The Low-Down on High-Protein Diets

by Ernie Medina Jr., Dr. P.H., Preventive Care Specialist at Beaver Medical Group

 

	Family. Co-workers. Friends. Acquaintances. Strangers at the bus stop. No matter who you talk to, it seems that someone is either on a high-protein diet or knows someone on a high-protein diet for losing weight. Maybe you yourself have either tried it or are trying it. Just about every healthcare provider here at Beaver Medical Group, and certainly all of us here in the Health Education Department, advise against using this diet. But do you know why? While it may be hard to argue with people who have successfully lost weight using high-protein diets, read for yourself some of the claims and facts surrounding these types of diets. Claim #1: Eating high-protein and less carbohydrates is the best way to lose weight. Fact: While there are many people who have lost weight (and some, very quickly) on this diet, it is not because of eating more protein and less carbohydrates. The only way you can lose excess weight is by having a negative calorie balance, i.e. burning more calories than you take in. High protein diets, such as the starting level of the Atkins diet, are around 1,024 calories, low enough for most people to lose weight on. Claim #2: A high-carbohydrate diet makes you insulin resistant, which causes you to store excess carbohydrates as fat. The only way to lose weight is to decrease insulin by avoiding carbohydrates. Fact: If you eat excess calories from any source–fat, protein, or carbohydrates–you will gain excess fat weight. Also, eating carbohydrates does not cause you to become insulin resistant. Risk factors for insulin resistance are being obese (body fat greater than 27% for women, and 22% for men), being a "couch potato" (non-exerciser), eating poor diet, or having family history of diabetes. In other words, the "typical" American lifestyle! Claim #3: High-protein diets do not stimulate the release of insulin. Fact: Protein does stimulate insulin release into the blood stream. The reason why they seem to work in the short run is that not eating enough carbohydrates causes you to produce more ketones in the body (a toxic waste product of partially broken-down fat cells). Ketones act as an appetite suppressant, causing you to eat less and further decrease calorie intake leading to a negative calorie balance. Eating less carbohydrates also causes you to lose water quickly, providing a psychological boost. Claim #4: High-protein diets are healthier than high-carbohydrate diets. Fact: There are many other disadvantages besides the ones mentioned above. High-protein diets are very high in saturated fats, which are the "bad" fats for heart disease and cholesterol levels. You also miss out on a lot of the other vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients (food nutrients other than vitamins and minerals, such as beta-carotene) that are only available in a diet that is well-balanced in all the various food groups. For some people, the higher levels of protein and iron may cause kidney and other health problems over time. Finally, high-protein diets are very difficult to follow for any length of time, and you will most likely regain the weight you have lost. These are just some of the main claims that high-protein diet advocates will use to promote this method of weight loss. The bottom line is that while you can lose weight on just about any kind of fad diet, the question is, "At what cost?" Fortunately, there are safe, healthy, and more enjoyable ways to lose weight and keep it off. In our Total Wellness Program, we take a lifestyle approach to make sure you reach a safe, manageable negative calorie balance without resorting to something that would be harmful to you. While there probably isn't one perfect diet that fits everyone, high-protein diets aren't recommended for anyone. For a complete handout on high-protein diets or a worksheet to calculate your calorie balance, contact me at 335-4131, emedina@epiclp.com, or enroll in our Total Wellness Program to learn more about how to lose excess fat weight the healthy and safe way. Ernie Medina, Jr, DrPH is a certified Preventative Care Specialist and provides classes at Beaver Medical Group about lifestyle management, exercise, nutrition, stress management, smoking cessation and lifestyle-related chronic diseases.
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