative to dietary fat (compared to a high-fat diet like the ketogenic diet) and 2) storing any dietary fat. Over-feeding always causes fat storage, but we can become very good at storing any dietary fat when overconsuming energy in the form of lots of protein and carbohydrate, rather than using our dietary fat for energy. On the surface this might look like the body “converting protein to fat” is leading to weight gain with over-feeding but it's easier for the body to just store any dietary fat. It hard to gain weight on a high-protein low fat diet for this reason, as it cost a lot of energy to convert protein to fat (Striking effects on hepatic glucose production, de novo lipogenesis, lipolysis, and whole-body fuel selection + Effect of protein overfeeding on energy expenditure measured in a metabolic chamber + De novo lipogenesis during controlled overfeeding with sucrose or glucose in lean and obese women). 

    • Here is an example quote from one of the first studies to look at this common concern (Effect of Dietary Protein Content on Weight Gain, Energy Expenditure, and Body Composition During Overeating): “Consuming 5.5 times the recommended daily allowance of protein has no effect on body composition in resistance-trained individuals who otherwise maintain the same training regimen. This is the first interventional study to demonstrate that consuming a hypercaloric high protein diet does not result in an increase in body fat.“ 

  • Overall, when increasing protein intake, pick sources of protein that have less fat within them (“Lean” protein sources) as pragmatically as possible and, as most sensible people suggest, do not overconsume more daily calories than what will cause gradual weight gain. Increasing protein in your diet relative to fat and carbohydrate is unlikely to cause fat gain. It likely will have the opposite effect and have a positive effect on body fat (The potential role of protein leverage + Protein quantity and quality at levels above the RDA improves adult weight loss + Dietary protein and exercise have additive effects on body composition during weight loss in adult women). Hopefully this section has reduced any concern of a high-protein diet causing fat gain “easily”. 

  • What about eating order/timing? Does eating protein before fat or carbs matter for optimising body fat levels?

    • No. We are not robots. The order in which you eat your food, like eating protein, carbs then fats during a meal, based on theories of this phenomenon called “nutrient partitioning,” has not shown noticeable effect on your health or exercise performance if you follow a healthy, non-weight-gain-inducing diet (Effect of Food Order on the Glycaemic Response | Podcast Sigma Nutrition + Food Order: The Key to Longevity? | Educational Video | Biolayne). 

      
      

Bone Health.

• The previous misconception simplified: High protein intake increases calcium content in your urine, we thought must have come from the bone. Also, we thought the increased calcium released from bones into the body through the kidneys would also increase the risk of kidney stones.

• Modern findings:

  • Currently, there are “no adverse effects of higher protein intakes” on bone health (Dietary protein and bone health: a systematic review and meta-analysis from the National Osteoporosis Foundation). 

  • Protein increases calcium absorption from food, which means a healthy kidney can excrete more of it out through urine without it negatively affecting bone health (Causal assessment of dietary acid load and bone disease). 

  • In older individuals with osteoporosis, a higher protein intake (>0.8g/kg/day) is associated with higher bone density, a slower rate of bone loss, and a reduced risk of hip fracture, provided that dietary calcium intakes are adequate. “Although acid loading or a high protein diet is associated with increased urinary calcium excretion, which may be related to higher intestinal calcium absorption, higher protein intakes, whatever their origin (animal or vegetable), do not appear to contribute to the development of osteoporosis or to increase fracture risk” (Benefits and safety of dietary protein for bone health-an expert consensus paper). However, strength training is still by far the best thing for your bones and protein intake could be thought of as overrated for bone health (Bone Health & Fall Prevention).

  • Total protein is not strongly related to kidney stone risk. Recommendations to reduce kidney stone risk include reducing processed meat and increasing fruit and vegetables high in calcium and potassium (Associations of Total Protein or Animal Protein Intake and Animal Protein Sources with Risk of Kidney Stones + Dietary Risk Factors for Incident and Recurrent Symptomatic Kidney Stones + Eat Smart to Prevent Kidney Stones | National Kidney Foundation).

    
    

Kidneys.

• The previous misconception simplified: Increased protein digestion by-products filtered from the blood by the kidneys cause unadaptable stress on the kidneys, leading to kidney damage and long-term failure.

• Modern findings:

  • Less concern is encouraged for high protein intake and long-term kidney health (Long-Term Effects of High-Protein Diets on Renal Function + Do regular high protein diets have potential health risks on kidney function in athletes? + Protein Restriction for CKD: Time to Move On).

  • No harmful effects were found across 12 months in people with type 2 diabetes and early kidney disease consuming a high-protein diet (Weight-loss diets in people with type 2 diabetes and renal disease).

  • Greater than 1.5g/kg/day protein consumption had no effects on markers of kidney stress in healthy kidneys seen across 28 studies that included data from 1358 participants (Changes in Kidney Function Do Not Differ between Healthy Adults Consuming Higher- Compared with Lower- or Normal-Protein Diets)

  • A high protein intake above ≥1.4 g/kg is discouraged only for individuals with pre-existing kidney disease AND who are physically inactive (Dietary protein intake, kidney function, and survival). 

  • “...individuals engaged in exercise training and who are otherwise healthy can consume protein up to 4 or 5 times the RDA without experiencing adverse effects” (Common questions and misconceptions about protein supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?).

  • No evidence supports that higher protein intakes greater than 1.2g/kg/day lead to renal failure and poor bone health (Protein intake and exercise for optimal muscle function with aging + Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people).

    
    

Liver.

• The previous misconception is simplified: High amounts of the by-product of protein intake, called ammonia, which is metabolized in the liver, can cause liver damage and disease due to excessive protein consumption.

• Modern findings:

  • Higher caloric intake is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease development. In contrast, the diet composition of any macronutrient, i.e. proportions of protein, carbohydrate, or fat, was not associated with the presence or severity of the disease (The Role of Diet in the Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease).

  • Replacing carbohydrates with proteins helps improve liver health (Effects of dietary macronutrients on liver fat content in adults).

  • The decrease in muscle mass associated with ageing, called sarcopenia, increases the risk of liver-related morbidity and mortality. High-protein diets and a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises can help alleviate the complications of sarcopenia in patients with liver disease (Sarcopenia in cirrhosis). 

  • Consuming 2.51-3.32g/kg of protein per day, showed no adverse effects on blood lipids or markers of liver and kidney function (The effects of a high protein diet on indices of health and body composition).

Cancer.

• The previous misconception is simplified: A growth hormone is released into the blood when you eat protein. This markers contribute to the growth of any cancer. 

• Modern findings:

  • The original 1 day dietary recall study to support this hormone associated with protein consumption causing cancer was not read closely enough and the wrong conclusion was published by the media. Compared to what was studied in rats, higher protein was actually helpful in the older adults in the study, but not the middle aged group. “…high protein intake was associated with reduced cancer and overall mortality in respondents over 65” (Low protein intake is associated with a major reduction in IGF-1, cancer, and overall mortality in the 65 and younger but not older population). True carcinogens will not protect you the older you get. Smoking does not become healthy after you are 65 years old. We believe it was the differences in increased red meat consumption in the two groups creating this conclusion, rather than protein on its own (The Science of Red Meat and Health - Barbell Medicine + Is Red Meat Good or Bad for Health? - Sigma Nutrition + Is Unprocessed Red Meat Problematic for Our Health? - Sigma Nutrition). So a better, more helpful conclusion would be to consume more plant based proteins as you get older, which is also supported by more up to date findings (Dietary intake of total, animal, and plant proteins and risk of all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality).

  • Aerobic and strength training also increases this growth hormone, and evidence strongly suggests these forms of exercise are protective of future cancer risk and help improve survival and recovery during cancer treatment (50 benefits of strength training + 50 Benefits of Aerobic Training or Planned Physical Activity).

Protein consumption between 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg/day is most certainly safe for the majority of people, and many can tolerate it even when sick or hospitalized (Optimal Protein Intake Guide & Calculator - Examine). Globally, protein is becoming less underrated for its health benefits, and when emphasized along with high amounts of fiber (Dietary intake of total vegetable, fruit, cereal, soluble and insoluble fiber and risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality + Associations between dietary fiber intake and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer + Dietary fiber intake and all-cause and cause-specific mortality) as suggested by the “Mr Popeye diet,” would solve a lot of health problems. However, remember that protein consumption alone does not prevent inactivity-related muscle loss; therefore, never intentionally replace exercise with a protein-filled meal. Hopefully, this article helps you become sceptical of negative opinions on protein and helps you justify prioritising powerful protein-based foods (and lots of daily fibre) as important food choices for improving lifelong health and exercise goals.