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High Protein Diets

When Is a High Protein Diet Ideal for Fat Loss?

Popular diets such as Atkins, Zone, Sugar Busters, Stillman and Protein Power Diets are now being embraced by many weight conscious individuals. The problem is that most of these diets are not balanced in terms of nutrition. Some of them emphasize high protein intake and some of essential nutrients may also be missing in the diet. A high protein diet is not the answer if you are seeking a healthy way of losing excess weight. What is the logic behind losing weight yet gaining health problems or health risks in the process anyway? So before going any further let us look at the average protein needs of the human body, based on age, sex and weight.

Protein Recommendations for Men:

19-30 years old 0.8 gram per kg per day (about 56 grams per day)

31-50 years old 0.8 gram per kg per day (about 56 grams per day)

51-70 years old 0.8 gram per kg per day (about 56 grams per day)

Protein Recommendations for Women

19-30 years old 0.8 gram per kg per day (about 46 grams per day)

31-50 years old 0.8 gram per kg per day (about 46 grams per day)

51-70 years old 0.8 gram per kg per day (about 46 grams per day)

(SOURCE: the Dietary Reference Intakes report by the Institute of Medicine, 2002)

Keep in mind the figures (or amount of protein) correspond to your age, weight and sex. Then compare it with the excess protein intake you will have when you subject your body to a high protein diet. Most popular low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets may advocate consumption of 140 grams or more of protein.

Both inadequate and surplus protein intake may cause your body to get sick.

There is, however, greater risk when we absorb too much protein into our body compared to not taking enough. It is true that switching to a high protein diet may make you lose some unwanted weight or maintain your ideal weight by eliminating carbohydrates. But the problem is, maintaining low carbohydrate consumption in your diet make your body lose body fluids and prevents the body from completely burning fat.

This kind of diet releases ketones in the blood stream which leads to low appetite and nausea. Ketones are produced when the body breaks down fat for energy. Carbohydrates in the diet are the normal source of energy. However, when the body does not contain enough supply of it, stored fat is broken down and ketones are released. This is also called ketosis, a condition characterized by the enhanced production of ketone bodies. This is a usual condition of those who have diabetes mellitus or are starving.

The dangers of having too much protein in our diet comes from the risk of developing high LDL or bad cholesterol levels. High protein is normally found in animal foods. Animal foods are a good source of saturated fat. High protein (from animal food) equals high bad (LDL) cholesterol levels. Most proponents of protein diets promote an anti-carbohydrate and low-fiber diet in the process.

Fiber is found in plant-based food which is the source of carbohydrates. The lack of it may eventually make our immune system malfunction. This puts us at high risk of getting diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Constipation and obesity are the lesser problems one could acquire from a high-protein diet.

Recently, the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intake (IMDRI) raised a controversial issue - that double protein intake may cause 50% loss of calcium from your bones. This is lost through the urine or what is called urinary calcium. There is also a high 250% risk of getting kidney stones from a high protein diet. Most high protein (animal) diets may lead to bone disease known as osteoporosis.

When you subject yourself to a high-protein and low-carbohydrate diet, you expose yourself to the risk of getting heart disease, type II diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension, and even colon cancer. 

This results from abnormal metabolic functioning in the body.

To live longer, it is then better to choose a healthier way of maintaining your weight.

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