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 Morning Protein May Curb AppetiteMore Info.  

 It seems that the jury is out on protein increasing satiety, especially if taken early in the morning. The results of several studies on the timing of protein consumption are being claim that consuming approximately 25% of the total breakfast calories from protein compared with 15% results in greater feelings of fullness, a feeling which can last up to 4 hours (or right around lunchtime). Participants in the study consumed calorically equal diets with treatment variations in fat and protein while calories from carbohydrates were kept constant at 55% of total dietary calories. Wayne Cambell, PhD, lead researcher and Professor of Food and Nutrition at Purdue University stated, “There is a growing body of research which supports eating high-quality protein foods when dieting to maintain a sense of fullness.” In a study at Purdue University overweight or obese men were put on calorically equivalent reduced calorie diets. One diet consisted of 11-14% of calories from protein while the other contained 18-25% of calories from protein. The experimental groups were further subdivided according to whether the higher protein meals were added at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The feeling of satiety was highest and most sustained when breakfast contained the higher percentage of protein. “This study is particularly unique in that it looked at the timing of protein intake and reveals that the timing of protein consumption may be a critical piece of the equation,” according to Dr. Cambell.

More Info....

Soda Warning? High-fructose Corn Syrup Linked To Diabetes, New Study Suggests

ScienceDaily (Aug. 23, 2007) — Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. In a laboratory study of commonly consumed carbonated beverages, the scientists found that drinks containing the syrup had high levels of reactive compounds that have been shown by others to have the potential to trigger cell and tissue damage that could cause the disease, which is at epidemic levels. 


HFCS is a sweetener found in many foods and beverages, including non-diet soda pop, baked goods, and condiments. It is has become the sweetener of choice for many food manufacturers because it is considered more economical, sweeter and more easy to blend into beverages than table sugar. Some researchers have suggested that high-fructose corn syrup may contribute to an increased risk of diabetes as well as obesity, a claim which the food industry disputes. Until now, little laboratory evidence has been available on the topic.

In the current study, Chi-Tang Ho, Ph.D., conducted chemical tests among 11 different carbonated soft drinks containing HFCS. He found 'astonishingly high' levels of reactive carbonyls in those beverages. These undesirable and highly-reactive compounds associated with "unbound" fructose and glucose molecules are believed to cause tissue damage, says Ho, a professor of food science at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. By contrast, reactive carbonyls are not present in table sugar, whose fructose and glucose components are "bound" and chemically stable, the researcher notes.

Reactive carbonyls also are elevated in the blood of individuals with diabetes and linked to the complications of that disease. Based on the study data, Ho estimates that a single can of soda contains about five times the concentration of reactive carbonyls than the concentration found in the blood of an adult person with diabetes.

Ho and his associates also found that adding tea components to drinks containing HFCS may help lower the levels of reactive carbonyls. The scientists found that adding epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a compound in tea, significantly reduced the levels of reactive carbonyl species in a dose-dependent manner when added to the carbonated soft drinks studied. In some cases, the levels of reactive carbonyls were reduced by half, the researchers say.

"People consume too much high-fructose corn syrup in this country," says Ho. "It's in way too many food and drink products and there's growing evidence that it's bad for you." The tea-derived supplement provides a promising way to counter its potentially toxic effects, especially in children who consume a lot of carbonated beverages, he says.

But eliminating or reducing consumption of HFCS is preferable, the researchers note. They are currently exploring the chemical mechanisms by which tea appears to neutralize the reactivity of the syrup.Ho's group is also probing the mechanisms by which carbonation increases the amount of reactive carbonyls formed in sodas containing HFCS. They note that non-carbonated fruit juices containing HFCS have one-third the amount of reactive carbonyl species found in carbonated sodas with HFCS, while non-carbonated tea beverages containing high-fructose corn syrup, which already contain EGCG, have only about one-sixth the levels of carbonyls found in regular soda.

In the future, food and drink manufacturers could reduce concerns about HFCS by adding more EGCG, using less HFCS, or replacing the syrup with alternatives such as regular table sugar, Ho and his associates say. Funding for this study was provided by the Center for Advanced Food Technology of Rutgers University. Other researchers involved in the study include Chih-Yu Lo, Ph.D.; Shiming Li, Ph.D.; Di Tan, Ph.D.; and Yu Wang, a doctoral student.

 This research was reported August 23 at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, during the symposium, "Food Bioactives and Nutraceuticals: Production, Chemistry, Analysis and Health Effects: Health Effects."



 

 

 

Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup

HFCS high fructose corn syrup is responsible for a dangerous
 epidemic of obesity and diabetes. People under the age of 45 are “children of the corn.” Like Stephen King's thriller,
they are reaping the consequences...


...of the food industry’s high fructose corn syrup. They were children or young adults in the late 70s, 80s and 90s when high fructose corn syrup was introduced to the American food supply as a cheap replacement for sugar. Now many of them are struggling with an epidemic of obesity and diabetes, also being referred to as diabesity.

In a recent chemical analysis of eleven carbonated soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), researchers from Rutgers University found very high levels of reactive carbonyls.

Reactive carbonyls, which have been linked to tissue damage and complications of diabetes, are elevated in the blood of people with diabetes. A single can of soda, however, has five times that concentration of reactive carbonyls. Old-fashioned table sugar, on the other hand, has no reactive carbonyls.

When people from Iceland visit the United States, the first thing they notice is the number of fat people they see. The average weight of American women (164 pounds) and men (191 pounds) has increased 25 pounds since 1960. We are the fattest people on earth, thanks to Coke, Pepsi and ADM - Archer Daniels Midland - the largest producer of HFCS.

Due to federal agribusiness subsidies, every dollar of profits earned by ADM's corn sweetener operation costs consumers $10. Of the $113.6 billion in taxpayer commodity subsidy payments distributed by the USDA between 1995 and 2004, corn drew $41.8 billion -- more than cotton, soy, and rice combined. What's wrong with this picture? Maybe it's the Iowa presidential primary. Where do the presidential candidates and your congress people stand on corn subsidies? Who sucks up to ADM?

The occurrence of new cases of type 2 diabetes has doubled over the past three decades, according to a report in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation - June 2006. The percentage of overweight children in the United States has tripled since 1980. The epidemic of type 2 diabetes cases across the nation is likely to lead to a substantially higher incidence of strokes among middle-aged adults and newly diagnosed diabetics.

"Most, but not all, of the increase in diabetes occurred in people who were obese - those with a body mass index of 30 or more," according to the National Lung, Heart, and Blood Institute in Framingham, Massachusetts.

A person with diabetes has a 50 percent chance of having a heart attack compared with a risk of 5 percent for people without diabetes or who don’t know if they have a vascular disease. In fact, diabetes puts you at the same risk for a heart attack as a non-diabetic who has had a heart attack and whose risk of another is substantially higher.



More than one out of every three individuals in the United States has diabetes or impaired fasting glucose, a condition that increases the risk of developing diabetes.


The CDC estimates that diabetes costs the United States $92 billion in medical costs and $40 billion in indirect costs.


It is getting difficult to find a food product at the grocery store or McDonalds that is not loaded with HFCS. One 20-ounce bottle of Coke, Pepsi, Mt Dew, Sprite or Dr. Pepper is the equivalent of pouring 17 teaspoons of sugar straight into your body. HFCS is the leading ingredient after carbonated water in these beverages. Women who drink at least one regular soda a day are 85 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who drink less. It also leads to tooth decay.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is found in fruit drinks like Capri Sun, Sunny Delight, Snapple, Hawaiian Punch, Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice and in most energy drinks. It is also found in chocolate drinks like Yoohoo, Arizona Tea, SoBe Beverages, cookies, ice cream, Campbell soup, Heinz Ketchup, Ragu, Aunt Jemima Syrup, Hershey's Syrup, Breyers Yogurt, Kraft Barbecue Sauce, Smucker's Preserves and some breakfast cereals.

High fructose corn syrup masquerades under the name of crystalline fructose in Glaceau Vitamin Water and some energy drinks. Naive teenagers guzzle this "poison" because they think it is good for them. Then they go on a diet and wonder why they are still gaining weight.

Have you seen the new commercials on TV for Capri Sun? The ad suggests that Capri Sun is now healthy for you because they have added antioxidants. As long as they continue to sweeten Capri Sun with HFCS, they are lying to you.

People who use HFCS as a sweetener increase their triglycerides 32 percent relative to people who use mostly sugar, according to University of Minnesota professor John Bantle. The body metabolizes high fructose corn syrup differently than sugar. It blunts the body's ability to recognize when it is full and increases a person's appetite.

High Fructose Corn Syrup puts people at risk for metabolic syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Having just one of these conditions — increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol levels — contributes to your risk of serious disease. In combination, your risk is even greater."

There is a a rise in uric acid in the bloodstream that occurs after fructose is consumed. The temporary spike of HFCS blocks the action of insulin, which typically regulates how body cells use and store sugar and other food nutrients for energy. If uric acid levels are frequently elevated, over time features of metabolic syndrome may develop, including high blood pressure, obesity and elevated blood cholesterol levels.

Research by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveals that high fructose diets shorten the life span of laboratory mice from the normal two years to a mere five weeks.

Overweight Hispanic-American children who consume lots of sugary foods and drinks show signs of pancreatic beta cell decline - a forerunner of type 2 diabetes.

Researchers at the University of Southern California came to that conclusion after studying 63 overweight Hispanic children, ages 9 to 13, all without diabetes. The team tracked the children's eating habits and also took blood samples before and after giving them sweets.

Beta cells in the pancreas create insulin in response to sugar obtained from food. When beta cells start to function less effectively, they produce less insulin, leading ultimately to diabetes. The USC team found that about 40 percent of the sweets consumed by the children in this study came from sugary drinks such as soda or sweetened juices.

If you compare the population of non-diabetics to diabetics, the average life span is 10 years less. There are many complications that occur with diabetes. They include coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, blindness, kidney disease and loss of sensation in the hands and feet.

Older people may have something to worry about also. The leading theory about the cause of Alzheimer's Disease implicates insulin. Insulin concentrations in the brain drop significantly in early Alzheimer's and continue to fall as the disease worsens, suggesting that Alzheimer's Disease may be Type 3 diabetes. Researchers found that insulin is not just produced in the pancreas, but also in the brain.

If you wish to prevent diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, the prudent thing to do is to read the label of food items and beverages before you buy them at the store. If you see High Fructose Corn Syrup or crystalline fructose - Don't Buy It!

One tip is to try an ethnic grocery store - such as an Asian or Latino food store, if you have trouble finding HFCS free foods that you like. The American food industry doesn't give two "toots" about your health.

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, MD "Immediate action is needed to address this problem on a societal level. The time for blaming the victim, for putting the entire responsibility of the obesity epidemic on a gluttonous population is over. The science is clear, and we have the means to save lives and millions in health care dollars.”

Question of the decade: Why doesn't the FDA approve stevia as a sweetener? Stevia was introduced in the 1970s in Japan and accounts for over 40% of the sweetener market there. It is also commonly used in South America. Only 24 percent of Japanese aged 15 and older are believed to be overweight, compared to over 65 percent of adults in the United States.

In 1991, at the request of an anonymous complaint, the FDA labeled stevia as an unsafe food additive. It is truly absurd that the medical establishment and government watch dogs in the U.S. are so myopic as to believe that if a product has not been scientifically proven safe inside the borders of the U.S., then it is dangerous until proven otherwise. What's wrong with this picture?



According to Dr. William Dietz of the CDC (Center for Disease Control), in the February 2006 issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, "Consumption of excess calories can produce weight gain. The high fructose content of sugar-sweetened beverages may promote hepatic lipogenesis, and the reduced insulinogenic response may decrease the inhibitory effects of these sugar-sweetened beverages on food intake. In addition, significant weight gain may occur when carbohydrates are consumed as liquids rather than as solids."

Soft drinking teens pile on pounds and obesity


According to a study released March 6, 2006, the number of overweight children is on the rise worldwide and by the end of the decade the number of overweight children will have caused a strain on our health system as they age. It is estimated that just under half of the children in North and South America will be overweight by 2010, up from about 28%. In Europe, about 38% of the children will be overweight, compared to 25% currently.

Dr. James said researchers had analyzed reports from 1980 to 2005 as well as World Health Organization data. They found data for trends over time covering school-age populations in 25 countries and preschool-age children in 42 countries.

In the drinks study, a team at Boston's Children's Hospital monitored the weight of 103 teenagers, putting half of them on unsweetened or artificially-sweetened drinks and letting the other half continue to consume sugary drinks. They concluded that a single 330ml can a day of sweetened drinks could lead teens to put on 1 pound every three or four weeks.
News Article

Diabetes Risk Factors

  • Are you overweight?

  • Do you drink soft drinks or juices with High Fructose Corn Syrup everyday?

  • Do you have high cholesterol?

  • Do you spend too much time online or watching TV and don't exercise enough?

  • Do you have relatives with diabetes?

  • Do you have heart disease?

  • Do you smoke?

  • Are you over 55?

  • Are you over 45 and have high blood pressure?

  • Are you over 35 and are Asian, Black, Latino or Native American?


As a footnote, a new Italian study suggests Aspartame (NutraSweet) causes cancer in rats at levels currently approved for humans.

The Dangers of Corn Oil


A study at the San Francisco VA Medical Center demonstrates that omega-6 fatty acids such as the fat found in corn oil promote the growth of prostate tumor cells in the laboratory.

Working with human prostate cancer cells in tissue culture, researchers identified for the first time a direct chain of causation: When introduced into prostate tumor cells in culture, omega-6 fatty acid causes the production of cPLA2, which then causes the production of the enzyme COX2. In turn, COX2 stimulates the release of PGE2, a hormone-like molecule that promotes cell growth.

What's important about this is that omega-6 fatty acids are found in corn oil and most of the oils used in bakery goods, which means that if you're eating a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids, it's possible that you're turning on this cancer cascade, which has been shown to be a common denominator in the growth of prostate, colorectal, and some breast cancers.

The study points out that 60 years ago in the United States, the dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, a beneficial fatty acid, was 1 to 2. Today, the ratio is 25 to 1. Over that same 60 years, the incidence of prostate cancer in the U.S. has increased steadily.

This is one more reason it is important to pay attention to the fats that you are eating. Substitute olive oil whenever possible, and take omega 3 fish oil capsules daily. Remember, always be good to yourself.

Dietary Protein

written by Tom McCullough, MEd., MSS

What is Protein?

Dietary protein is one of our most essential nutrients. Proteins contribute to key body functions like blood clotting, fluid balance, production of hormones and enzymes, vision, and cell repair. The word protein comes from the Greek word meaning "of prime importance." Proteins are similar to carbohydrates and lipids in that each molecule contains atoms of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. The major difference is that proteins also contain nitrogen, which comprises approximately 16% of the molecule, along with sulfur, phosphorus, and iron.

The four elements carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen are combined into a number of different structures called amino acids. Each amino acid possesses an amino group (NH2) and an acid group (COOH), with the remainder being different combinations of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and in some cases sulfur.

Amino Acids

The basic building blocks of all proteins are amino acids. Proteins are created when two amino acids join and form what is called a peptide bond. These peptide bonds are formed when two amino acid groups join together by splitting off a water molecule. Thus, a dipeptide is formed. A tripeptide is formed when three or more aminos are bonded together. An oligopeptide has at least three amino bonds, but less than 50. When more amino acids are added polypeptides are formed. A polypeptide may be made up of anywhere from 50 to 100 amino acids. Most of the foods we eat contain polypetides. All peptide bonds are broken when water is added back to the molecule.

There are 20 amino acids. Nine of these amino acids are considered to be essential. Meaning that the human body can not synthesize them so they must be supplied in the diet. The essential amino acids are:

  • Histidine
  • Isoleucine
  • Leucine
  • Lysine
  • Methionine
  • Phenylalanine
  • Theronine
  • Tryptophan
  • Valine

The other 11 amino acids are know as nonessential because the human body can synthesize them. The nonessential amino acids are:

  • Alanine
  • Arginine
  • Asparagine
  • Aspartic Acid
  • Cysteine
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Glutamine
  • Glycine
  • Proline
  • Serine
  • Tyrosine

It should be noted that all 20 amino acids are necessary and present in the body simultaneously for protein synthesis and other body functions to occur.

Where Do We Find Dietary Protein

Proteins (amino acids) are found in both animal and plant foods. While all plant and animal products contain all 20 amino acids, the amount varies. For a food to be able to support growth and life it must contain all nine essential amino acids. Foods that contain all nine essential amino acids are called complete proteins. Those foods that have a deficiency of one or more of the nine essential amino acids are called incomplete proteins. The essential amino acid that is in short supply is called the limiting amino acid.

Animal products are generally thought to be higher quality proteins than plant products only because animal proteins are complete proteins. Not only do animals proteins contain all of the essential amino acids, but they are in much larger amounts and in the proper proportion.

Plant proteins can still provide the human body with all the amino acids needed for optimal growth and development, but the proteins are usually in much smaller amounts. Further more most plant proteins have one or more limiting amino acid making them incomplete proteins. While most plant proteins are considered to be incomplete amino acid sources, they may be combined and eaten in proper combinations to provide complete proteins. The only protein that is an exception to this rule is the soybean. The soybean is considered a complete protein and is comparable to animal protein.

Transamination and Deamination

As mentioned earlier, the human body has the capability of synthesizing the 11 nonessential amino acids. When these amino acids are in short supply transamination or the transfer of an amine group (nitrogen group) from an amino acid to a carbon skeleton to form a new amino acid takes place.

In order for an amino acid to be used for energy or used to synthesize other compounds it must lose its nitrogen group without transferring it to another carbon skeleton. This process is called deamination. Once the nitrogen is removed from the amino acid carbon skeleton it is turned to urea in the liver, transferred through the blood to the kidneys, and eventually eliminated in the urine. The carbon skeleton is then used either as energy or converted to other compounds.

Functions of Protein

As mentioned earlier, protein is very critical in the regulation of human metabolism. It is used to form muscle, connective tissue, blood clotting factors, blood transport proteins, lipoproteins, visual pigments, and the protein matrix inside the bones.

Protein is also used to maintain the body fluid balance by producing albumin and globulin. Without sufficient protein in the blood stream, edema would quickly develop.

Dietary protein also contributes to the acid-base balance by producing buffers that help regulate the amount of free hydrogen ions in the blood. This accepting or donating of hydrogen ions helps to keep the blood pH slightly alkaline (pH 7.35 to 7.45).

The immune system is also composed of proteins. Antibodies are proteins. Without enough dietary protein, the immune system will lack the cells needed to function properly, thus anergy or the lack of an immune response can appear.

Dietary protein can also be used as an energy source . If a diet does not contain enough carbohydrate to supply needed glucose, protein can be used to synthesize glucose. This process is called gluconeogenesis. While protein is not ordinarily considered a major energy source when the diet is balanced, it can be when carbohydrates are not available in a fasted state. The costly process of gluconeogenesis causes much of the muscle wasting that occurs in starvation.

Dietary Protein and the Athlete

While exercise is considered a relatively small source of energy during exercise when a balanced diet is consumed, research has shown that the greater the intensity of exercise the greater the loss of protein in the urine. Athletes, especially weightlifters believe that they need a higher protein consumption than the recommended RDA of 0.8 to 1.0 g/kg/d to perform optimally. Since these claims are anecdotal, many question whether high protein intakes actually provide additional energy for exercise or whether the additional protein actually enhances muscle synthesis, thereby improving the strength and power of an athlete.

The Endurance Athlete

During long term, low intensity exercise protein catabolism can account 5 to 10% of the energy production. Research indicats that the protein needs of a long distance runner may actually increase from 50 to 100% over the RDA recommendations. Lemon et al. (1991) and Dohm (1985) recommend that athletes engaged in endurance type activities consume approximately 1.5 g/kg/d during the first few months of training. Once the athlete reaches a trained state the protein may be reduced to 1.2 to 1.4 g/kg/d and still provide a positive nitrogen balance. In any case, Lemon and Friedman et al. (1989) both noted in their studies that dietary protein needs may vary with individual endurance athletes depending greatly on the athlete’s total energy intake (particularly carbohydrate), and protein quality. For example, female endurance athletes may need more protein since their energy intakes are usually lower.

The use of the branched chain amino acids leucine, valine, and isoleucine may be helpful to endurance runners by helping to maintaining the anabolic hormone responses and slowing the rate of protein catabolism. Carli, et al. (1992) found that human growth hormone (HGH), prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol increased, while testosterone levels were maintained. Normally the testosterone levels would have been lowered during endurance exercise. It was therefore suggested that BCAA administration before exercise affects the response of some anabolic hormones, mainly human growth hormone and testosterone. Blomstrand et al. (1992) also reported that when BCAAs (7.5-12 g) were taken during exercise, the net rate of protein degradation caused by exercise could be prevented or decreased.

The Strength and Power Athlete

Individuals that are involved in strength and power type sports like bodybuilding, powerlifting, football or sprinting may have even higher dietary protein needs than the endurance athlete to maintain a positive nitrogen balance. These athletes have felt for many years that increased protein consumption would promote an accelerated rate of muscle synthesis and decrease the rate of protein catabolism, resulting in greater muscle mass accumulation. There are many conflicting views over how much protein is actually needed to optimally increase muscle mass and/or strength. However, Williams (1985) feels there is sufficient data available to make some general conclusions. It is generally agreed that a pound of muscle contains about 100 g of actual protein. So in order to gain one pound of muscle mass per week we would need to consume at least 14.29 g of extra protein per day along with the additional calories (100 / 7 = 14.29). While it is not know exactly how many extra calories are necessary to synthesize a pound of muscle mass, the National Research Council notes that 5 calories are needed to support one gram of lean tissue growth (Williams, 1992). So simple math would tell us that 500 extra calories (5 x 100 = 500) may be also necessary every day to gain one pound of lean tissue per week.

Tarnopolsky et al. (1992) using both nitrogen balance and metabolic tracers methodology recommended between that 1.4 and 2.4 g/kg/d for athletes involved in strength and power exercise. Later 1.76 g/kg/d was recommended as the accepted RDA for strength and power athletes by Lemon et al (1992) and Tarnopolsky. These studies showed that whole body protein synthesis was elevated at these intakes without an increase in protein oxidation.

Fern et al. (1991) found that 2.4 g/kg/d was considered protein overload, thus providing no further increase in protein synthesis for strength and power athletes. When strength athletes increased their protein consumption to 2.4 g/kg/d amino acid oxidation increased, but there was no further protein synthesis. Researchers considered this to clearly indicate a protein overload.

It is interesting to note that Consolazio et al. (1975) Marabel et al. (1979), and Dragan et al. (1985) all reported larger increases in strength, lean body mass (LBM) and nitrogen with much higher protein intakes (3.3, 2.8, and 3.5 g/kg/d respectively). These reports tend to corroborate the more anecdotal beliefs of weight lifters that extremely high dietary protein intakes are essential for optimal muscular development.

While these results are very interesting, they still did not prove that higher intakes of more than 2.4 g/kg/d actually were responsible for improving muscle mass during resistance training. Researchers are not exactly sure what role the extra calories might have provided by consuming that much extra protein, could have had on protein synthesis. It is suspected that the more calories you take in over energy balance, the less protein you may actually need for optimal protein synthesis (Bucci 1993). In any case a higher protein intake has not been shown to impede sports that involve strength and power.

Are There Any Adverse Affects of High Protein Intakes?

Because the kidneys are involved in the removal of urea from the consumption of protein, many have come to believe that excessive protein intakes may be harmful. The only study that have ever shown high protein intakes to harm kidney function was done by Brenner et al. (1982). However, these studies were done on patients that already had compromised kidney function. So it can not be assumed that athletes with a normal kidney function will ever have kidney disease due to high intakes of dietary protein. Currently there is no evidence to show that protein intakes in the of 1.76 g/kg/d would contribute to any health problems (Lemon, 1995).

While high protein intakes have not been shown to adversely affect a normally functioning kidney, the consumption of protein is usually accompanied by the consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol. Excessive intakes may mean high levels of saturated fats and cholesterol too. However this problem can be completely avoided by the use of most common dietary protein.

Individuals with a personal history of liver or kidney problems should be aware of their susceptibility to adverse reactions from excess dietary protein. Because the liver is the major organ involved in protein metabolism, excessive protein consumption may cause stress to the inadequately functioning liver (NRC, 1989).

High-protein diets may also lead to excessive production of ketones and urea. An inadequately functioning kidney may have trouble removing the ketones and urea from the blood. Thus an increase in blood acidity will occur causing a host of health problems (NRC, 1989).

It should also be warned that athletes who exercise in hot, humid climates and consume high protein diets may be more susceptible to dehydration. Urinary output is the main path for water loss. Because high protein diets have a diuretic effect, due to the excessive production of urea and ketones, frequent urination may be necessary to remove these byproducts from the blood (William, 1992). Thus dehydration may occur much quicker.

What About the 40-30-30 Diets?

A popular sports nutrition dietary fad revolves around the myth that a protein to carbohydrate ratio of the 40-30-30 diet allegedly maintains the proper balance between the hormones insulin and glucagon thus, improve athletic performance, reducing body fat by increasing the utilization of stored fat, and decreasing the likelihood that nutrients will ever be stored as fat.

In the popular book Enter the Zone (Regan Books, 1995), Dr. Barry Sears defines what he refers to as the three blocks, a protein block (7 grams), a carbohydrate block (9 grams) and a fat block (1.5 grams). According to Dr. Sears each 100 calories consumed during a day would contain 7 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbohydrate, and 1.5 grams of fat. But is 30% protein considered to be excessive? If you follow the recommendations of the Dr. Sears, no.

The Zone diet is based on dietary protein needs. Dr. Sears recommends that for each pound of lean body mass that you have, you need to consume between .5 and 1.0 gram of protein per day (depending on your activity level). These dietary protein recommendations however, do not exceed the current recommendations of the available literature. So for every 7 grams of protein, you must consume 9 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fat. For example, if we have a very active athletic person who has 150 pounds of lean body mass, this person would need 150 grams of protein per day or 21 blocks, according to Dr. Sears. This same person would also need about 193 grams (21 blocks) of carbohydrate and 64 grams (43 blocks) of fat per day. The total daily caloric intake would be approximately 1948 calories per day. While the caloric intake appear to be too low for the activity level, the protein intake is right on the money. However it is very unlikely that this athlete will be able to maintain a positive energy balance with such few calories.

When the 40-30-30 diet is randomly applied to any caloric amount, the dietary protein intake could easily exceed recommendations. For instance, if we have a very active athlete at 250 pounds who needs 5000 calories per day to maintain body mass and apply the 40/30/30 ratio, 500 grams of carbohydrate, 375 grams of protein, and 167 grams of fat would be consumed per day. While the carbohydrate to protein to fat ration (blocks) is still within Dr. Sears’ recommendations, this amount of protein is much more than the recommended 1.76 g/gk/d for strength athletes or the 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg/d for endurance athletes. In fact, it is almost 3.3 g/kg/d. These extremely high proteins intakes have not been sufficiently shown to have any benefits on athletic performance and may have adverse affects on those with abnormal kidney or liver function.

REFERENCES

Blomstrand, E. and Newsholme, E.A. (1992). Effect of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on the exercise-induced change in aromatic amino acid concentration in human muscle. Acta Physiol. Scand. 146: 293 - 298.

Brenner, B.M., Meyer, T.W., and Hostetter, T.H. (1982). The role of hemodynamically mediated glomerular sclerosis in aging, renal ablation, and intrinsic renal disease. N. Engl. J. Med. 307: 652.

Bucci, L. (1993). Nutritional ergogenic aids--macronutrients. IN: Nutrients as Ergogenic Aids for Sports and Exercise. Bucci, L., Ed. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. pp. 16.

Carli, G., Bonifazi, M., Lodi, L., Lupo, C., Martelli, G., and Viti, A. (1992). Changes in the exercise-induced hormone response to branched chain amino acid administration. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 64: 272 - 277.

Consolazio, C.F., Johnson, H.L., Nelson, R.A., Dramise, J.G., and Skala, J.H. (1975). Protein metabolism during intensive physical training in the young adult. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 28: 29.

Dohm, G.L. (1985). Protein nutrition for the athlete. Clin. Sports Med. 3: 595.

Dragan, G.I., Vasiliu, A., and Georgescu, E. Effects of increased supply of protein on elite weight lifters. IN: Milk Proteins ‘84. Galesloot, T.E. and Timbergen, B.J., Eds. Pudoc. Waningen, Netherlands.

Fern, E.B., Bielinski, R.N., and Schultz, Y. (1991). Effects of exaggerated amino acid and protein supply in man. Experientia. 47: 168.

Friedman, J. and Lemon, P.W.R. (1989). Effect of chronic endurance exercise on retention of dietary protein. Int. J. Sports Med. 10: 118.

Lemon, P.W.R., and Proctor, D.N. ( 1991). Protein intake and athletic performance, Sports Med. 12(5):313.

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