why so much protein?

[loving.life 110]

I'm 3 wks post op. Doc only has me on 1 Protein Shake a day, other than that on full liquids for a month. I see so many talking about needing to push Protein, what is the benefits of such a high protein diet?

[KristinaRnY 455]

Increased risk of osteoporosis and kidney disease due to over consumption of Protein -the food revolution.

Edited January 27, 2014 by KristinaRnY

[loving.life 110]

Are you saying that if we take in too much it hurts our kidneys? What is the suggested daily amount

[terry1118 1,274]

I'm supposed to get a minimum of 60gr daily. I've seem some who say their doc recommends up to 100gr daily. I don't know how much is too much. I do know too much of ANYTHING is a bad thing. :-)

[terry1118 1,274]

I just did a little reading on the subject. I found that high Protein diets will cause more damage if an individual already has unhealthy kidneys but it has no affect on the healthy kidneys in a healthy individual. If you are healthy you should be fine. If you are not you would know by now because that's one of the many things they are looking for in post and pre-op testing. If you are concerned ask your doctor. :-)

[DLCoggin 1,788]

Following gastric bypass, doctors generally recommend 60g to 80g of Protein for the gals and 80g to 100g for the guys. The average adult has about a trillion cells in the body. Every single one of those cells contain Protein. Remove all of the Water from your body and 75% of what's left is protein. So why is the recommended protein higher following the surgery?

• Protein is used extensively to repair and replace damaged tissue.
• Carbs are king when it comes to energy. On a regular diet, about 60% of your body's energy requirement is met by carbs. But when you're on a low carb diet, your body will metabolize protein for energy. It is common to read posts from folks who are struggling to get in their doctor's recommended protein. And in the same post learn that they are suffering from low energy. No carbs + no protein = no energy.
• Protein is a key player in fighting off bacterial and viral infections.
• Protein will help minimize lean muscle wasting during rapid weight loss.
• Protein will help reduce hair loss.

Terry has commented on the concern of possible kidney damage related to protein intake. The question of what, if any, association exists between protein and osteoporosis remains to be answered. This link - http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/155/7/636.long - is to a 2001 paper published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Although quite technical in places, it highlights the conflicting results of various research studies. This link - http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/osteoporosis/protein-osteoporosis-prevention_5826-1.html - is to a 2011 study at Johns Hopkins which is much less technical but again stresses that results are inconclusive. And finally this link - www.who.int/.../public_health_nut8.pdf - is a study published by the World Health Organization and concludes that "...evidence of adverse consequences [from dietary protein] is lacking."

At the moment, perhaps the best we can do is follow our doctor's recommendation as closely as we possibly can.

Edited January 28, 2014 by DLCoggin

[loving.life 110]

Cry good info DL, that's what I was looking for. Ty! !

[loving.life 110]

Very good is what I meant to say

[AllisonKara 46]

Adult women need about 46 grams a day. Most people get enough Protein, but some might do well to add a few supplements. A Protein shortfall could mean trouble. It is important for many physiological functions from building and maintaining muscle, and bone to keeping cells in good working order.

[BBdoodle 483]

I'm almost 2 yrs post op and I still drink a Protein shake after I run. I try to get 40-60 grams of Protein daily. My surgeon said the Protein shakes were to hold you over until you can eat real food and the best protein to get is from lean meats and fish. shakes are only a substitute until you can eat real food.