Hello Dr.
The hypertrophy template coupled with increasing my calories have lead to awesome gains, I am thoroughly enjoying it but it has brought up a question. BTW - I’m 39, 180 lbs, 6’, 32" waist, insulin, BP, cholesterol normal - no big issues, and room for gainz.
I have typically focused on animal based sources of protein - steak, chicken, eggs, dairy, etc. I know there are various plant or nut based sources to top up the total protein intake per day, so I’m not eating 30 ounces of steak a day, but considering my goal of 180 g of protein per day it does seem that I end up consuming a lot of animal foods to get there.
I’ve also come across studies that indicate there is a link between IGF-1 (which is mainly driven by animal protein) and certain cancers where IGF-1 signals can inhibit apoptosis and promote cell proliferation. The health risks associated with “high” animal based diets is also touted in the China study, although I’m not sure what “high” means. Apologies if I’m missing something in the studies that makes this issue more complicated; basically I know animal protein is better but I want to also consider other potential implications off too much animal protein, and what too much really means.
There is no way I am going vegan, but is there a balance between plant and animal based sources of protein (or food) that you recommend we incorporate into our daily calories? For example, if my macros are 50% carb, 30% protein and 20% fat, what is the recommended balance between sourcing each of those macros from plant vs. animal?
Very much appreciate everything the BBM team does and thanks for your time.