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The ICMR cautioned Indians against protein supplement consumption. Their specific grouse:
The NIN has also urged people to "avoid protein supplements" for building body mass as well. It stated that prolonged intake of large amounts of protein powders or consumption of high protein concentrate has been associated with potential dangers such as bone mineral loss and kidney damage. Research findings indicate dietary protein supplementation is associated with only a small increase in muscle strength and size during prolonged resistance exercise training (RET) in healthy adults. Protein intake levels greater than 1.6g/kg body weight/day do not contribute further to RET-induced gains
How many Indians are consuming more than 1.6 grams/kg of protein? For context, that’s 112 grams of protein.
There are few definitive studies of average protein consumption in the Indian population. Instead, let me show you how much food it would take to consume 85 grams of protein and you tell me if you’re eating that much:
1.5 cups of dairy : 12 grams
There you have it. Even with food recommendations that add nuance and elements to the NIN line, you get to 84 grams. Do you consume those foods everyday?
And now to address the bone density loss, here’s a study that looked at protein consumption well over 2.2 grams/kg. That’s 40 percent higher than the ICMR ‘threshold’:
Despite an 87% higher protein intake (high-protein versus control), 6 months of a high-protein diet had no effect on whole body bone mineral density, lumbar bone mineral density, T-scores, lean body mass or fat mass.
This is from a study titled ‘High protein consumption in trained women: bad to the bone?’ Jose Antonio, Anya Ellerbroek,Cassandra Evans, Tobin Silver, and Corey A. Peacock
I am going to end on a simple note with a reference to another book:
In addition to calcium in the presence of adequate vitamin D, dietary protein is a key nutrient for bone health across the life span and therefore has a function in the prevention of osteoporosis. Protein makes up roughly 50% of the volume of bone and about one-third of its mass.
Wallace, Taylor C. PhD. Optimizing Dietary Protein for Lifelong Bone Health: A Paradox Unraveled. Nutrition Today 54(3):p 107-115, 5/6 2019. | DOI: 10.1097/NT.0000000000000340
The ICMR and NIN need to back their recommendations with evidence.
Are there poor quality protein supplements in India? Yes. But that seems to be the case for spices, milk, meat, rice and produce in general. So why the discrimination?
This is critical especially since protein supplements are a crucial tool in our efforts to bolster protein consumption.