Protein is easily the most popular supplement in the world of weight lifting and fitness. It is something that we all need and it is also easily the misunderstood nutrient. Today we are going to try and clear this mess up by identifying the 5 biggest myths surrounding protein!
1) A person can only absorb 30g of protein per serving
This is probably the most common one that I see and hear about and it is absolutely far from the truth. Your body’s intestine can absorb upto 90% of all protein that is digested. Science says that once protein is absorbed, amino acids are released and circulate to the liver area where they are used in metabolic processes building muscle. Now if your body realizes that you do not need all the protein you are ingesting it simple slows down the process involved in releasing the amino acids, thus keeping the process and ensuring your body uses it.
2) Protein powder erodes from cooking or baking
There is no doubt about it, when protein is heated it changes the structure of the protein, a process called denaturation. However protein that is denaturatized is still absorbed and used by the body. Protein powder is extremely convienient and versatile so don’t let this silly myth stop you from using!
3) Too much protein is bad for your kidneys
About 30 years ago a study came out that suggested people who ate more protein increased their glomerular filtration rate (GFR) which is the amount of blood knidneys filter per minute. The study assumed that the higher the GFR the more stress there was on the kidneys and as a result this was harming the kidneys. However this is completely false and recent studies have shown that there is NO evidence showing more protein is harmful on the functions of the kidney.
4) Too much protein will turn into fat
This myth relates to the first myth in that any excess protein will turn into fat. The simple truth is that eating too much of any food will result in fat, but rarely does this happen to protein. In fact you’d have to be over eating and literally doing nothing for the protein to turn into fat because you will be telling your body you do not need the protein and it will not release aminos to break it down.
5) Vegan protein powder is a complete protein
Vegan proteins do not provide the complete amino acid profile and as a result you will notice that many vegan proteins are made up of various sources to give it an amino profile. They still however do not provide the best ratio of amino acids that can be used by the body. It has been shown that vegan profiles provide only a 65-86% biological value compared to whey protein which provides a 104% biological value.
Go ahead and enjoy your protein!