Your Brain On... Protein
Your Brain On
The Evolving Role of Protein in Nutrition
This chapter explores the historical and contemporary significance of protein in public health, examining its recommended dietary allowance and its crucial role in strength training. It addresses common misconceptions about protein intake, highlights the challenges faced in different countries, and advocates for a balanced perspective on dietary protein and its sources.
Protein — how much do we need? What’s the healthiest way to consume it? Can we get enough from plant-based diets?
Until recent decades, protein hasn’t been quite as prominent in public health discussions as sugar and fats. However, with longer lifespans emphasizing the importance of protein for long-term health, and growing confusion around the quality and quantity of protein needed, it has become a highly debated macronutrient.
In ‘Your Brain On… Protein’, we explore:
• The brain health benefits (and general health benefits) of protein
• Plant-based protein vs. meat protein, and supplements like protein powders
• How much protein we really need to eat every day
• Ways we can all introduce more protein into our diets
• Why ‘health’ influencers are suddenly recommending unusually high levels of protein consumption
• How we measure the quality of proteins, including digestibility and absorption
In this episode, we’re joined by two fantastic nutrition experts:
DR. MATTHEW NAGRA, nutritionist and science communicator.
DR. ALAN FLANAGAN, esteemed nutrition scientist (previously featured in ‘Your Brain On… Sugar’ and ‘Your Brain On… Fats’
‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.
Drs. Ayesha and Dean are now welcoming patients via the Brain Health Institute: https://brainhealthinstitute.com/
‘Your Brain On... Protein’ • SEASON 3 • EPISODE 10 (SEASON 3 FINALE!)
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LINKS:
Dr. Matt Nagra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.matthewnagra
Website: https://drmatthewnagra.com/
Dr. Alan Flanagan
Alan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenutritionaladvocate
Alinea Nutrition: https://www.alineanutrition.com/
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REFERENCES:
Dietary Patterns and Risk of Dementia: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-015-9516-4
Dietary fat composition and dementia risk. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.038
Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets—A Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6893534/
Animal vs Plant-Based Meat: A Hearty Debate. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38934982/
High-Protein Plant-Based Diet Versus a Protein-Matched Omnivorous Diet to Support Resistance Training Adaptations: A Comparison Between Habitual Vegans and Omnivores. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33599941/
Vegan and Omnivorous High Protein Diets Support Comparable Daily Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates and Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Young Adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36822394/
Digestibility issues of vegetable versus animal proteins: protein and amino acid requirements--functional aspects. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23964409/
Soy and Isoflavone Consumption and Multiple Health Outcomes: Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies and Randomized Trials in Humans. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.201900751
No Difference Between the Effects of Supplementing With Soy Protein Versus Animal Protein on Gains in Muscle Mass and Strength in Response to Resistance Exercise. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29722584/
Neither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormones: An expanded and updated meta-analysis of clinical studies. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33383165/
The health effects of soy: A reference guide for health professionals. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9410752/
The Effect of Plant-Based Protein Ingestion on Athletic Ability in Healthy People—A Bayesian Meta-Analysis with Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/16/2748
Effects of high-quality protein supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with metabolic diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2024.06.013
Vegan and Omnivorous High Protein Diets Support Comparable Daily Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis Rates and Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Young Adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36822394/
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