Greetings from the 2009 Nutrition and Metabolism Conference
The Obesity Conference ended at noon on Saturday, and at 1:00, the Nutrition and Metabolism conference started and finished at noon today. Though there were a variety of presentations, this year the focus was on protein. There were several experts in protein metabolism who presented their research, and the results were fascinating.
I have one big take-home message for you: Eat 30-35 grams of high-quality (complete) protein 3 times per day. That means at breakfast, folks! I confess that I usually don't eat that much protein at breakfast, but it turns out to be really important! So do it. Check out this list of protein foods to find out how much 30-35 grams is, and eat it! It's that simple.
I'm going to writing more about this, but the main point is this: Our muscles are in a constant state of turnover, and to stay strong they need this change. But especially as we age, this process gets more difficult for our bodies to maintain. It turns out that not only is dietary protein above the minimal recommended levels important to keep this going, but there is a fair amount of evidence that it is most effective in amounts of 30-35 grams per meal (more doesn't help, and less doesn't reach the threshold needed to stimulate the muscle support activity). Unfortunately, people tend to eat less protein as they age; the very opposite of what would be best.
Other tidbits from the conference:
- More evidence for things we already know by now: low-carb diets are helpful for diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular risk factors, and weight control. In addition, they may have direct effects on decreasing inflammation, not just by weight reduction and other known effects. But it continues to be difficult to get funding when you are proposing to study carbohydrate restriction.
- Gary Taubes presented a history of recommendations of carbohydrates in diabetes, as well as in the general population. Over the past 100 years again and again the recommendations have risen. The evidence has not only been iffy at best for doing this, but they really have not pursued much research to really seriously test it (and when they do, they don't like the results). Why is this, when there are so many diabetics and the cost is so great?
- You get the best bang for your buck in muscle building by eating a whole protein such as meat an hour before resistance exercise, or a rapidly-assimilated protein such as whey powder within half an hour after the resistance exercise.
- More evidence that increased protein helps preserve bone density.
All this, and two nights in a row got to spend dinner talking with researchers and doctors about science! Heaven!
From what I've learned from the last three days, these are my personal goals:
1) I am going to ramp up my current weight lifting, which is pretty minimalist at this point.
2) I am going to be sure to eat 30 grams of protein 3 times per day.
3) I am also going to do some experimenting with different kinds of meal combinations and their effects on my blood glucose (more smaller meals, timing of meals, etc).
4) I am going to write more about science.
It's been great, but I'm looking forward to going home tomorrow!
Related Resources:
Photo © Malcolm Romain
Wow, Laura, what great information. I’m going to have to work on getting the 30-35 g. protein three times a day. Thank you for this, and I look forward to reading more!
As an older athlete and body builder I am very interested in any new science behind protein needs and would appreciate the addition of science-related articles to your already very helpful webpage.
yes, more science please!!
Is this recommendation the same for women and men? That would be 5 eggs for breakfast? Wonder if the recommended intake for women is less. I usually have 21gms protein for breakfast which is 3 eggs.
Michelle, I think that’s a great question. I’m having trouble with it myself! In the first place, I may have overstepped — this really is not conclusive research to the point of “recommendation”, on the other hand, it is fascinating research, and pretty compelling, and I’m definitely going to write more about it. In the process I will contact the researcher and try to get an answer to your question.
Note that this finding is really separate from all the other reasons we eat low carb, as it has to do with muscle preservation as we age.
I have 2 eggs every morning and if I want to ramp up my protein, I will have a piece of toast with cottage cheese. Lunchtime would have to include peanut butter. I’m not sure about dinner as I don’t like red meat.
Laura, there were pics posted of yourself, Dr Vernon and Dana Carpender showing that you were all over your ideal weight.
Is this a reflection of your diet at the moment or the fact that for women particularly at the pre-menopausal/menopausal age maintaining weight at optimum is difficult?
Do these so-called experts have any idea how many calories there are in 30 ozs of protein. Beef for instance has 4000. So what else would one eat. I am currently on a 1200 calorie per day diet.
Something is missing here.
ian
Ian: It’s 30 grams of protein per meal not 30 ozs.
Exactly. An ounce of meat, chicken, fish, etc, has approximately 7 grams of protein. So we’re talking 4-5 oz portions — not huge.
I have been reading Gary Taubes Book and it started me on the low carb diet in February. I find this way of eating so much more satifying than counting calories.
Laura, I, too, would love to see the ref to the studies that indicated how much protein we need to eat, and when, with regard to resistance training and keeping our lean muscle.