High Protein Diet: Why This New Food Trend Is Dangerous

Self-care, nutrition and exercise are the three main pillars of maintaining health. healthy lifestyle. However, putting the body at the center of training and nutrition for the sake of physical results can be counterproductive.

Thus, there are those who decide to follow strict dietary recommendations, accompanying their workouts in the gym. In this sense, high-protein diets are a new trend in the world of fitness, precisely because their intake during and immediately after training promotes muscle recovery and increases the effectiveness of training.

However, while these diets pose no risk to the general population if followed over a period of time, short period of time, The truth is that when they spread, they can become very problematic, as the health portal has found. Mayo Clinic.

As highlighted by the aforementioned health portal, some high-protein diets restrict carbohydrate intake to levels that can lead to inadequate nutrient and fiber intake, causing problems such as bad breath, headaches, and constipation.

Additionally, these diets often include red meat, processed meats, and other foods high in saturated fat, which can increase the risk of heart disease and raise levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, known as “bad” cholesterol. In addition, a high-protein diet can worsen kidney function in people with preexisting conditions because the body cannot adequately remove waste products from the breakdown of proteins.

In 2020, a group of researchers from University of Pittsburgh The study found that a high-protein diet increases the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. So while the risk is higher in people with pre-existing conditions, the university sets the limit at 22%, and ingesting more can cause serious consequences.

To achieve this result, scientists conducted two experiments controlled 23 overweight participants of both sexes to assess protein intake. In the first, 14 participants consumed two 500-kilocalorie liquid meals: one high-protein and one low-protein. In the second, nine participants ate a standard 450-kilocalorie meal twice with either 16 or 25 grams of protein. Blood samples were taken before and after both experiments, at 1 and 3 hours after ingestion. The results showed that consuming more than 25 grams of protein in a single meal increased levels of the amino acid leucine, affecting the immune system’s monocytes and macrophages.

In parallel, a subsequent experiment on mice used three diets with different levels of protein (high, moderate and low). It was found that protein intake more than 22% To obtain energy, elevated levels of leucine are required, which activates pathological pathways in the immune system that lead to atherosclerosis.