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A friend of mine recently started a plant-based whole foods diet (using the guidelines from Dr. Barnard’s book on diabetes). She exercises faithfully for about an hour every day. My impression is that she consumes a lower amount of calories than most people. Soon after beginning the diet, she said she is losing “muscle mass.” She thinks it is from a lack of protein.

More recently I heard Dr. Colin Campbell state the following, which I do not understand, “I’ve worked with some world-class athletes who actually have made quite a lot of news of late where they actually switched from high whey protein, eggs, meat whatever to plant-based diet and their physical performance has actually improved. They may lose a little muscle mass, but that’s probably a good thing.”

Why might losing a little muscle mass be a “good thing?” Should my friend be concerned and if so, what might she try?

She thinks it is from a lack of protein.

How does she know she is losing muscle mass? What tool of measure is she using?



Context?


Lani

I'm sorry I don't know how she measured the muscle loss, but I do know the context of the Campbell comment. It was on a talk show. A caller was asking about how to get protein on a plant-based diet to build muscle.

Caller: How about eggs?

Campbell: Why do you have to do that?

Caller: Don’t I need more protein to build muscles?

Campbell: No, no, no, you know I’ve worked with some world-class athletes who actually have made quite a lot of news of late where they actually switched from high whey protein, eggs, meat whatever to plant-based diet and their physical performance has actually improved. They may lose a little muscle mass, but that’s probably a good thing.

Hi UtahJane, I don't know what he means by this comment - the synax is somewhat off which is why I was wondering about context.

Lani

Thanks, I did correct one word. What I hear him saying is that some athletes who go on a plant-based diet lose some muscle mass, but that can actually be good for them and not a negative.

I don't know what he means. Is it good sometimes to lose muscle mass?

UtahJane, again I don't know what he might have had in mind. Sometimes athletes need to lose weight to 'make weight' for an event. Or have a desire for a different amount of muscle mass for an event or sport.

And it doesn't say that the diet caused the loss of muscle mass - we just read that into it.

Lani

Thanks, Lani. I guess I can conclude that losing muscle mass is not a common experience. My friend used to drink a protein shake every day. Now she stopped all animal products and the protein shake. Since she does not eat a lot of calories every day, I assume she might not be getting enough protein, so maybe that may have caused muscle loss (if, indeed, she is correct)? She claims this happened in the first couple of weeks of the diet, though, and I don't know enough about this to react to her. I've been trying to help. She says because of the muscle loss, she feels she needs to go back to eating at lease some meat. I've had her experience on my mind, so when I heard Campbell say this might be a "good thing," I was hoping this was something others are aware of. If I get more info on the situation, I'll communicate it!

UtahJane,

Protein consumption by itself does not cause us to 'gain' or 'lose' muscle. Insufficient calories can cause muscle wasting, which is a different matter.

Our culture has this misguided idea that more protein = more muscle. It it were so, we could all just lay around pounding down the aminos and our muscles would start to grow like well-watered grass. It doesn't work that way. This kind of thinking is cultivated by the meat, dairy, egg, and food supplement industries. It can be a thinking entrenchment initially hard to overcome until we get this idea.

It is the workload on the muscles, together with sufficient calories including carbohydrate and proteins that, combined with your genetic potential and rest, build more muscle. If your friend is undereating and not working out, then there is going to be muscle loss most likely.

In the meantime, I'm going to see what I can find out for you about the quote - what program was it at which you heard it?

Lani

Thanks! This was on the Mike Trivisonno Show 11-22-11 Hr 1, you can find it here:

http://tunein.com/radio/The-Mike-Trivis ... ow-p33928/

Begin at about minute 26 to get the fuller context.

Utah,

What your friend may be losing is the water that is retained by the muscles that occurs with a protein centric diet Because so many supplements and powders along with animal foods are loaded with a variety of chemicals that cause the body to hold fluids, the reason for water retention is also eliminated with the change in diet.

Lose that fluid, it appears you're losing muscle mass. Not the case.

In addition, even the protein-centric 'gurus' such as Art Devany and Robb Wolf advise against products like protein shakes because of the bloating and water retention they create.

Does she have a set of bodyfat calipers and scale at home? I'd recommend she check her bodyfat vs. lean body mass levels for two - three weeks objectively, then determine if she's actually losing muscle or losing that water that was being retained previously due to her diet. There are all kinds of tools on the web or instructions are available with the calipers that explain how to use them correctly. Heck, even Dr. Zone--Barry Sears--has a free bodyfat estimation tool on his site that involves a few measurements with a tape measure and scale.

Very interesting, aggieman. Thanks!

Perhaps Dr. Campbell was referring to something like running where too much muscle mass would be detrimental. In running, strength is important, but mass is just additional weight that has to be propelled. Think of a gazelle or a greyhound.
Kate

Kate, this is what I meant by sports-specific training and musculature. I was having a conversation about this with the athletic trainer at the college today, where bulk is not optimal for some sports and training a muscle down would be beneficial. However, the benefits are from a sports-specific perspective and also are usually trained down. The connection of nutrition with it in the conversation is what I am curious about.


Lani

Several years ago, I spent three weeks trekking in the Himalaya (climbing Gokkyo Ri, crossing the Cho La, climbing Kala Pattar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYKKN4dR7Bw), and to the Mt. Everest Base Camp in Nepal).

In those three weeks, I lost all the muscle mass on my upper body (decimated my pecs), but my leg muscles were just fine. I lost 20 lbs. When I came home, it took quite a while to rebuild my upper body muscle mass.

My point is that my body did not need all that upper body mass climbing at extreme altitude and so losing it was a good thing.

Underscoring my comment:

I'm still investigating the comment from Dr. Campbell and am certain it must be some kind of content nuance - it must be tough to be scrutinized for every morsel of word that drops from our mouths or fingertips!

Lani