Professor Russell Henry Chittenden, a staunch advocate of moderation in diet, was way ahead of his time. Over a hundred years ago, Chittington decided that diets high in animal protein were unhealthy, an unpopular position that bucked accepted knowledge during his time. He then set out to prove it.
Background
Chittenden was a student at Yale before he turned accepted nutrition on its ear with a series of then-controversial experiments as a professor. After graduation, he went to Germany and spent some years working with Wilhelm Kuhne, the chemist who first identified the role of enzymes. Upon his return to the states, Yale awarded Chittenden its first Ph.D. in physiological chemistry. Chittenden was appointed Professor of Physiological Chemistry at Yale's Sheffield Scientific School in 1882.
Premise
Chittenden theorized that eating too much protein could harm the kidneys and liver. Because the body does not entirely oxidize protein for energy, any excess must be disposed through urine. Rationalizing that more protein means that the kidneys must work harder to get rid of it, he believed that this would wear down the kidneys over time. He disagreed with the commonly held belief that said high amounts of protein in the diet were necessary to maintain mental and physical function.
Experiments
Because his position was not a popular one, Chittenden first experimented on himself, consuming only one-third of the dietary recommendations for protein in 1904. Over a period of nine months, he lost 15 lbs., stayed in excellent health and reported his stamina and arthritis had improved. He conducted three more trials, two using male students at Yale and one using male volunteers from the United States Army. He placed them on low-protein diets and monitored their physical activity. In each trial, he found that the health and physical performance of his subjects improved when he restricted their protein intakes.
Recommendations
Based on his studies, Chittenden concluded that a healthy diet for adults should consist of no more than 35 to 50 g of protein a day. He maintained that restricting protein consumption to this level would not negatively affect an adult's fitness or health and, in fact, might improve both. In the years since Chittenden's experiments, however, the body's needs for amino acids, vitamins and minerals have become apparent and it's generally accepted that a balanced diet is required for optimal nutrition, even when limiting the protein portion to Chittenden's recommendations.
References
- Hypnosis Health Info: A Brief History of Protein; John McDougall, M.D.; 2011
- NutritionAdvocate.com: Muscling Out the Meat Myth; T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.; September 2005
- Sportscience History Makers: Russel Henry Chittenden (1856-1943); Frank I. Katch; 1998
- OldandSold: The Vital Importance of Proteins; 1916
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