Is it really necessary to eat protein powder to improve immunity?

　　On the way of everyone’s “Yangkang”, various dietary supplements and health products have also become popular. In particular, protein powder is regarded by many people as a “health speed booster” because it can supplement protein.
　　 Can protein supplements boost immunity?
　　 Ensuring a reasonable intake of protein can help improve the body’s immunity.
　　 As the structural material of life, protein is an important part of the body’s immune organs, tissues, and cells. Antibodies, one of the important immune substances that people often mention, are also proteins in essence. In addition, protein is also involved in the formation of a variety of active substances, such as enzymes, hormones and so on.
　　 Immunity is the body’s own defense mechanism. It is the body’s ability to recognize and eliminate foreign intrusions (viruses, bacteria, etc.), deal with aging, damage, death, and degeneration of its own cells, and identify and deal with mutant cells and virus-infected cells in the body. . Simply put, immunity is a barrier for the human body to resist diseases and protect its own health, and it is the immune system that performs this function.
　　 The human immune system is composed of immune organs, tissues, cells and molecules. If the confrontation between the body and the virus is compared to a war, then the immune system is equivalent to a “soldier” who goes forward to maintain the health of the body. Only when the “soldiers” are well fed can they have the strength to perform normal functions, thereby resisting diseases and winning wars.
　　 Therefore, in order to maintain good immunity, it is essential to provide the body with comprehensive and balanced nutrition. Among them, the right amount of protein intake is particularly important.
　　 Who needs to supplement protein powder?
　　 Protein powder is generally a powder composed of purified soybean protein, casein, whey protein, pea protein or a combination of the above proteins. According to the different sources of protein, protein powder can be divided into soybean protein powder, casein powder, whey protein powder and compound protein powder. The main purpose of protein powder is to supplement protein for individuals who are deficient in protein.
　　 When the following conditions exist and it is often difficult for the body to obtain sufficient protein through daily meals, protein powder can be considered.
　　 Loss of appetite or lack of food. Patients with poor appetite and lack of food or elderly patients often have obvious energy and protein intake after “Yangkang”. On the basis of ensuring sufficient energy intake, it can be promoted by supplementing protein powder in an appropriate amount. Positive nitrogen balance in the body, thus helping to maintain muscle mass and normal immune function.
　　 Digestion and absorption disorders The elderly have decreased ability to digest and absorb protein due to decreased secretion of digestive juices and decreased gastrointestinal motility; for patients with functional dyspepsia or small intestinal absorption disorders, there is often protein deficiency, so it is easy to choose Protein powder supplement for digestion and absorption to improve the body’s nutrient intake.
　　 The body’s demand for protein increases. Under certain special physiological conditions, such as pregnant women and lactating mothers, the demand for protein will often increase; fitness groups who need to increase muscle often need to increase protein intake to promote muscle protein. Synthesis; In certain pathological conditions, such as surgery, burns, infection, tumor radiotherapy and chemotherapy patients, etc., there is often a negative nitrogen balance, or even hypoproteinemia, etc., and the demand for protein increases significantly. For individuals with the above conditions, it is necessary to supplement protein powder appropriately after a doctor or nutritionist comprehensively evaluates the physical health status, nutritional intake, exercise intensity and other factors.
　　 In fact, for people who exercise more or have muscle-building needs, the protein intake should be increased moderately, generally not more than 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight. Studies have shown that dietary sources of protein and protein powder have no significant difference in muscle building effects. Therefore, for a person with a body weight of 60 kg, as long as the intake of low-fat/skim milk, chicken breast, lean beef, fish and shrimp, and soy products is appropriately increased in the diet every day, the body’s demand for protein can be met. , which is safe, effective, economical and affordable.
　　 Under what circumstances should protein powder be supplemented?
　　 First of all, those who are allergic to protein powder ingredients (such as soy protein, casein, whey protein, etc.) are prohibited from supplementing protein powder, so as not to cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, skin itching, and even allergic reactions related to the nervous system.
　　 In addition, since the protein ingested by the body needs to be metabolized by the liver and kidneys, patients with liver cirrhosis, hepatic encephalopathy or renal insufficiency should not blindly supplement ordinary protein powder, but should choose it under the guidance of a physician or nutritionist. Some disease-specific formula foods for special medical purposes are used to supplement nutrition for the body so as not to increase the burden on the liver and kidneys. For example, patients with liver disease often need to increase the intake of branched-chain amino acids, and patients with kidney disease are more suitable to supplement α-keto acids on the basis of a low-protein diet.
　　 In addition, patients with weakened gastrointestinal function, acute pancreatitis, intestinal fistula, etc., because they cannot digest protein well, should not directly supplement protein powder, but should be given individualized treatment based on their current gastrointestinal function. nutritional intervention.
　　 There are many kinds of protein powder on
　　 the market protein powder, you must check the ingredient list, pay attention to protein content, source and whether other ingredients are added. In general, protein powders that are high in protein and are a source of whey protein with fewer other added ingredients are better quality.
　　 Why are protein powders from whey protein sources better? In fact, whey protein is a high-quality protein extracted from milk, with high purity, high absorption rate and the most reasonable amino acid composition. Compared with soy protein, casein, etc., whey protein is more efficient in promoting muscle protein synthesis. Therefore, protein powder with high whey protein content is often of better quality.
　　 According to different production processes, whey protein can be divided into concentrated whey protein, whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed whey protein. Among them, the protein content of concentrated whey protein is 35% to 80%, and the protein content of whey protein isolate is 85% to 90%. The latter has high protein content and better quality, but the price is also more expensive. Easier to absorb, suitable for people with poor digestion and absorption function.