RFK Jr. announces new dietary guidelines
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced new dietary guidelines, saying his message is clear: eat real food.
Protein is popping up everywhere − in our drinks, snacks and more − but does that mean we really need so much of it? Maybe not, a new study suggests.
In the study, published July 31 in the Cell Press Blue journal, researchers reviewed more than 350 papers about protein in humans, mice and other organisms and found eating less protein could have greater health benefits. But it depends on the person.
“It’s absolutely crystal clear that there are benefits of protein to muscle growth and exercise response of active individuals,” corresponding author Dudley Lamming of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said in a news release. “But because most people are relatively sedentary, many people are likely consuming more protein than they actually need, which probably has negative health consequences.”
For example, several recent clinical trials in humans have shown reducing protein can reduce weight, fat mass and improve fasting blood sugar, according to the review. The review also found that consuming too much methionine, isoleucine and valine – types of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein – could increase the risk of obesity, inflammation and other age-related diseases.
Other studies have found that eating more protein could promote weight loss and reduce age-related muscle loss in older adults when paired with exercise.
So, what’s the deal? Lamming suspects that regular exercise, perhaps by using protein to build strong healthy muscles, helps protect people like athletes from the negative health effects associated with a protein-rich diet. For most sedentary adults, protein-fortified food may not provide the health benefits people expect.
“We probably need to personalize protein recommendations based not just on age, but also on how physically active people are,” Lamming added.