How much protein is healthy? | Protein and nutrition

How much protein is healthy?

The body needs protein. The supply via a balanced diet is essential for all metabolic functions in the body to be carried out correctly and for the body substance to be maintained. Too little protein intake leads to weight loss, muscle wastage and numerous physical complaints.

These include, for example, the German Nutrition Society recommends different amounts of protein depending on age and sex. Children in growth, for example, have a higher protein requirement in relation to their body weight than adults. The DGE recommends adults between 19 and 50 years of age 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram body weight.

This requirement can vary depending on the activity level. For some occupational groups who perform physically demanding work, a higher protein intake is recommended. Athletes may also have an increased requirement.

For bodybuilders, double the amount of protein per day is sometimes recommended. However, the high protein intake should not be at the expense of carbohydrate and especially fat intake. Not only proteins are essential for the body, but also fatty acids, vitamins, trace elements and other elements.

In the context of a balanced diet, a slightly increased protein intake is not harmful for a healthy (especially: kidney healthy) adult.

  • Hair loss,
  • Brittle nails,
  • An increased susceptibility to infections,
  • Digestive problems,
  • Absence of menstruation
  • And other signs of deficiency symptoms.

First of all, every human being has a basic need for protein to protect his cells, to maintain or build muscles and to keep the normal metabolic processes in the body going. The recommendations of the German Society for Nutrition are about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight in healthy adults.

During high physical activity, the requirement increases. This applies not only to athletes, but also to people who perform heavy physical work. In extreme cases, the protein requirement of high-performance athletes can even exceed 2 grams per kilogram of body weight.

In cases of increased protein requirements, it may be sensible or even necessary to supplement their diet with protein shakes. In general, however, you should make your diet balanced and rich in protein and, if possible, make use of natural protein sources. In the case of healthy kidney function, it is almost impossible to consume too much protein through the diet as long as no other dietary supplements are taken.

Healthy kidneys work well even with a very protein-rich diet and there are normally no health problems.Unlike carbohydrates, however, the energy from protein is not immediately available and a certain amount of metabolic power is required to provide energy. This is also the cause of fatigue and listlessness in a low carb high protein diet, i.e. a diet low in carbohydrates and high in protein. After a period of acclimatization, the tiredness and lack of strength should disappear, provided that the body is supplied with sufficient fat, fiber and micronutrients such as vitamins and trace elements via the diet in addition to protein.

An excessive intake of protein can initially cause weight gain if the body is supplied with more energy than it consumes daily. A high proportion of protein in the diet can also lead to digestive problems such as flatulence. These are largely due to a lack of dietary fibre.

Bad breath is also a common problem, especially if a small amount of carbohydrates is consumed. With a protein-rich diet, a lot of fluid should be consumed to protect the kidneys. The consequences of extreme malnutrition and protein deficiency are underweight and the loss of all fat reserves, including the so-called depot fat.

Children in particular are so weakened that this extreme malnutrition is often fatal. These children also suffer from a so-called water belly, the abdomen bulges out because the protein deficiency causes the albumin in the blood to be insufficiently formed. Fortunately, such cases are extremely rare in our latitudes, but an unbalanced diet and an insufficient supply of protein can also affect our health.

Symptoms include fatigue and reduced athletic performance. If a protein deficiency causes less collagen to be produced, nails become brittle or hair falls out. Proteins are also important players in the immune system, and a protein deficiency can manifest itself by a higher susceptibility to infections.