Protein Power is a diet created by the husband and wife physician team, doctors Michael and Mary Dan Eades. It is a low-carbohydrate weight-loss diet that may, according to the doctors, also help reverse or control certain conditions such as type 2 diabetes and precursors to heart disease such as high cholesterol. Along with dietary recommendations, the doctors also recommend additional lifestyle choices that they believe will help to improve health and bring about weight loss.
Background
Michael R Eades M.D. and Mary Dan Eades, M.D. are medical doctors who have been practicing bariatric, nutritional and metabolic medicine full-time since 1986. Both have their medical degrees from the University of Arkansas. The doctors have treated more than 6,000 people with numerous conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. Their first book, "Protein Power," was released in 1996, and the follow-up, "Protein Power Lifeplan" was released in 2000. Both books recommend the same diet -- the Protein Power diet, which is based on the Eades' years of experience in bariatric and metabolic medicine.
Philosophy
In "Protein Power Lifeplan," the doctors explain that the philosophy behind low-carbohydrate diets and weight loss is an evolutionary one. Early humans lived as hunter-gatherers who ate only what they could hunt and forage. Grain agriculture didn't start for millions of years, and the Eades contend that humans have not evolved to eat grains, sugars and other processed foods. Instead, humans have evolved to eat meat, vegetables and fruits, as well as some seeds and nuts. Processed, sugary and starchy foods all cause blood sugar spikes that lead to the release of insulin into the bloodstream.
The human body is not evolutionarily adapted to high levels of insulin, which is a fat storage hormone. When insulin is high, the body easily stores food as fat for use at a later time. Further, fat is locked into the fat cells in the presence of insulin and can't be burned as fuel. The result is weight gain, high cholesterol and many other diseases of civilization such as type 2 diabetes. By eating in a manner similar to the way early humans ate -- a diet that consists of mostly meat, animal fat and vegetables, the body will return to its natural state of health.
Recommendations
The Protein Power diet recommends minimum daily protein intake based on weight and sex. Next, the doctors recommend eating fats from animal sources, as well as mono-unsaturated fats and omega-3 fats. The diet also places a restriction on carbohydrates, and suggests that you eat about 7 to 10 grams of carbohydrates per meal or snack in the first few weeks of the diet. In the second few weeks, the doctors recommend eating about 15 grams of carbohydrates per meal or snack and less than 60 grams per day. In maintenance phases, the diet recommends eating between 20 and 30 grams per meal or snack, and less than 120 total grams of carbohydrates in a day.
Support
In his book, "Good Calories, Bad Calories," author Gary Taubes provides support for the Eades' insulin hypothesis. According to Taubes, the presence of insulin in the bloodstream traps fat in the fat cells and keeps the body from absorbing nutrients from food or using food as fuel, which results in obesity and other diseases. The best way to control insulin, Taubes suggests, is by limiting grains, carbohydrates, sugars and starches in the diet.
Criticisms
Critics suggest that low-carbohydrate diets such as Protein Power can have numerous health risks including increased cholesterol, increased risk of heart disease and gastrointestinal problems brought about by low amounts of fiber in the diet. High-protein diets such as Protein Power may contribute to liver or kidney problems.
References
- Protein Power: Authors
- "Protein Power Lifeplan"; Michael R. Eades, M.D. and Mary Dan Eades, M.D.; 2002
- "Good Calories, Bad Calories"; Gary Taubes; 2007
- Mayo Clinic: Low-Carb Diet
- Mayo Clinic: High-Protein Diets: Are they Safe?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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