The biggest prejudices against protein

We do educational work!

Who hasn't experienced it: You're calmly drinking your post-workout shake and some acquaintance, work colleague or family member starts to lecture you without being asked:

“ This artificial stuff can’t be healthy! ”

“ I heard that protein damages your kidneys! ”

“ You don’t need that – your normal diet is completely sufficient.”

These and many other phrases regularly come out of the mouths of self-proclaimed nutrition experts. Annoying, right?

This is probably what the researchers around Jose Antonio thought when they decided to publish a paper entitled "Common questions and misconceptions about protein supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?" In total, the authors have addressed eleven (more or less) important questions in this paper, which we have listed for you below:

Is protein bad for the kidneys?
To be brief: No. Despite extensive studies, there is no evidence of impaired renal function in healthy individuals caused by excessive protein intake. The authors even consider the exact opposite. A high-protein diet is known to be an effective strategy for reducing body fat and improving body composition. This is particularly desirable for people at increased risk of kidney disease (lipid metabolism disorder, obesity, high blood pressure).

Does excess protein increase body fat mass?
According to current data, it seems that a particularly high-protein diet (for example 3.3 - 4.4 g of protein per kg of body weight) does not lead to an increase in body fat in those who exercise. Based on this data, the hypothesis that excessive protein alone would increase body fat is questionable. The authors conclude that an increase in body fat is primarily caused by the intake of carbohydrates and fats. Protein itself is not the driver here - it is primarily the calorie intake that counts, who would have thought?

Thanks to Jose Antonio and his colleagues, after reading this article you will be perfectly equipped to put the know-it-alls in their place in the next nutrition debate. With this knowledge in mind, the protein shake will taste twice as good. Don't you think so?