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High Protein Diet Found Beneficial
Contrary to what many conventional medical authorities, vegetarians,
and other promoters of low-fat diets say, consumption of very
high levels of protein may not have adverse effects and may
in fact boost antioxidant levels,
new research from Germany has found.
Since "The maximum dietary protein intake that does
not cause adverse effects in a healthy population is uncertain,"
as the researchers note, they decided to test their theory
that increased protein consumption would induce greater oxidative
stress in order to determine this threshold of protein consumption
at which adverse effects could be seen.
Researchers performed tests on laboratory rats, splitting
them up into groups receiving one of three different levels
of dietary protein:
After 15 weeks of feeding on the specific protein level diets,
various parameters of antioxidant status were measured.
Much to the authors surprise, it was found that the groups
consuming the higher protein diets had better antioxidant
parameters than the lower protein diets, such as reduced lipid
peroxide levels.
"Long-term intake of high protein
diets did not increase variables of oxidative stress, in contrast
to our initial hypothesis," the authors concluded. "An
unexpected finding was that adequate (14%) protein feeding
may in fact induce oxidative stress," they add.
Journal of Nutrition 2000;
130: 2889-2896
Dr. Mercola's Comment
Further evidence that low-fat, vegetarian, and vegan diets
are not the healthiest choices for most people. These diets
are almost invariably lower in protein than diets containing
animal proteins. Probably the best single source of protein
are eggs, but it is best to purchase organic eggs from free-range
chickens.
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