Step into any health-food store and you're likely to see stacks of protein-packed powders and bars, often accompanied by pictures of people with action-figure bodies. The message is clear: If you want to trade in your relatively normal body for the Mr. (or Ms.) Olympiad model, you can't live without their products.
After all, it takes protein to build muscles, so megadoses of protein must result in megamuscles, right? Before buying into that premise, take a close look at the facts. In the end, you may not lose your normal body, but you won't lose your money either. Best of all, you're told, this supplement works without any real effort - all you have to do is send in your money and swallow what they send you.
It's true that weight lifters and other high-powered athletes need more protein than the rest of us. But that doesn't means you should depend completely on protein supplements to train your self. A normal diet shall be enough to provide you with a satisfactory amount of protein. The Mayo clinic states that, Whether you want to lose weight, gain weight, or hold steady, stick to the formula: 45 to 55 percent of your calories should come from complex carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent should come from fat, and only 10 to 35 percent from protein.
Scientists have recently put protein supplements through rigorous tests, and the results have fallen far short of the promises. Two studies described in the February 1999 issue of the scientific journal Sports Medicine tell the tale. In one study, six inactive men and women and seven highly trained athletes spent 13 days on a diet that included a whopping 2.4 grams of protein for kilogram body weight (that's roughly 218 grams for a 200 pound person). They gained weight no faster than when they ate just 0.86 grams of protein per kilogram. An earlier study of 12 beginning bodybuilders, all men, produced similar results. During four weeks of intensive training, the subjects who got 2.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day didn't gain muscle or strength any faster than those who got only 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram.
After reviewing these studies, physician Richard B. Krieder of the University of Memphis reached the following conclusion: "Although it is important for athletes to get an adequate amount of protein . . . consuming additional amounts of protein does not appear to promote muscle growth."
A little extra protein for most people won't do much harm, so feel free to have a protein bar now and then. But you can definitely overdo it. According to a recent report in the journal Clinical Pharmacy, a protein overload can cause stomach trouble, dehydration, gout, and calcium loss, as well as damage to the liver and kidneys. There's no clear-cut line between safe and dangerous amounts, but experts agree on this: Whether you're a writer or a weight lifter, it's better to get your protein from a balanced diet than from a supplement.
if you feel your nutritional intake is insufficient, you should ideally aim to correct this through your ongoing diet. When it comes to supplements, be a skeptical consumer. We all love to look for the quick fix. But if it looks too easy, it probably is.