Question on Protein

[msgq]

Okay, folks. Here is my question.

What are the reasons PP gives an amount of protein to eat as a minimum, versus Atkins that doesn't?

And 2, I was just told by a GNC clerk that a woman should not eat more than 20 g of protein every four hours because that is all a body can absorb. Any truth to this???

Thanks for the help!

[WakefieldWendy]

PP includes protein because protein is necessary to building up lean muscle mass, and because it is the only macronutrient that sparks release of glycogen (the "opposite" hormone to insulin). At least, that's what I understand. I've read more complicated explanations that reference the body's metabolism in the absense of carbs.

I have definitely eaten more than 20 g protein and I can assure it isn't leaving my body undigested. Maybe the thought was that only 20 g can be used for tissue repair in 4 hours (doubt that's true) but there is no reason that protein shouldn't be eaten as a source of energy as well.

[Gaelen]

And 2, I was just told by a GNC clerk that a woman should not eat more than 20 g of protein every four hours because that is all a body can absorb. Any truth to this???

not really...it's sort of in the 'urban legend' or oral-history/previously-believed-true category that just gets repeated over and over and simply will not die...science and research to the contrary be damned. ;)

How much protein (or anything else) you can absorb (i.e. metabolize/digest) in X period of time is dependent on your size, activity, general health and condition, and many other little details of life like allergic reactions, sensitivities, condition of your gut, condition of your immune system, etc. If it's complete and balanced protein (I'm gonna use an egg as an example), in theory you should be able to completely metabolize it. Unless, of course, you have an egg allergy. If you've got an egg allergy, you couldn't metabolize even a drop of the egg protein because your body would be busy having a histamine reaction to it.

I don't know where the 20g-in-4-hours myth came from, but I've heard it before. Just not true...if you've got an egg allergy, you couldn't metabolize 20g of eggs in an entire day, much less 4 hours...and if you don't, and your activity level is high enough and all other conditions are equal, you might be able to metabolize 60g of egg protein or more. The only absolute about a statement like how much protein you can 'metabolize' in X hours is that mileage varies, depending on the person and the protein.

[Gabriel Guzman]

PP includes protein because protein is necessary to building up lean muscle mass, and because it is the only macronutrient that sparks release of glycogen (the "opposite" hormone to insulin). At least, that's what I understand. I've read more complicated explanations that reference the body's metabolism in the absense of carbs.

Not 'glycogen' but 'glucagon'. Glycogen, similar to starch, is made of many glucose molecules linked together and it is the way animals store glucose.

How much protein is absorbed depends a lot on individual metabolic status (for example someone who exercises a lot vrs. someone sedentary).

In any case, the minimum amount of protein is emphasized in Protein Power because it is protein, not the amount of carbohdyrate, what constitutes the cornerstone of the plan. And of course, with an adequate protein intake comes a moderate fat intake (i.e. the fat that comes with the protein sources of choice). How adequate? Well, the easiest answer is enough to maintain your lean body mass, whatever that is.

Note that limits on protein intake, pretty much like magic numbers really, may be largely based on the myths that <b>1)</b> higher protein intakes cause kidney damage and <b>2)</b> higher protein intakes cause osteoporosis, none of those true as all good myths.