Can you confidently say you are untouched by any carcinogen? A city dweller or one at peace with the serenity of nature, wherever you are, cancer causing agents are all around us in various forms. So, when we cannot avoid the stimulus we could certainly change the way our body reacts to it.
We might be at risk, but we also have the means to minimize that risk in ways we thought were not possible. In this post, let us explore how a high protein diet is handing out an invitation to cancer and how you must reject it.
Does high protein diet cause cancer? Cancer and its myriad faces have many causes. One could wonder then, how a healthy protein is a cause for concern. Proteins are essential to the body. However, too much protein from a high protein diet makes the body behave differently. Besides being converted to sugars and fat, the excess sugar has an influence on the levels of IGF-I, a growth hormone. The hormone encourages the growth of cancer cells as well as healthy cells (1). Every 10 nano grams per milliliter rise in the growth factor enhances cancer risk in high protein diet takers.
A human body has changing requirements as an individual ages. Proteins are required for the body’s muscles, bones, and other functions. You must obtain at least 10% and less than 35% of your daily calories from proteins. Adult men and women need 56 and 46 grams of proteins a day respectively. Teenagers need around 50 grams and younger kids 19-34 grams of protein a day (2). A diet comprising 20% of daily calories from proteins is considered a ‘high protein’ diet.
Experts advise you to think about where you’re sourcing the protein from. All animal sources of protein are potentially cancer causing. Alternately, plant sources of protein were observed to decrease the risk of cancer.
Most meat eaters have a tendency to eat significantly more than the required dose of protein in their diet. Their risk of contracting cancer is consequently higher, decreasing their lifespan (3). According to researchers, a simple reduction in protein intake, rather than a reduction in calorie intake, was found to improve health outcomes considerably.
The fact whether high protein is good or bad for middle aged people is under constant debate. This is because, as a person ages, they lose lean muscle mass. To build and maintain it, a high protein diet is more useful than detrimental. In such cases, can a risk for cancer be overlooked? Not necessarily, as improper intake of protein can lead to deficiencies. Experts suggest 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day, comprising exclusively of plant-based proteins (4). Those above 50 years of age must eat plenty of proteins to protect themselves against frailty.
Research has found that those who consumed animal proteins were generally prone to die of many causes, including cancer, compared to those who consumed a low protein diet. This is because having animal based food stuff adds several unhealthy components to your diet. To reduce such risks, cut back on saturated fats. This means preferring lean cuts over fatty cuts of meat. One can also avoid processed foods like sausage and hot dogs. As a healthier option, pick salmon or tuna, which offer you omega-3s.
There has been a co-relation between high protein, low carbohydrate, low fiber diets and cancer. Repeated intake of red meat and other fatty foods increased the risk of colorectal cancer. Studies have implicated a definite contribution of red meat towards the development of this cancer type, which is one of the most common. A high protein diet also prevents an individual from consuming enough fiber. This does not allow the intestines to function as they should, as fiber aids the biochemical environment in the digestive tract. Fiber enables the removal of carcinogens from the intestines, thereby protecting against cancer.
This is all about high protein diet and cancer. Since moderation is the need of the hour, let us not turn a friend into a foe by over consuming protein. Though healthy, a high intake of protein has a tangible cancer risk.
If this post has helped you break the myths of a high protein diet, let us know in the comments section below.