We are in the protein craze and are difficult to ignore.
If you enter a grocery store, you can find protein -enhanced energy bars, breakfast cereals, grilled foods, snacks, and even sports drinks. And in social media, influential people (BIOS medical or scientific degrees) argue that most people are miserable.
“Ladies, you do not eat enough protein. To almost 80,000 followers In February Instagram. Dr. Gabriel Lyon, another doctor based in Houston, said In the latest video In Tiktok, the federal recommendation for protein was “completely wrong.”
One of the most well -known protein supporters is Dr. Peter Attia, doctor, podcaster and author. In various protein -related food companies. He suggests that the best -selling book “Outlive” says the federal recommendation for protein is a “joke” and that most healthy and active people should spend almost three times more.
2024 in the survey 71 %of the 3,000 American adults said they would try to eat more protein at 59 %in 2022.
If so, is the federal recommendation wrong? Will most of us help to eat more protein? Or is the obsession with another passage health fade?
The New York Times reviewed dozens of research and interviewed 12 nutritional scientists, and many of them have studied protein for decades. All agreed that we need more research on this topic, but our science clears up confusion. The following is the fact that we have seen six large protein arguments.
Captain: The federal recommendation is wrong.
Scientists have discussed whether it should be a little higher, but the current level looks suitable for most people.
Nutrition experts in the United States recommend that most healthy adults will eat more than 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (or 0.36 grams per pound) every day. For 150 pound adults, this is converted to 54 grams a day or 8.5 ounces chicken breasts.
Some studiesThe quotes of Dr. Attia and Dr. Lyon suggest that this amount should be higher. 25 ~ 50 %Or 1 ~ 1.2 grams per kilogram. but Scientists do not agree These studies are better than the studies used to recommend federal recommendations.
Evidence of the best (if limited) we proposed The current level is appropriate Wayne W. Campbell, a professor of nutrition science at Purdue University, talked about the basic demands of most people.
Dr. Campbell added that the federal recommendation is to prevent protein deficiency and maintain muscle organizations such as most people, Campbell added. That level is not necessarily best for everyone. He said that many people can benefit more by more consumption, including muscle training or weight loss. (Dr. Campbell, like many experts we said, received research funds from the Food Industry Group. This is common among protein scientists because there are few federal funds for this type of study.
Dr. ATTIA refused to ask for several requests. In the interview, Dr. Lyon criticized the recommendation by saying that it is based only on the data of a 25 -year -old man. It is not true. It was the basis Data of men and women between 18 and 99 years old.
Captain: Most Americans do not have enough protein.
Suggestion in the study This is a lie.
According to Latest dataThe US average men over 55 % of federal protein recommendations and more than 35 % of average women.
Nancy Rodriguez, an honorary professor of nutrition science at the University of Connecticut, said that most people would be widespread in malnutrition if they had not spent enough protein.
Those who follow the balanced diet This guideline for AmericansDr. Campbell added to the vegetarians, “to get a lot of protein.”
In other words, everyone does not follow a balanced diet, and some people can be less than recommended and at risk of tribal. For example, teenage girls, women and the elderly are especially risk of less than federal recommendations.
Teenage girl and female Dr. Rodriguez said he is more likely to limit his meals. To eat less meat Than man. She added that the elderly can generally eat less, handle, cook, or chew protein -rich foods, she added.
Protein deficiency is not a wide range of problems, experts said. But people in this group may adapt to how much they are receiving.
Captain: To create muscles requires more protein.
Research supports this.
STACY SIMS, athletic physiologist and nutrition scientist, is recommended to increase the number of federal recommendations that provide advice to active women online. Dr. Attia, Dr. Lyon and other protein supporters suggest similar goals with exercise.
Experts said that if they were muscle training, they would probably want to eat more protein than federal recommendations. But Luc Van Loon, a professor of exercise and nutritional physiology at the Mastricht University of the Netherlands, said, “It’s much more than most people demand.”
In a well -designed test Half of the 50 middle -aged participants who followed strict strength training programs for 10 weeks were about 1.5 times the federal recommendation and about half of the half. After the training period, both groups got stronger and thinner mass, and the results between them were not different.
To most people who want to make muscles 1.5 ~ twice David Church, an elderly professor at the University of Arkansas University, said that federal recommendations are sufficient. He goes beyond the quantity and the effects of protein on muscles obtain the “kind of highland”.
The doctor of the church said that some small research strength and endurance Training, or People who recover from injuries or Calories limit -If you consume up to three times the federal recommendation, you can benefit. But more research is needed and these scenarios do not apply to most people.
In the e -mail, Dr. SIMS emphasized that her recommendation is for serious female athletes who are mainly trained for specific sports or competition.
Captain: Older people need more protein.
Some studies support this, but more research is required.
There are some evidence As you get older, eating more protein can reduce the risk of age -related muscle loss, but these results are mixed.
In a three -year study For example, among the 25,000 women aged 65 and 79, those who spent about 50 % more protein than the federal recommendations were weaker than those who spent less.
But other studies on other elderly people RandomIt did not show this continuous advantage in consuming more protein. In trial The researchers published in 2018 provided 92 elderly diets that matched the federal recommendation or containing 63 % more protein. Six months later, the researchers found that there was no difference in dry mass, muscle strength, walking speed, fatigue or welfare between groups.
Despite the mixed evidence European nutritionist Encourage all people aged 65 or older to consume at least 25 % more protein than the American guidelines recommend. And they added that older people can eat more food if they are healed from injuries or recovered from surgery or hospitalization.
Captain: High protein diet can help you lose weight.
Research shows that this is partially true.
Many posts on social media -many of them prepared To women -Promote high protein diets for weight loss.
It was shown in the short -term test of women and men. Eating 1.5 to 2 times of federal recommendations helped people lose more weight than protein diets. Research is also suggested This protein can reduce hormone levels and can be satirized more than carbohydrates or fat.
but Long -term research Not always Bettina Mittendorfer, a professor of nutrition and physiology at the University of Missouri University, has shown that people lose more weight on confessions compared to other weight loss diets.
yet, Suggestion in the study To actively try to lose weight, increasing protein can help you lose more fat masses and maintain dry chunks, including muscles. In the review Scientists, published in 2024, have concluded that at least 25 % more protein can help to preserve muscles during weight loss.
Dr. Van Loon said it is important to get the right protein for those who eat less calories because they do diets such as Wegovy or Ozempic or take drugs. He added that strength training twice a week is also important for preserving muscles during weight loss.
Captain: The more protein, the better.
Experts are concerned about this approach.
If you spend time online, you can see posts that urge you to eat much more protein and do not harm it.
But if you concentrate too much on the protein, there may be some disadvantages, experts said. For example, a lesser space for other health foods, such as fruits, vegetables and tongs, said, Dr. Church said.
You can also eat more animal products related to higher risks. Cardiovascular disease and Early deathDr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard Cha Aerial Health School, said. Or, you can rely on the protein sources processed instead of the entire food sources of proteins such as beans, tofu, nuts, grains, fish or chickens, he said.
Dr. Campbell said too much protein can tense the height of patients with chronic kidney disease. At least one out of seven adults in the United States is estimated. I have chronic kidney diseaseAnd up to nine out of 10 do not know that they have.
Dr. CAMPBELL said, “This stops me about more approaches.
Dr. MITTENDORFER sees an echo of past nutritional trends in today’s protein craze. “There is a wave in public opinion,” she said. Fat and carbohydrates were once villain, but scientists found that nutrients were not bad. This problem was about overeating their specific food.
Like any nutrients, she added. She added. He added that it should not be too much or too small. She said she did not cause problems, but there is a “gold lock zone” that meets the needs of the body. The same is true for protein.
