Protein Parley

Protein consumption is an opinionated topic in the health and fitness community. Ask a bodybuilder how much daily protein is enough and you may hear 1 or 2 grams per pound of body weight. Ask a western medicine doctor and you will likely hear 10-15% of daily caloric intake should be in the form of proteins. Why the discrepancy? Can't we all just get along?

Let's take a look at this protein argument from a few different angles and see what we can't learn.

What is protein?

Proteins are linear chain compounds of amino acids, and amino acids are molecules of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. There are 20 amino acids recognizable by the genetic code and each influences the shape of a formed protein. Proteins were first represented and described by Dutch chemist Mulder and Swiss chemist Berzelius in 1838. Early nutritional scientists believed that protein was crucial for maintaining the structure of the body, as "flesh makes flesh." Examples of proteins include collagen, elastin, actin, myosin, keratin, thrombin, insulin, oxytocin, and ferritin. Proteins may act as an enzyme, cellular signaler, antibody, transporter, receptor, and hormone.

Recommended Daily Allowance

RDA, later called RDI, was established during World War II by U.S. National Academy of Sciences for the DOD. The council deliberated nutritional thresholds necessary for national defense. Plainly stated, RDA or RDI is the minimum amount required to hold a rifle and pull the trigger. Sustained intake below the RDA/RDI standard, it was decided, would result in malnourishment, which would eventually lead to physical weakness and sickness so severe that national security would be compromised. This was an important consideration due to the food rationing which was prevalent at the time. Over the years the Food and Nutrition Board in conjunction with the FDA has developed the Dietary Reference Intake system, or Daily Value of foods, which is printed on nutrition facts labels. Modern consumers have been raised to believe that by achieving 100% of the DV, or RDA, or RDI, they will maintain optimum health. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, by consuming 100% of the United States RDA consumers are existing just above the brink of chronic malnutrition.

What this means is that the average person probably needs two to three times the U.S. RDA of vitamins and minerals, and athletes need even more. In some cases, such as Vitamin D, the actual amount required for optimal health is closer to 4,000 IUs per day - ten times the U.S. RDA standard.

Now that we understand the fantastic overestimation of RDA, how does this play into protein intake? The U.S. RDA of protein for adult males between ages 19-70 is 56g per day. For women ages 14-70 it is 46g. This is a rough calculation based on a .8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day guideline. Knowing what we know about RDA we can then agree that these are the absolute minimums for avoiding malnourishment, muscle deterioration, illness, and death.

So what if a person wants to live healthfully? What about the athlete who spends 2 hours per day, 5 days per week training at 80% VO2 max?

Well, first let's take the minimums:

56g for males
46g for females

Now...let's double it:

112g for males
92g for females

This is probably more in line with the actual protein requirement for an active individual who exercises vigorously for 1 hour per day, 4 days per week, at a 70% VO2 max intensity.

For hard core athletes, lets try 3 times the RDA:

168g for males
138g for females

Interestingly these numbers are more in line with what current athletes, runners, and bodybuilders recommend. I am not necessarily recommending these intake levels, but rather I am submitting information for your consideration and our discussion.

Types of Protein

Meat, dairy, soy, and vegan proteins abound, with whey protein undoubtedly holding title as the king of popularized protein. Let's talk about whey protein first. Go into a GNC or Vitamin Shoppe and you will be presented with an awesome wall of colored plastic vats. It is literally a marketer's wet dream. Isolate is fast absorbing, concentrate requires more digestion, casein is slow release. There's Micro-Filtered, Cold-Filtered, Cross-Filtered, Ultra-Filtered, Cold Processed, Ion Exchanged, and Hydrolyzed. What's the difference?

The filtration methods are the various ways that manufacturers attempt to skim the lactose, fat, and cholesterol from the whey. Cold-Processed means no heat, Ion Exchanged swaps positively and negatively charged ions back and forth, and Hydrolyzed means the protein was subjected to prolonged boiling in an acid base which produces MSG as a byproduct. Yikes!

So what's the best whey? In my opinion the best whey protein is USDA Organic. We've all seen Food, Inc., haven't we? If not, stop this tape, and go fire up Netflix.

Welcome back!

Now that we have glimpsed the horror of the food industry, seen the rBST and rBGH, and the antibiotics and steroids, and the torturous states in which farmed animals spend their lives, does it really matter if what you are drinking is cross-filtered? Would you drink Ion Exchanged urine from a dying man's bed pan? If so, then you are suited to consume any of the standard American whey proteins. However, if you prefer a healthier alternative, in the form of whey, it must - it absolutely must - be 100% USDA Organic. Without the seal you are drinking filtered death syrup. There is a reason that Americans can purchase whey protein from any industrialized nation in the world, yet no other industrialized nation can purchase American whey protein.

Moving on, let's talk meat and animal proteins. Grass-fed USDA organic beef will work but it brings with it CVD and planetary pollution. Same goes for USDA Organic fowl, although the product is leaner and farm runoff is less likely to carry E. coli to a field of spinach. Pork is pretty much out of the equation as it is simply too hard on the digestive system. The amount of protein which your body is able to extract from pork is probably not worth the damage to your internals. When it comes to land animals either go organic or go Rambo. I actually recommend the latter. If you're going to eat a burger you should be psychologically capable of stabbing an animal to death and roasting it over a fire. Eggs fall into the category of land-based animal proteins, and I am a fan of egg protein. USDA Organic is the only kind to consider. Free roaming means someone opened a cage door for 5 minutes and let the crippled chicken stumble around. Again, unless it has the seal, assume the worst.

There is no USDA Organic designation for marine food, so qualities to look for in fish will be wild caught, IQF (Individually Quick Frozen), not from a gulf, and definitely not farm raised. Farm raised fish is the worst of the worst. If you are fortunate enough to live near clean waters and you can catch your own consider yourself blessed. Filet it and freeze it. Fish may be the best source of animal protein in terms of human and planetary health.

Soy proteins have their merit, as do rice proteins. You will likely find these two on the bottom shelf of a tiny aisle at the supplement store. Soy proteins influence estrogen levels, which can increase risk of breast cancer in women, and help us dudes get bigger moobs. Soy can also affect the thyroid gland. Rice proteins are a decent choice but only as a supplement since rice protein is insufficient in lysine, methionine, and cysteine.

Finally there is vegan protein. All plant-based foods have varying amounts of protein. Our bodies need eight (8) essential amino acids as part of a complete protein supplement. They are Isoleucine (Ile), Leucine (Leu), Lysine (Lys), Methionine (Met), Phenylalanine (Phe), Threonine (Thr), Tryptophan (Trp), Valine (Val), and Histidine (His). There are a myriad of plant-based protein sources available. Seeds, nuts, peas, oats, spirulina, quinoa, rye, and spelt are a few. But what about a protein shake? What if I snack on almonds all day and still want to slam 30g of liquid protein?

RAW Protein by Garden of Life is a place to start. It's a 100% USDA Organic blend of 13 sprouts, it is a complete protein, and it provides a balanced amino acid profile. It's raw, it's vegan, it's gluten-free. It has no artificial fillers, no artificial flavors, no synthetic ingredients, and no soy. It also contains live probiotics and digestive enzymes which means your body is going to absorb 100% of the drink. Jarrow Formulas Whey Protein is pretty decent if you have to purchase whey product in the USA, while not organic it is at the least free of rBST and artificial additives.

Conclusion

Considering the circumstances under which RDA was established it is my belief that the FDA recommendation for protein intake is too low. Conversely, I suspect that many people ingest too much protein hoping to pack on muscle mass. I propose that a sensible dietary intake for protein lies between the two extremes.

Choices for protein run the gamut. Some prefer an aged steak while others choose 5 pounds of spinach. Animal proteins, while more easily complete in their amino acid profile, contain fats that will contribute to cardiovascular disease over time, and today's farming practices are anything but healthy. Plant proteins are not as universally complete and require planning, but they are a safer, more intelligent solution to meeting protein needs. As we strive for sustainability it is critical that we consider the long-term effects of our choices.

Now that you are equipped with basic protein knowledge, ask yourself these important questions next time you hit the store to stock up:

Where did this protein come from?
How was it processed?
If I consume this every day for 20 years will I be healthier?
If everyone on the planet bought this product, would the world be better off?