Ep 333 - Are High-Protein Diets Really Harmless?

In this episode of Iron Culture, Dr. Eric Helms talks about his forthcoming article in the MASS Research Review covering the purported harms of high-protein diets. This isn’t your typical oversimplified dunk-fest that readily dismisses concerns about high-protein diets. Instead, Helms reviews a thorough paper that reviews common concerns in detail and assessed their plausibility in an objective manner. The claims include:

Claim 1 – protein reduces lifespan

Claim 2 – protein makes bones weaker

Claim 3 – protein harms kidneys

Claim 4 – protein causes diabetes

After that, Dr. Eric Trexler discusses a recent Instagram thread that pulled him into arguments against his will. The post was about his recent article on ketogenic diets and seed oils – two topics that are always bound to attract some controversy and heated debate. This conversation discusses the strengths and limitations of different types of scientific research and also touches on bias, objectivity, and the process of seeking the truth with an open mind.

Time stamps:

0:00 Intro

3:00 Helms’ new article about the purported harms of high-protein diets

19:25 Claim 1 – protein reduces lifespan

27:48 Claim 2 – protein makes bones weaker

43:38 Claim 3 – protein harms kidneys

50:53 Claim 4 – protein causes diabetes

57:22 Trex’s social media beefs – keto and seed oils

1:03:40 Types of observational studies

1:08:35 Seeking truth versus defending biases

1:17:32 Limitations versus fatal flaws

1:24:19 Limitations of RCTs (randomized controlled trials)

1:32:23 Wrapping up