The protein diet
Protein is one of the three macronutrients in the human diet. If protein is not supplied through nutrition, the metabolic processes in the body do not run, our cells do not have stability, muscle and organ mass is broken down, our immune system cannot work. Protein is therefore essential for survival and an important part of our diet.
But besides protein, other nutrients are also of central importance for the correct functioning of our metabolism or for energy production. Fats and carbohydrates, as well as fiber, vitamins, trace elements and other micronutrients are part of a balanced diet. Only a balanced diet can protect our health, well-being and performance in the long term.
In crash diets, calorie intake is reduced at the expense of a balanced diet. They usually take on extreme proportions. Crash diets should never be followed over a long period of time.
They are very successful at the beginning, but in the long run they are deficient in essential nutrients. If you want to lose weight, you should reduce your calorie intake moderately but still supply your body with sufficient protein, fat, vitamins, trace elements, fiber, etc. In a protein diet, the main emphasis is on the consumption of proteins.
To keep the calorie intake low, carbohydrates are usually avoided. Carbohydrates are not essential for energy production, but for many people, doing without carbohydrates leads to a lack of strength, fatigue, circulation problems or mood swings. However, the renunciation of fats is much more alarming. Particularly essential fatty acids must be supplied to the body through nutrition, fat is an important player in our metabolism and is involved in the development of cells and hormones. There is nothing wrong with a balanced diet with a markedly higher proportion of protein as long as all other necessary nutrients are supplied in sufficient quantities.
Protein in urine
In professional circles, the excretion of more than 150 mg protein per day via the urine is referred to as proteinuria. Small amounts of protein also occur in healthy people, but proteinuria can be an indication of kidney disease or other diseases. The causes can be “in front of” the kidney, in which case it is called prerenal proteinuria.
This includes, for example, the excessive destruction of red blood cells (haemolysis) for example by mechanical damage (for example during long marches), thermal damage (heating) or damage and destruction of the blood cells by toxins, bacteria or parasites. The most common form of proteinuria is renal proteinuria, where the cause is a functional disorder of the kidney. The kidney is no longer able to fulfil its function as a filter organ and proteins enter the urine unfiltered.
In postrenal proteinuria, the urinary tract is affected. A simple statement about the presence of proteinuria is given by the urine test strip, which is held in urine and changes color. If protein is detected in the urine, the urine must be collected for 24 hours, the bladder and urinary tract must be examined by ultrasound and a urine culture must be made. In cases of severe proteinuria or kidney failure, a biopsy may also be indicated.
