Demand driven gluconeogenesis = need less protein?

#1

Hello,
One thing has been confusing me. Many people (especially those who promote eating according to set macro requirements) have said that you must eat a certain amount of protein in order to protect your lean body mass. The implication being that if you don’t you will “burn” muscle. How can this be a sound assumption? Why would our bodies eat up muscle tissue instead of the natural reserves of fat we already have? I can understand gluconeogenesis on demand to make what the brain needs, but why would muscle be scavenged for more than that before fat be metabolized for energy? Must I eat a certain level of protein?

any explanation or ideas appreciated.

(VLC.MD) #2

agreed.
I fasted for 170 hrs.
Im just as weak/strong as I ever was.

#3

I’m a big believer that people way overestimate their need for protein using macros. No science, but I think it’s a big reason for many stalls.

(Allie) #4

I agree completely! Especially when people eat way more protein than fat then complain of not losing or even gaining weight…

(VLC.MD) #5

And I dont even mind sacrificing some muscle for the fat loss !

(Karen Fricke) #6

Your body will scavenge protein you don’t need before it will take from muscle. There’s protein in the loose skin and the cell walls of fat cells. Your body isn’t stupid.

(Chris Bearham) #7

Sorry i disagree if your metabolic rate is x and your fat from dietary/body fat is insufficient you will go into GNG if you are keeping your protein lower you wont be able to sustain.
Fasting is different.
Whole different kettle of fish

(Chris Bearham) #8

Sorry i will elaborate on it being insufficient.

If you cannot uptake enough energy from bodyfat due to.
High insulin or uptake threshold etc

(Allie) #9

But if your dietary fat is high enough, not an issue.

#10

I agree that in the circumstances you describe (body fat too low or insufficient dietary fat) the body will necessarily have to convert muscle tissue by the gluconeogenesis mechanism. But I have more than 50% body fat. I am asking whether I need to be concerned about eating some minimum amount of protein, which seems unnecessary. My guts don’t like digesting a lot of animal protein, so I’d like to eat only the bare minimum.

#11

It’s my understanding that high insulin levels prevent lipolysis, regardless of the amount of fat storage. Thus the body is dependent on energy from dietary sources, including protein. The protein needs when in ketosis may be less because the body can generate more protein from lipolysis (assuming fat stores are sufficient). Fasting is different because the hormonal changes it induces are protein sparing.

Here’s an article about the symptoms of protein deficiency:

#12

Thank you, this is helpful!!