Prove my Professor wrong

My Nutrition class professor argues with me everyday about how much protein is needed for growth. She says 100 grams/day max for me (I weight 225) and i told her i eat between 300 and 400. She says there is no doubt inher mind I will have kidney failure by age 35 and all of the other 1960’s thinking. I need some actual research that proves this wrong. Can anyone point me in the right direction of journal articles or other research?? thanks

Go to www.ajcn.com and run a search of the abstracts. You can search multiple journals as well. These are MEDICAL journals and will back your point up just fine. Print a few up. The Journal of Physiology: “We conclude that early intake of an oral protein supplement after resistance training is important for the development of hypertrophy in skeletal muscle of elderly men in response to resistance training.” Look in some muscle mags and normally they sight the abstract that they got their info from. Like, “According to …, the latest research of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, protein requirements for athletes are…” Good luck…

Tell her she is full of shit!!! Ask her what research there is that it will give you kidney problems in future. I am sick and tired of people that have never touched a dumbbell in their lives saying this sort of stuff about high protein diets.

Recently, a comprehensive study completed by Jacques Poortmans and Oliver Dellalieux (published in Int. J. Sport Nutr. & Exerc. Metab. 11;28-35:2001) at the University of Brussels in Belgium investigated this aspect directly.

These scientists assessed whether high protein diets affect the health and kidney function of bodybuilders and other athletes. Their study involved 20 bodybuilders and 18 other highly trained athletes that consumed a high protein diet. (Approximately 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. More than double the recommended daily allowance.)

Their diets were analyzed to provide total calorie, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and calcium intake each day. Blood and urine samples were taken from the athletes and spectrum of analyses were performed looking at glomerular filtration rate (creatinine clearance), potential change in glomerular membrane permeability (albumin excretion rate), urea and uric acid clearance, nitrogen and calcium balances and any modification in kidney free water balance.

In addition to the resting condition, the researchers also wanted to obtain other data that would be important to hard training athletes. Very intense exercise temporarily impairs kidney function (a natural, safe, and regular process). However, the research wanted to see if a high protein diet would produce a detrimental impact on this physiological aspect. So analyses were performed before and directly after a bout of very intense (cycling) exercise.

Some of the athlete’s in the study were documented to have protein intakes as high as 2.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. However, when the results came in, the high protein athletes showed no fundamental differences that could be associated with damage or impaired kidney function in any way.

These athletes did show higher values for creatinine and uric acid clearance, However, all readings fell within the upper limit of normal levels. Despite the high protein intake there was no accumulation of urea, demonstrating no toxicity. Glomerular filtration rates were normal and there were no signs of even moderate hyperfiltration. This aspect is important.

Hyperfiltration seems to precede the excess excretion of protein plasma into the urine. It is an indicator of the amount of “stress” on the kidneys. The albumin clearance rates also supported the observation that a high protein diet does not stress healthy kidneys. In fact, all readings taken from these athletes proved absolutely normal. Their kidney function was in no way effected by a high protein diet.

The combination of high protein intake and intense exercise didn’t appear to impair any aspect of kidney function either. The reduction of several clearance rates as a result of the intense exercise were in line with other reported observations in exercising humans.

Nutritionists often site high protein diets to cause of excessive calcium loss. However, all calcium excretion rates fell within normal ranges. This was despite the bodybuilders taking in higher amounts of calcium in their diets! The bodybuilders absorbed more calcium from their diets! The researchers suggested one reason for this may be that bodybuilding places a higher load on the musculoskeletal system and therefore bodybuilders require more calcium.

There was no difference between the bodybuilder’s and the other athlete’s calcium excretion levels.

The medical community uses protein ingestion as a key determinant of kidney function and a marker of kidney “health”. High protein diets do produce high amounts of urea, an end product of protein metabolism that is excreted in urine. Because of their physical activity, athletes are at risk of dehydration. Severe dehydration limits urea excretion, so theoretically, high protein diets may place stress on the liver (to oxidize excessive protein) and on the kidneys (causing glomerulonephritis-a mechanism of hypertension).

Research has shown that low protein diets reduce the progression of renal failure in patients with kidney disease. For these two aspects, (but no scientific evidence) high protein diets have earned an undeservedly bad reputation within the medical community.

The scientists responsible for this research concluded that high protein intakes of 170 to 243% of the RDA show no toxicity, dehydration, calcium loss or impairment of kidney function. Also, the researchers cautioned that some of the upper-end clearance ranges of some clinical markers witnessed in this study are not solely related to a high protein diet as many other individual differences play a big part in this regard.

The researchers concluded and recommended that high protein diets should not be used as an “escape goat” to explain these variations.
Hope that helps.

Arguing with professors is all well and good. The probability you will change her mind with facts is nil. The probability you will hurt your chances for a good grade are substantial. In the campus fairyland, what counts is who is right, not what is right.

My suggestion is to not waste your time. All college nutrition professors are programmed to simply spit out what they were taught 30 years ago. I went through the same thing last spring, and it isn’t worth your time or effort. Just ace the class, and ignore everything that was taught. Then, teach the truth to everyone you work with down the road.

My nutrition teachers said the same thing. Its amazing as they were all fat. Stick with what your doing.

Here’s a study I found on PubMed. It was specifically performed on BB’ers.

Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2000 Mar;10(1):28-38

Do regular high protein diets have potential health risks on kidney function in athletes?

Poortmans JR, Dellalieux O.

Department of Physiological Chemistry, Institute of Physical Education and Kinesiotherapy, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.

Excess protein and amino acid intake have been recognized as hazardous potential implications for kidney function, leading to progressive impairment of this organ. It has been suggested in the literature, without clear evidence, that high protein intake by athletes has no harmful consequences on renal function. This study investigated body-builders (BB) and other well-trained athletes (OA) with high and medium protein intake, respectively, in order to shed light on this issue. The athletes underwent a 7-day nutrition record analysis as well as blood sample and urine collection to determine the potential renal consequences of a high protein intake. The data revealed that despite higher plasma concentration of uric acid and calcium, Group BB had renal clearances of creatinine, urea, and albumin that were within the normal range. The nitrogen balance for both groups became positive when daily protein intake exceeded 1.26 g.kg but there were no correlations between protein intake and creatinine clearance, albumin excretion rate, and calcium excretion rate. To conclude, it appears that protein intake under 2.8 g/kg does not impair renal function in well-trained athletes as indicated by the measures of renal function used in this study.

Or better yet. Ask her to bring forth the results of what she is basing herself on. Chances are she wont be able to find it (because she never read anything on it) or her source will basically consist of some old time “specialist” simply claiming it to be true. If thats the case ask her where his research is because there still isnt any concrete proof. Just dont be aggressive about it and let her prove herself wrong. It is by far the sweetest way to go :wink:

She’s the professor, where’s her proof? Telling you that you’re going to experience kidney failure is a strong statement and I would certainly hope a college professor could back up an assertion like that. If my memory serves me I believe she is probably perpetuating this myth based on some study done decades ago on the effects of high protein intake on people who already have serious kidney problems. There are plenty of people who have been following high protein diets for years with no side effects. The burden of proof is on your professor, not you.

Another tactic would be to give you the research references which support her assertion of kidney damage due to high protein intakes in healthy athletes. Guess what? She won’t be able to provide you with these studies because there are none! She’s trying to extrapolate from research on people with existing kidney disease that high protein intakes cause damage. Tell her that without the data, she should keep her “opinions” to herself! Good luck.

A T-MAN would show up the next day with a presentation for the class on how and why protein got a bad rap and why even normal people can benefit from more protein and why bodybuilders can’t live with out it. There are some people in your class that went off saying “see you’ll lose your kidneys, that’s why I don’t wanna be that big.” Give your presentation then politely field all the questions. Just think about the one girl/guy in there that will change their eating habits because of you. You might just get the respect of one or two thinking people in your class that make it worth it. Never skip a chance to show that you have an iron will and a back bone of titanium. Yeah you might only get 2 people in the whole class to see it your way, but if that is the case…those are the only two you care about anyway. Do the T-MAN thing. Good luck bro.

Thanks everyone. I already got an A in the class but I see her around campus everyday and she is just very annoying because she has a comment about protein each time I see her. I tell her I gained 40 pounds naturally in 2.5 years but she says I am killing myself. Now I have the proof to prove her wrong. I am going to find those studies and bring them to her. Thanks!!!

I feel your pain, hamma. my nutrition prof was a little guy, with a belly, and osteoporosis. but he refused to take any kind of supplement- even calcium- because you get all the nutrition you need out of 3 square a day according to him. We did a nutritional analysis as our final project, and of course, I was WAY OVER recommended guidelines in EVERYTHING. one of our tasks for the report was to figure out a way to get our eating more like what the guidelines suggest. So i made suggestions, but also commented that I would do none of them, because i had less than 10% bodyfat, weighed 185 pounds, up from 140 in less than 2 years. I am the only person in the class that did not get a 100% on that thing. I got an 80%. his little comments in the borders of the pages were golden- “multi vitamins will give you vitamin A toxicity.” and “vitamin E is fat soluble, and will build up and kill you.” yes, he said vitamin E will kill me. “eating that much food will make you obese.” thats funny, I had less than 10% bodyfat, and had been eating like this for over 2 years… Oh yeah, i was obese… He said all that protein would clog my arteries and give me a heart attack one time when i saw him on campus, and i was sucking down some whey protein… man that is sad…
I forget who said it, but the campus is fairytale land. Acedemia is the land for those who want to deny reality in a lot of cases…

feel free to email me, I have over 100 refs on this topic. My research group has studied and published work in this area. Your nutrition professor is stuck in the past.

Well that sucks, I have to take my nutrition class in the spring. I was already learning about how weightlifting can be an aerobic activity. Now that I know that, I don’t see why all you guys worry about doing cardio with your lifting. I love campus fairy tale land.

Having just finished my last examination of my undergrad degree in human nutrition, i have a couple of questions to ask.

  1. Why stay at these colleges when they provide information and are unwilling to provide evidence for their views.
  2. Dont they encourage the students to do their own research on the subject. Our major assignments usually result around being given a topic, and then let rip. A pain in the arse and requires hours of research, but good. If we come up with an opinion different to the prof, it doesnt matter as long as we have provided evidence.
  3. Ask them for proof. If a professor I know says something odd, I will ask for a reference on the subject.

Or am I just confused and you lot are just doing one paper as a part of an overall course, which thereby I understand why these people are teaching. They dont want to be there, they are the lowest qualified, why pay heaps for somebody teachin ‘cabbage’ nutrition).

Man, I must be one lucky student. Here a K-State, one of my nutrition professors said that ATHLETES NEED MORE PROTEIN!!! AND MEANT IT. He even showed studies to prove it! Now he is in no way a big guy. I think he even was an endurance athlete. He even knew about the Texas study on the pre and post nutrition that John was talking about. In fact most of our professors are talking about the benefits of WEIGHTTRAINING!!! Yes, alot is still done on aerobic activity, but these professors do not just support aerobics. I do have one more nutrition class next semester, my last semester I hope:), so I’m looking forward to it because if its anything like the others it might be worth taking. At least one campus on this planet is up to date in the field of athletics and nutrition.

Many studies DO NOT show a significant improvement of muscle mass gained with high protein intake. In fact, just take the old prisoner theory (I knew somebody who served 3 years) - Many prisoners get damn big and strong because all they have to do is workout. Not only do the theoritcally overtrain but they are on low protein/high carb diets thanks to the fine cuisine choices of the prison. While high protein diets don’t destroy healthy kidneys I have trouble believing that upping protein intake past 1 gram per pound of body weight will do shit.

Platehead you’re a dickhead.

Well, most studies dont classify really high protein intakes as having any benifit. In one tarnoplosky study there was a basic maximum effect of 2.8g/kg being no real benifit over 2.0 (cant remembre hte exact figures but tis close enuff) But in a review from P lemon, (journal college of nutrition I think) he cautions dismissing the high protein intakes of bodybuilders as gobblegook as they may know something science cant tell. there is stil lots comming out on protein needs because a lot of the old data was from rubbish sources, nitrogen balance studies and the like. They are improving though, adn tehres no reason to think that bodybuilders need more than 1g/lb, but also they dont need a lot less than 1g/lb, but then there are also tranin histroy which amy affect requirements, and bichemical individuality to consider as well.