Dr C: “Don’t waste money on protein powder!”

DR CHRISTIAN GIVES HIS TAKE ON THE HOT HEALTH TOPICS OF THE WEEK

‘DON’T WASTE MONEY ON PROTEIN POWDER!’

With more and more 16 to 24-year-old women taking extra doses of the nutrient in a bid to get fit, Dr C says don’t bother…

Atenth of us take protein supplements, and 18 per cent of women aged 16-24 do, but none of us need more protein. Women require 45g – which equates to two eggs, a salmon fillet and half a can of beans – while for men it’s a little bit more at 56g a day. But the average intake is 64g and 88g respectively. The protein powder craze is a triumph of marketing over fact.

FAKE SCIENCE

There’s persuasive science-y rubbish on the back of the tubs, and a picture of abs on the front, and it sells, but no one needs it. There’s also no real regulation around these supplements. I’m sure they’re tested as foods, but they’re sold in a scientific way, without anything to back it up. The fact so many young people take them is worrying, as they’re made for adults, so aren’t trialled on teenagers.

FULL OF CALORIES

As well as being expensive and unnecessary, they can lead to poor eating, encouraging you to take shortcuts in your diet. I often see people who are a stone overweight and want to tone up doing half an hour on the treadmill, ten minutes of weights and then they have a big protein shake at the gym café. They’re probably taking in double the calories they burned off, but people don’t see these shakes as food, or as calories, they see them as a special gym supplement. The little research that’s been done has shown that youngsters who have too much protein have higher fat mass. There has been an increase in kidney disease too, and researchers have linked it to protein supplements. They don’t give you kidney disease, but lots of people have mild, undiagnosed kidney disease, so when they chuck in loads of protein, that exacerbates it. Inspired by athletes, models, and celebs, people prescribe themselves protein thinking it will enhance their performance, but it won’t – that’s all down to serious training. There are psychological risks, too, as they play on people’s insecurities.

UNREALISTIC RESULTS

If you want to be healthy that’s great, but you don’t need to look like the body on the tub. When people somewhat inevitably don’t manage to achieve that, they can end up down and just give up. Protein supplements are for serious athletes, nobody else needs them, so don’t waste your cash. Just eat the recommended allowance of 45g of protein a day, and if you’re vegan opt for lentils, chickpeas, tofu, soya yoghurt and nuts.