Protein propaganda and expensive pee: Supplement shakes and massive steak consumption have no health benefits and is a waste of money
Protein propaganda and expensive pee: Supplement shakes and massive steak consumption have no health benefits and is a waste of money
Gretchen Reynolds | Washington Post | April 22, 2025
The nearly ubiquitous social media message is, whoever we are, we need more protein. … “Whey protein has falsely been put on a pedestal as superior due to aggressive sports marketing campaigns,” [Nicholas] Burd said.
…
“I don’t see data to suggest that our bodies can use protein beyond about 0.4 to 0.5 grams of protein per kilogram” of body weight at a single meal, Phillips said, which, for most of us, would equate to a large chicken breast.
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Swallow more protein than that and the excess is stored as fat, used as metabolic fuel or transformed into urea, which is protein stripped of its nitrogen and excreted through the kidneys. … Extra-large portions of protein, in other words, produce expensive pee.
Thankfully, they won’t damage your kidneys, unless you already have kidney disease. That widespread belief is a myth, [Stuart] Phillips said. But perhaps the most important thing to know about protein is that you’re probably getting enough.
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