Today’s PrimalMed Prescription…Pull the Protein lever!
Protein Leverage is key… and it’s not just about muscles!
This is a follow up to the last post on protein, muscle mass and sarcopenia. Wait.. you forgot already?
Why the follow up? Why write again about protein? WHY is appropriate protein intake the key PrimalMed lever to pull?
Well, two reasons. And these are random, but they got me thinking more about protein and how it might just be your most important macronutrient.
Reason #1: I saw this sweatshirt the other day, (courtesy of one loyal reader in sunny LA), right after I wrote the most recent post about the importance of lean muscle mass.
Reason #2: Karma’s a b*tch. 2 days later, after my post, I took a TUMBLE!😱 When PrimalMed Jr. noticed some gnarly scrapes on my arm, I sheepishly confessed… “Teddy took a bit of a tumble!”
Here’s the back-story: So the other day I’m out for a relaxing morning run with PrimalRD. Sun is out, birds are chirping, and the sounds of spring tease the soul. Sunglasses. ✔️Shorts. ✔️ Off we go!
We are chatting and running at an easy conversational pace. PrimalRD looks to her left but I’m not in sight! Where art thou?
Oh yeah, there I am. Flailing forward like a stunned Rocky Balboa in round 15, a slow motion tumble, arms out front…a face plant in progress! On the unforgiving asphalt! 😱
I wasn’t paying attention. I wasn’t lifting my feet. And I dragged my left foot into a rutted crevice in the road. Idiot!
Which brings us to Exhibit A. It’s NOT me, but it is an X-Ray I saw this week from the Emergency Room. A ‘fall on an outstretched hand.’ A FOOSH injury. I saw 3 of these that day. It is a common injury, especially in the over 50 crowd.
DON”T FOOSH!
Wouldn’t it be nice to never fall. Our instinct is to brace ourselves with our hand outstretched. I spoke to my Orthopaedic surgeon friend who fixes these fractures every week. And here is what you can expect to look like post-foosh: A little hardware and you’re good to go. See Exhibit B below.👇🏻
So I fell on my forearm and kept my arm tucked in. I only ended up with some nasty scrapes on the arm and knee. Phew😱
Which brings us back to PROTEIN, and WHY it is such an important macronutrient.
Muscle is the organ of longevity and Protein makes muscle! But Protein, or rather the amino acids in protein are the key and necessary building blocks for not just muscle, but for bones and collagen, ligaments and tendons.
What else?
BONE HEALTH: We need adequate protein intake to help with bone healing. You need those amino acids! Appropriate protein intake therefore can contribute to help reduce the risk of osteoporosis and may be associated with a decrease in falls as adults age.
LINK HERE TO READ about Dietary protein intake and subsequent falls.
WOUND HEALING AND TISSUE REPAIR: It should come as no surprise that proteins are a key and integral part of the healing process, after a fall, or after surgery. Burn victims in the ICU require a marked increase in protein intake for proper healing. And after you take a tumble, you’re gonna need more protein to heal those wounds. Me? I blend some extra collagen protein in my morning coffee and bump up my daily protein intake to aid with my healing.
LINK HERE TO READ about The Effect of a Compound Protein on Wound Healing
Now there are many more Protein Pearls to share!
HAIR, SKIN AND NAILS: The amino acids in protein are the key building blocks for the structure and function of hair, skin and nails. Who doesn’t want glowing skin and a mane of thick lustrous hair!
HEALTHY IMMUNE FUNCTION: T cells, B cells? Who ya gonna call? Protein!
LINK HERE TO READ about Amino acids and Immune function
And NOW… drumroll please, EVERYONE’S favorite:
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND BODY COMPOSITION:
Protein is the most satiating macronutrient. More so than fat, and certainly more so than carbs. AND…Protein helps serve to up-regulate your metabolism due to the higher thermic effect of food. Your body simply uses more energy to digest protein! When you are full and sated, you don’t snack. Your insulin levels are in check. Remember that insulin is a fat-storage hormone so you don’t want it ‘turned on’ 24/7. Eat to satiety and don’t snack.
LINK HERE TO READ about Mechanisms of High-Protein Diet-Induced Weight Loss.
And speaking of satiety. WHY do we eat so much? What controls our hunger? That’s the age old question with no clear cut answer since there are emotional, psychological and physiological inputs. Can one answer be that our bodies are SMART? It needs adequate protein intake to build and repair. Protein is an essential nutrient to support life. We eat and eat until our bodies SENSE that we have enough protein. (We have cellular mechanisms in place that are nutrient sensors).
We are not SATED, until we have enough protein! This is known as the ‘Protein Leverage Hypothesis,’ proposed by researchers Raubenheimer and Simpson first in 2003 and readdressed in 2019. The modern, standard American Diet is replete in ultra-processed foods with added sugars. It DILUTES the protein we ingest, therefore we eat more. Our bodies instinctively tell us to eat more. We consume more energy.
And that may be a contributing factor to our obesity epidemic.
LINK HERE TO READ about The Protein Leverage Hypothesis.
For those OG readers, you might remember that I alluded to the Protein Leverage Hypothesis in a fun post way back on May 10, 2022!
As I said in the past, we have 3 levers to pull when it comes to a Nutritional Strategy. How much we eat, What we eat, and When we eat. You get to pull those levers, but I submit that in all cases, think PROTEIN and pull that lever first, no matter what or when you eat.
AND NOW….
It’s TL;DR time!
At PrimalMed, we ask, How do we go from KNOWING to DOING?
Everyone tends to talk about High/Low Fat or High/Low Carb etc, but really it’s PROTEIN we should be addressing. That is the lever we need to pull first!
Tune out the tribalistic diet wars. As I said in the last post. Protein is essential for all, and more essential as we age. Hear that boomers?
A nutrient dense PROTEIN FIRST strategy is a triple win! Why?
More protein means you build and maintain muscle. When you fall, you WILL get back up. No fracture for you! Who wants to be laid up as spring and summer approach?
More muscle increases your metabolism and caloric burn due to the thermic effect of protein.
You may eat less since your body will sense you are meeting your protein requirements. You will be less likely to snack and mindlessly overeat.
The best meals are centered around protein. And regardless of what you read, please don’t fear it, since, IMHO, we could probably all use more of this key macronutrient.
Don’t ask Tik-Tok. Ask an expert. Your friendly Integrative Registered Dietitian can help you dial in to the best sources and amounts, since each case is personalized. And PrimalMD is always up for an off-line conversation!
The Reductionist approach: We are simply eating Protein and Energy (Fats and Carbs). All are important. But if weight management and body composition, healthy metabolism, strong bones and muscles, healthy skin and hair, and a robust immune system are important to you, then eat less energy and more protein.
EAT your Protein ‘first.’
And now…It’s time to go for a run or walk without falling. Here are today’s expertly curated musical selections:
We NEED to have strong Bricks in the Wall. Even Pink Floyd knew to prioritize protein. Go to 3:25 in the song for a clue!
And in honor of all of those who have taken a tumble…this randy dandy from Mick and the boys.
Ted Metzger, MD is a practicing board certified Radiologist as well as founder and owner of PrimalMed, LLC. PrimalMed educates and advocates on Metabolic Health and Wellness, as seen through the lens of a curious radiologist.
Ellen Metzger MS, RD - the other half of the PrimalMed team, is an Integrative Registered Dietitian, addressing ancestral and primal nutrition principles as drivers of metabolic health and wellness.
The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on the PrimalMed website.
Sorry for your fall but some chicken soup can’t hurt.Wonderful Primal piece.I added 18g protein yogurt with my fruit breakfast.
“Down goes Frazier” (Cosell in Ali/Frazier II)
Glad you handled the fall well Ted!