Protein “requirements” beyond the RDA: implications for optimizing health

Abstract

Substantial evidence supports the increased consumption of high-quality protein to achieve optimal health outcomes. A growing body of research indicates that protein intakes well above the current Recommended Dietary Allowance help to promote healthy aging, appetite regulation, weight management, and goals aligned with athletic performance. Higher protein intakes may help prevent age-related sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass, and strength that predisposes older adults to frailty, disability, and loss of autonomy. Higher protein diets also improve satiety and lead to greater reductions in body weight and fat mass compared with standard protein diets, and may therefore serve as a successful strategy to help prevent and/or treat obesity. Athletes can also benefit from higher protein intakes to maximize athletic performance given the critical role protein plays in stimulating muscle protein remodelling after exercise. Protein quality, per meal dose, and timing of ingestion are also important considerations. Despite persistent beliefs to the contrary, we can find no evidence-based link between higher protein diets and renal disease or adverse bone health. This brief synopsis highlights recent learnings based on presentations at the 2015 Canadian Nutrition Society conference, Advances in Protein Nutrition across the Lifespan. Current evidence indicates intakes in the range of at least 1.2 to 1.6 g/(kg·day) of high-quality protein is a more ideal target for achieving optimal health outcomes in adults.Key words: protein, protein recommendations, protein quality, sarcopenia, elderly, weight management, obesity, muscle, athletes, exercise, satiety.Résumé : Beaucoup d'études probantes appuient la thèse selon laquelle l'augmentation de la consommation de protéines de haute qualité améliore la santé. De plus en plus d'études rapportent qu'une consommation de protéines bien supérieure aux rations alimentaires recommandées favorise le vieillissement en santé, la régulation de l'appétit, le contrôle du poids et les objectifs en matière de performance sportive. Une plus grande consommation de protéines pourrait prévenir la sarcopénie associée à l'âge, la perte de masse musculaire et de force musculaire qui prédispose les personnes âgées à la fragilité, l'incapacité et la perte de l'autonomie. Un régime alimentaire riche en protéines améliore la satiété et favorise une plus grande diminution de la masse corporelle et graisseuse comparativement aux régimes protéiques standards et pourrait constituer une stratégie gagnante pour la prévention et le traitement de l'obésité. Les athlètes ont aussi à gagner en consommant plus de protéines afin de maximiser leur performance sportive compte tenu du rôle essentiel des protéines dans la stimulation du remodelage des protéines musculaires à la suite de l'exercice physique. La qualité des protéines, la dose par repas et le moment de la consommation sont aussi à prendre en compte. Malgré les croyances ancrées du contraire, on ne trouve aucune donnée probante présentant une associa...

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“…There have also been recent trends for even higher protein recommendations to promote health [103], support weight loss strategies [104], to preserve lean body mass (LBM) under hypocaloric situations [105], in resistance-type sports such as bodybuilding [106], and corporate sports performance programs [107]. That athletes, especially in strength and power sports, accomplish higher protein intakes has also been shown [108], with recent reports also highlighting the issue of extremely high protein intakes in some athletes [96,109].…”

Inulin-Enriched Low Fat Milk Improved Lipid Profile in Indonesian Hypercholesterolemic Adults

“…This result might be caused by higher protein intake of subjects from milk sample. The total protein intake of subjects was not measured but at least additional 14 g/day of protein were consumed from supplemented low-fat milk, contributing ≈25% of recommended daily inta e of protein for adults [17]. Supplementation of higher protein intake with low fat diet tend to increase lean body mass and increase fat loss.…”

Recent developments in understanding protein needs – How much and what kind should we eat?

“…These values represent conservative estimates of the optimal contribution of protein to the flexible intake of dietary calories, and fall well within the range of dietary protein intakes recommended by the AMDRs and the USDA Dietary Guidelines. There are no known adverse effects of this level of protein intake in normal individuals (Institute of Medicine 2005;Phillips et al 2016). Therefore, we propose that in practice, 1.5-2.2 g/(kg·day) constitutes a reasonable recommendation for the amount of protein that should be eaten by adults as part of a complete diet.…”

“…This is an important consideration given that obesity and sarcopenia (i.e., loss of lean body mass with age) are two of today's largest public health challenges. As outlined by Phillips et al (2016), protein intakes above the current RDA (within the AMDR) can help to improve satiety and support weight management efforts and may help to prevent age-related sarcopenia as people age and have no known adverse impacts on health. There is an urgent need to reevaluate protein recommendations to ensure they reflect recent developments in understanding protein requirements.…”

“…A review of current evidence on protein requirements to prevent age-related sarcopenia and to promote healthy weight management and peak athletic performance, also based on presentations at the 2015 Canadian Nutrition Conference on protein, has been published by Phillips et al (2016).…”