Are protein supplements bad for you?
Those of proteins are dietary supplements.
They do not require a prescription even if, to be fair, a medical consultation is always recommended.
Their function would be to fill any nutritional gaps. These concern sedentary people who "eat badly" and / or who have an increased need for proteins (gestation, old age, malabsorption, etc.), but especially sportsmen and in particular those who practice strength activities.
They also find application in the low-calorie slimming diet, especially for reasons of practicality. However, in this case you must be very careful not to abuse it.
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In fact, if taken in high doses and combined with an already naturally high-protein diet, protein supplements help to increase the energy intake and favor fat deposits or in any case hinder the slimming process.
This is because, since in our organism there are no "real" protein deposits, the protein excess is transformed into fatty acids which are then deposited in the fat.
On the other hand, if the total calories are insufficient, or if the carbohydrate intake is too low, part of the amino acids absorbed by the dietary proteins is conducted in the liver and used for neoglucogenesis (glucose production) or for ketogenesis (production of ketone bodies). .
In the muscle, on the other hand, the lack of glucose from glycogen and / or from glycemia determines a higher than normal use of branched amino acids from structural proteins.
The amount of protein needed to compensate for the losses of amino acids during muscle activity or in global turnover can be very different between a person who is globally "minute" and sedentary, and another who is physically "important" and who carries out bodybuilding, for example.
The estimate of the protein requirement in the sedentary can be made as a percentage of the normocaloric diet (about 13%), or with a coefficient to be multiplied by the kilograms of weight (kg) - real or physiological desirable or even lean mass - which will offer the protein amount daily expressed in grams (g / day).
For example, a normal sedentary (without pathologies or special paraphysiological or physiological conditions) who wants to prevent protein deficiency can take as much as <1.0 g / kg / day of protein, while a bodybuilder in the rather demanding phase of definition - the need increases when calories are cut - it can even reach> 3.0 g / kg / day.
In the healthy subject, the excess of proteins does not cause problems of any kind; the kidney easily adapts to the greater workload. It is different for people with renal or hepatic insufficiency, or for mono-kidneys. In the chronic, however, we do not know what the subjective implications of an important excess of dietary protein may be - and what is the limit for being defined as such.
In fact, the abuse of protein supplements increases the loss of calcium in the urine but, usually, this is not a problem because intestinal absorption and renal calcium excretion are finely regulated by metabolic and hormonal factors. A balanced diet and " normal "is usually able to provide all the calcium needed even in the case of a high-protein diet. Perhaps it would be better to pay more attention to vitamin D levels.
The metabolism of proteins requires more fluids than fats and carbohydrates - almost twice as many - and can induce an increase in water requirements, especially in conditions of heat and sweating due to motor activity.
On the other hand, proteins have a greater thermogenesis and therefore cost more energy to be digested and metabolized; they are also endowed with a high satiating power. Both of these factors benefit weight loss strategies.
In some people, protein supplements can cause abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
For all these reasons, the following phrases must be specified on the packaging of protein supplements: ù
'Warnings: in case of prolonged use (over 6-8 weeks) the doctor's opinion is required'.
'Contraindicated in cases of kidney, liver disease, pregnancy, under 14 years'.
The best time to take protein supplements with the aim of avoiding catabolism and promoting muscle growth is between: immediately before, during and especially after weight training.
Those who perform aerobic activities, on the other hand, will limit their intake to post-workout only.
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