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When preventing diabetes, you likely know by now that sugar<\/em> is the biggest thing to avoid. Consuming high doses of sugar – or processed foods \u2013 regularly is the fastest way to land yourself on a one-way path to diabetes.<\/p>\n As such, many people are doing a great job eliminating sugar from their menus. They\u2019re cutting out candy bars, soda, cake, cookies, and pastries and feasting on whole grains, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein sources.<\/p>\n You think that everything is on track, right?<\/p>\n You might just be surprised\u2026<\/p>\n New research suggests that eating too much protein may increase your risk factor for developing diabetes.<\/p>\n Why is this, and how does it work? And more importantly, what can you do to ensure that the steak, chicken, or fish you eat doesn\u2019t end up with you having to inject insulin for the remainder of your days?<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a closer look.<\/p>\n The study that indicates that a higher protein diet may potentially be putting you at risk for related issues is titled \u2018Low Protein Intake Is Associated With A Major Reduction in IGF-1, Cancer, and Overall Mortality In The 65 and Younger But Not Older Population<\/em>.\u2019<\/p>\n Published in the Cell Metabolism Journal<\/strong><\/a>, this study noted that when subjects between the ages of 50-65 had a higher protein intake, they also had a 75% increase in their overall mortality levels and a 4-fold increase in cancer death risk.<\/p>\n What\u2019s even more interesting, however, is that in those who were of the ages 65 and beyond, a higher protein intake was associated with the opposite \u2013 a lower risk of cancer and mortality.<\/p>\n What’s going on here?<\/p>\n The reason this is occurring is because protein restriction causes a reduction in the circulating levels of GHR-IGF-1 activity in the body. This activity helps reduce many age-related diseases, so by decreasing protein intake when you are of moderate age, you can gain extra protection against these diseases. One additional point that was raised in the study that is interesting to know is that when subjects consumed plant-based protein sources<\/em> rather than animal-based protein sources in that median age group, the detrimental effects of a higher protein diet were canceled out.<\/p>\n So, really, it appears that a high protein meat-focused diet<\/em> is what is leading the way to problems here.<\/p>\n With regards to the protein-diabetes connection, many people are under the notion that protein is great for stabilizing blood glucose levels and it\u2019s only carbohydrates that you really need to be concerned yourself with.<\/p>\n While it is true that carbohydrates are the primary macronutrient that can quickly spike blood glucose levels and, therefore, cause insulin to be released by the body, don\u2019t discount the impact proteins can have as well.<\/p>\n While protein doesn\u2019t raise blood sugar considerably, amino acids can break down into glucose in the body and therefore, have an effect. This is more likely to occur in those who are using very high protein diets, however, and who aren\u2019t consuming adequate amounts of carbohydrates or dietary fat in their meal plan.<\/p>\n Since carbohydrates and dietary fat are the two energy-providing nutrients in the diet, if you are low in these two, your body has to turn to an alternate source of fuel for energy.<\/p>\n That source will be a combination of body fat and potentially the incoming protein you eat. Protein is broken down into glucose through a process referred to as gluconeogenesis, and this can cause an increase in blood glucose levels.<\/p>\n Faster-digesting proteins that don\u2019t contain any fat will have a greater impact on blood glucose levels. Whey protein isolate for instance is particularly notable as it is designed to break down as quickly as possible and therefore can have a greater effect on blood sugar levels. This said, whey protein isolate often exerts beneficial effects on your body\u2019s ability to handle insulin and, therefore may be recommended to diabetic individuals according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Additionally, most people are taking whey protein isolate around the workout period, it\u2019s actually preferable to spike blood glucose levels, so this is usually not considered a problematic situation.<\/p>\n Okay, so perhaps you aren\u2019t about to slash your protein intake in half. You are an active individual and know that getting enough protein in your diet is key to repairing and rebuilding lean muscle mass tissue and ensuring you feel your best from workout to workout.<\/p>\n Understandable.<\/em><\/p>\n Not everyone wants to adopt a vegetarian diet plan and consume only 50-60 grams of protein per day. If you\u2019re one of those people who don\u2019t want to go this route, there are a few things that you can do to help combat the potentially problematic effects that eating too much protein can have.<\/p>\nThe Study<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
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As you get older, however, your protein needs may go up to continually be able to produce new and healthy cells. So, at that point in your life, you need to focus on increasing your protein intake.<\/p>\nProtein And Insulin<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nFurther Steps To Reduce Your Risk<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
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