The Protein Debate!

Greg Everett · 12-09-2006, 05:31 PM

Dr. Loren Cordain (The Paleo Diet) and Dr. T. Colin Campbell (The China Study) make their arguments for amount and type of dietary protein for optimal health. Free PDF download.

http://www.performancemenu.com/resou...teinDebate.php

Discuss here!

kevin mckay · 12-09-2006, 07:33 PM

Cool stuff, you guys kick ass!

Robb Wolf · 12-10-2006, 09:13 AM

In my best Elvis voice:
Thank yew very muuuuch...thank yew!

Steve Liberati · 12-10-2006, 04:40 PM

Thanks so much for such an in-depth scientific debate between two very brilliant guys. Although both make good points, I'd have to go with Cordain on this one. Experience (trial-n-error) and evolutionary history tell me Cordain paints a very clear (and factual) picture of human history and its connection with optimal health, body composition and prevention of diseases. The facts don't lie. Cordain just manages to put it all in perspective for us.

Thanks!

Mike ODonnell · 12-10-2006, 05:52 PM

I don't think I could possible go on with Campbell's recommendation of eating only 10% of total diet from protein from vegetable sources only.....I love meat way too much (wait....did that come out wrong??).

Scott Kustes · 12-11-2006, 05:40 AM

So far so good. I haven't finished it yet (what's wrong with me?!), but thanks for putting this together. It's more top-notch material. And only 4 more days till a new PM!

Coach Rutherford · 12-11-2006, 08:33 AM

Great piece, however I don't need Dr. Cordain to convince me about the value of protein for health.

About 16 years ago I read DIET FOR A NEW AMERICA. I was convinced that if I gave up steak, chicken and all the other beasts, that I would save the world and make myself healthier and my endurance performance would improve. I was geeking on multi-sport at the time. I worked hard to combine foods to complete my protein requirements. The experiment last about 6 months.

I dropped muscle in my upper body. I was weak and sleepy almost all the time. Mentally, I was in a fog. I was lean mostly from the low calorie consumption and insanity of mult-sport training. I was restless at night and would find a head cold every 8 weeks even in the heat of July.

Finally I ate a steak then some chicken and finally some eggs. After only a week of adding these items back into my diet, I felt like a new man. I was refreshed in the morning. I was not falling asleep on the floor in the evenings.

It was a horrible 6 months.

Yael Grauer · 12-11-2006, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Rutherford

It was a horrible 6 months.

It took me way longer than that! I'm a slow learner.

Mike ODonnell · 12-11-2006, 09:13 AM

I found this interesting as I was researching for a similar topic on Cow's Milk. I know Dr Campbell uses Caesin, and says that it is not as healthy as veg proteins. (I believe he points to increase in cancer with elevated IGF-1). Also thought this was interesting:

"In the current study, the Ohio State scientists found that treating prostate cells with whey protein elevated glutathione levels in the cells by up to 64 percent.“The buildup of free radicals is associated with the onset of many chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer,” said Joshua Bomser, a study co-author and an assistant professor of food science and technology at Ohio State. “And human prostate tissue is particularly susceptible to oxidative stress.” The researchers treated another batch of prostate cells with casein, the major protein found in cheese. Casein doesn’t contain the key ingredient for manufacturing glutathione, and, as expected, glutathione levels in these cells did not increase. “Unlike casein, whey proteins are rich in cysteine, an amino acid that increases glutathione in the prostate,” Kent said. “Cheese contains various proteins that can influence the levels of different antioxidants in prostate cells,” Kent continued. “But cysteine is the amino acid that helps create healthy glutathione levels in the prostate, and glutathione helps keep free radicals under control.”The study appears in a recent issue of the journal Toxicology in Vitro."

Just goes to show that not all proteins are alike. I know milk does make me all mucus like and brings on exercise enduced asthma....now it looks like it could do alot worse in the long term.

Robb Wolf · 12-11-2006, 12:22 PM

Loads of interesting stuff in there.

Mike-
I'm working on an intermittnet fasting update that looks at oxidative damage. Like all things, the dose determines whether we have medicine or poison.

Dr. Campbell shot me an email and may stop by to comment on the debate.