As of: February 28, 2024, 5:21 a.m
By: Carmen Mörwald
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High protein products are popular.
According to a new study, a diet that is too high in protein poses health risks.
This contradicts conventional medicine.
Bremen – Products with increased protein content are on everyone’s lips.
Not only are they supposed to help you build muscle and gain weight, but they are also supposed to be particularly healthy.
At least that's the feeling consumers get when they stand in front of the supermarket shelf and have to decide between high-protein products and the standardized version.
However, a new study has found that excessive protein is harmful.
Too much protein is said to be harmful to the heart: these are the study results
According to scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, increased protein intake is said to lead to atherosclerosis.
It is a buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls.
These deposits, also called plaque, can cause the arteries to narrow or even block blood flow, which can ultimately lead to a blood clot.
To investigate how amino acids from proteins influence disease processes at the molecular level, the researchers conducted a series of experiments.
Her focus was particularly on macrophages – the immune cells in the blood vessels, which can play a crucial role in the development of arteriosclerosis.
The results of the study show that increased protein intake can disrupt the normal function of these cells.
In their abstract published on the academic portal
Nature Metabolism
, the researchers also explain that a “protein intake of more than 22 percent of dietary energy requirements” can promote arteriosclerosis.
However, this scientific finding is not based on human subjects, but on mice.
A total of around 100 participants were involved in the study and divided into two different test groups.
Methodology of the study
In the first test group, half of the participants were asked to eat low-protein, liquid food, which accounts for around ten percent of their daily energy requirement.
The other half should focus on protein-rich, liquid foods that cover 50 percent of your daily calories.
The second test group was supposed to eat mixed meals.
While one half was given standardized, but protein-rich foods that covered around 15 percent of their daily calories, the other half were supposed to eat protein-rich foods, which made up around 22 percent of their daily energy needs.
The results of both test groups were then combined and checked.
In summary, it can be said that the study situation is not clear due to the small number of participants and the inclusion of animal test subjects.
In general, there is little scientific knowledge about how increased protein intake can affect heart health.
Protein can harm?
It depends on individual needs
The often asked question of whether a high-protein diet can harm the kidneys has not yet been conclusively answered.
The reason for this is that it actually depends on individual needs.
Dr.
Tobias Weigl, emergency physician and assistant physician for anesthesiology and intensive care medicine, recommends increasing protein intake during physical activity.
Since 2016, he has regularly provided information about health and medicine in his videos on the YouTube platform.
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A recurring theme in his videos is healthy eating and therefore the right amount of protein.
Weigl appeals to determine individual needs and take factors such as previous illnesses into account.
If you play sports or do other physical activities, such as gardening or playing with children, you should consume two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Can too much protein harm?
The answer is yes and no.
© Pond5 Images / Imago
However, Weigl emphasizes the need to drink enough so that the uric acid, which is produced by a protein-rich diet, can be broken down properly.
This is also stated in the position paper of the German Nutrition Society (DGE).
They state that adults who are physically active for a maximum of five hours per week do not have an increased protein requirement.
The reference value of 0.8 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight applies.
“The protein intake is not a fixed parameter, but can be flexibly adjusted depending on the training goal, training intensity and scope of training,” says the DGE.
Ambitious athletes should therefore consume their proteins three to four times a day in doses of up to two grams per kilogram of body weight.
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at her own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.