Is the protein supplement at the gym increasing your risk of heart attack?

HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU NEED?

The common mistake youngsters make is to not understand how much protein they actually need. The average protein requirement for an adult is 0.8 to 1 gm per kg of body weight. It is recommended that 10 to 35 per cent of our daily calories should come from proteins. Which means that the average sedentary man should eat about 56 grams of protein per day, and the average woman should eat about 46 grams. If you weigh 70 kg, you should not take more than 70 grams of protein, which is easily managed if you have animal protein. The benefit from protein supplements comes when you are deficient. Or when you are into high intensity workouts that break down the tissues that need instant repair. If you are not into this intense regime, that’s when the protein powder is overloading your system and can attack organs like the heart and kidney. The real problem stems from the excess intake.

Whey protein, which is derived from cow milk or a dairy source, in accepted amounts can help lower high cholesterol and lipid levels, especially “bad” LDL cholesterol. Since high cholesterol is connected to a higher risk of strokes and heart disease, lowering your cholesterol levels to a healthy range can offer health benefits. Whey protein can, therefore, bring down your BP. It tends to increase nitric oxide and dilate blood vessels. Inflammation in the body causes a lot of heart attacks. So, it has anti-inflammatory properties.

WHAT’S THE HARM IN GETTING TOO MUCH PROTEIN?

Too much protein, on the other hand, causes plaque build-up and creates rhythm disturbance in the heart as well. We have had youngsters, who are arbitrarily advised protein supplements and steroids, complain of chest discomfort, a rapid heart rate of 120, dizziness, palpitations. A lot of fat burners can cause arrhythmia too. Now, some of these young people happen to be smokers. What many do not understand is that smoking aggravates the clot formation within a few hours.

Also, high protein, that is beyond the tolerable limits of the body, encourages plaque build-up, according to mice studies. Researchers found that mice fed on a high fat, high protein diet had not just developed plaque, the build-up was worse than in the mice that had eaten the high fat, low protein diet. Besides, this plaque was found to be “unstable,” the kind that breaks off the arterial wall easily, increasing the risk of blockages and, potentially, a heart attack.

In that study, the researchers had explained how mammal bodies actually have a first-line defence against arterial plaque. A type of white blood cells called “macrophages” usually “pick up” on the presence of these deposits and remove them. However, with a high protein intake, sometimes they are unequal to the task and they die, and the plaque continues to build up. Two amino acids — leucine and arginine — were found to incapacitate macrophages, according to the study. Leucine is high in red meat, compared to fish or plant sources of protein. That’s why cardiologists advise a diet against red meat.

DO PROTEIN POWDERS MEET STANDARDS?

Since there is no research data on the side effects of high protein supplementation, it is up to the manufacturers to package what they feel is safe. There may be added sugars, artificial flavouring, thickeners and calories. And since powders are concentrated protein, you may innocently scoop heaped spoons into your glass of water or milk and end up piling more calories than you require, leading to weight gain and an unhealthy spike in blood sugar. Some protein powders may contain heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium or mercury), pesticides or other contaminants as found in studies in the US. If you indeed need protein powder supplementation because of health conditions and a plant diet which doesn’t give you enough, your doctor will tell you the dosage you require to make up for the deficiency in your diet. Go by the advisory.