How Long for Protein to Be Digested in Stomach?
 

This morning I read this on one of the FB carnivore pages:



Think that's true? I've always wondered how long it takes for the protein I eat to get past the stomach. Sometimes I still get reflux, but really not very often anymore. When I get it, though, it's like 2 hours after I've eaten my meal of meat (or sometimes in the mornings after not eating for more than 12 hours). Usually I just put up with it, but then I start coughing and want to take a Pepcid to relieve the acid splashing up, but hesitate because I think I might be stopping the digestion of protein.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I question everything I read on Facebook and I applaud your skepticism.

I do get some acid issues when I eat dairy products. I try not to have any before bed time. Also, if you rely on Pepcid, you might have issues if you're trying to go cold turkey.

https://www.goodrx.com/classes/prot...ach-medications

Agree with Nancy. After recently reading The Clot Thickens by Malcolm Kendrick, I understand that proton pump inhibitors can cause lasting damage, especially in the endothelium of arteries where plaque forms. Although Pepcid is not a PPI, I'm very suspicious about taking any pill for acid reflux. I eat a lot of protein, and occasionally get reflux. When I stopped drinking coffee (that may be just me), my reflux diminished and became very manageable. In the infrequent times I get it, half teaspoon of baking soda mixed in water does the trick.

Bawdy, you're very knowledgeable about this, but the old saw applies that an elimination approach may uncover what's causing this. I think, like Nancy, some dairy causes it for me, but I haven't gone that far to experiment. Good luck.

Thanks, guys. I take Pepcid only rarely, and know the problems with PPIs. I was diagnosed with a hietal hernia and the doc prescribed PPIs. I refused flat out. Doesn't make sense to stop all acid when you're actually trying to digest foods. I only take it hours and hours after eating. For some reason I get reflux sometimes on an EMPTY stomach, so I figure it's not as detrimental. But again, not very often, and less and less as time goes by.

I had to retrain my stomach to digest food using Betaine HCL. Here's an excellent article explaining it.

https://neurohacker.com/formulation/betaine

Now, DH is coming off years of PPI by using this system to rebuild his own acid management.

Here's a paper that says it works... as PART of PPI drug therapy.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7238915/

Which is, in a nutshell, our current pharmaceutical craze which substitutes for health.

As we age , the stomach acid becomes weaker for some people.....cant remember where that info came from.

I take ACV at many meals to increase the acid content of the stomach; and a healthy dose of salt each day: Apparently the Chloride becomes part of the HCl the stomach uses for digesting meats, etc.



As for one hour....I've read a number of times over the years while trying to time meds on an empty stomachs. Pharmacists say two hours after eating, to take on empty stomach.

Yes, I take 2 capsules of Betaine HCL with Pepsin, along with 2 Super Digestive Enzymes, with every meal and it does help. It's going to take a while for it to fully heal, but it's definitely helping. Thanks for posting that article. I'll definitely read it.



I've read that, too, that as we age the stomach acid gets weaker for some people. From an evolutionary point of view, it seems odd, but it's probably a result of the SAD diet rather than an evolutionary change.

Also, good to know about the 2 hours after eating. Thanks for mentioning that!

One more quote. I also found this online, which I believe is a load of crap (no pun intended, or maybe it is!):



So, it takes up to 3 days to digest protein, and yet only 24 hours to digest fruits and veggies with fiber (which is by definition non-digestible).

Yeah, right.

ROFL.

Vegetable matter can be hard to digest...... My sheep chew cud as do cattle. The matter comes back into mouth for chewing to breakdown the cellulose and fiber. If the stomach acid could cope with that these animals would not have a 4 part stomach system. The long fibers cannot get thru the seive section to get to the true stomach, the part that matches our stomach.

We are not designed to digest cellulose and lignan, it passes thru without much change. So no meaningful digestion at all. No nutrients we can absorb. Any digestion would be from the microbes, which we can then absorb.

We are not rabbits with a big cecum, nor a ruminant. We need cooked veg to aid in digestion as raw is not as digestible as we don't tend to chew and chew and chew and chew.

No, I don't see how vegetables are easier to digest than meats.

100 Truth!

This sounds like it's right out of "Fit For Life", that nonsense veganism-touting diet book. The one that claims meat just "rots" in your digestive tract. I read that as a teenager and it only took a tenth-grader's understanding of science to know most of the book was (plant-based) baloney. :rolleyes:

A new study in Cell has the protein people excited, it answers this question.

Marty Kendall writes:

"Can you eat 'too much protein'?
Is all that extra protein 'wasted'?
A new study shows that high protein intakes are still used, just over a longer timeframe.

Bottom line: It's impossible to overdo protein (it's a nutrient), especially if you're also not overdoing energy."

https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-m...gaYmZU5emcvja5g

Thanks for linking this critically important study, Janet. The article dated 19 December 2023 describes an elegantly designed study that confirms the human metabolic responses to varying amounts of protein and the corresponding influence on muscle/ tissue generation and the lack of amino acid oxidation for larger amounts of protein.



It confirms that there is no need to be too particular about over consuming protein at meals, frees people to consume the amount of protein they require without worrying about wasting it, and supports those who need to increase their protein due to age and in response to the desire to preserve or increase muscle mass. The combination of regular resistance training using body weight or weights is a perfect stimulus for developing muscle when also consuming the amount of protein required. In addition, the thinking that certain proteins can be unhealthy to the gut is once again put to rest. We continue to understand more about those foods that truly constitute a healthy diet and lifestyle. Protein leveraging anyone?

Wow..

This flies in the face of only the first 30 g of protein is useful making any thing more a waste. If im understanding this correctly....

I've been wondering for a while how a dog or coyote can get enough nutrients when they eat one big meal day.

The author states:
"Our new work:
No upper limit to the anabolic response to protein ingestion?

Challenges current views on:
1⃣Dose-response relationship
2⃣"Excessive" protein getting oxidized
3⃣Protein distribution
4⃣MUCH more!"

Bodybuilders have been eating "excessive protein" for decades and showing this paper's conclusions at every event But if your goal is weight loss, Marty's caveat applies, avoid overeating excessive energy with it.

Exactly. I never took that very seriously. I was alerted to "protein downplaying" when I tried vegetarianism, before it went extreme and vegan.

Everything we learn about biology and our bodies indicates protein is the biggest macronutrient of them all. This also supports protein = satiety because the body would be the fussiest about that, first.

Im looking for my edition of DANDR. Dr Atkins talks about an elimination diet, and it looks like Carnivore fits.

Anecdotal info shows some people gain weight, then the pounds drop after weeks of carnivore. Dr Berry mentioned that meats also contain glycogen, so sugar type substances are not really zeroed out on carnivore. Other mention finding the sweet spit on quantity of fat. Enough to grease the skids but beware of excess that increases body weight.

What i also like about carnivore is that struggle with monitoring carbs, so a month of carnivore was overall very easy and surprisingly easier mentally planning meals.

Going back to digestibility. Is two hours reasonable? Im asking this as a year ago an experience with severe food poisoning caused visits to the throne all night.....it was clear when food stopped appearing and only liquidy mucus was resulting. This change was not at two hours, because thats when my body started rejecting the mandarin orange. That was about 10 pm. Clearing out the contents continued for many more hours. The exact number I dont remember. What I remember is the amazement that there was still more to remove!!! This makes me question the two hours the pharmacy recommends.

Overall, meats and fats are far more satiating than other foods.

Yes, based on the Protein Leverage hypothesis, this makes sense as satiety is reached when enough protein is consumed regardless of total energy intake. Favoring protein enables one to reach satiety and consume fewer calories if one reduces carbs and fats in their meals. I’d guess many of us who prioritize healthy proteins experience this. Favoring protein as we age is important as we experience muscle tissue loss in favor of fat gain if we don’t get enough protein. As I’m experiencing now, combining resistance training with increased protein prevents sarcopenia (muscle wasting). When one has a healthy muscle mass, it becomes a good glucose sink in that it prevents excess glucose from being stored as fat. It’s true that you can’t outrun a bad diet, but muscle health helps moderate one’s weight in this way.

Here’s a study showing this:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8074531/

…. But not on a Satiety Per Calorie basis.
Meat is a good source of protein but unless you pick lean cuts, it is easy to overeat fat. Egg whites, turkey, chicken breast, shrimp, fish, salmon, NF Greek yogurt are all lower fat sources of protein than the popular carnivore meal of a rib eye.

I have zero problem with this premise, as it applies to some. The issue for me is making a blanket statement using the newly coined and still being understood/ refined "satiety per calorie" phrase when reaching satiety is so individualized with everyone having certainly nuanced and potentially varied results. I don't get the same reaction and have never had to choose lean cuts, but that's me. Healthy fats without over consuming them are essential for so many metabolic processes and the preservation of brain health. I was never one who gravitated to "fat bombs" or adopted "bulletproof coffee," because they didn't make sense, and I never became satiated simply because of fats. Making protein the keystone to my WOE a few years ago has made all the difference. The good news in this most recent study is that protein won't go to waste or be harmful if we're eating it to satiety wherever that point may be with the individual.

I also prioritize protein but not lean protein. This might just be a reaction to my mother who bought the low fat is good for you line completely and her strict adherence to it used to irritate me. She is no longer alive (she died at age 94). I just turned 75 and I seem to be doing ok not eating only “lean” protein. If it’s not broken why fix it?

My "lean protein" comment definitely applies only to "some"! But being in another group that attracts people whose "Diet X" has failed, not everyone finds Carnivore a straight path to weight loss and health improvements. A common revelation is learning how much fat is in a carnivore approach that is hot dogs, 80% lean ground beef, and fatty steaks, and if they add butter, HWC, cheese, pork rinds and carnivore snax to meat, they overdo energy and gain weight.

Arielle, the time required for Protein Digestion is Dose-Response….eat more, digestion takes longer. The last graph on right.

"These data show that the ingestion of larger amounts of protein requires a more prolonged period to allow full digestion, amino acid absorption, and subsequent amino acid release into the circulation."

Fat/protein ratio and amounts for satiety is definitely not one-size-fits-all.

Admittedly, I have a lot of trouble with my weight, but every time I try to lower fat with the same or even higher protein, I'm hungry again in no time.

But then I have always had a totally screwed up metabolism, so it seems very necessary for me to reach fat satiety along with enough protein to last the several hours that the fat satiety lasts.

Thanks Janet.looked at graph again. Made more sense this time, along with your last post.

When I restart Atkins after a period of SAD, my weight goes up for a time, then as weeks progress, the weight drops. I expect the same with Carnivore. The suggestion from the experienced Carnivores is a 80/20, like a burger that is 80/20. And adjust from there.

Likewise, and I was high fat since Atkins, essentially. I try to dial it back, and a few days later I put half a brick of cream cheese in my two egg omelette. To catch up. So I make sure I get enough to satisfy.

Chuck is my favorite cut, and I eat it with avocado oil or Greek yogurt dressing. Lately, pork in a coconut wrap and shredded cheddar is a favorite. I do put coconut oil in my decaf coffee, with heavy cream. (Which I share with the tortie cat.) It's a form of MCT oil, energy which goes directly into the bloodstream. Which is why coconut works, and butter does not. At least, for me. Though cream does not bother me. Doesn't the fat change?

All to explain I don't have a problem with fat, but with carbs. I wonder if I'm one of those for whom carnivore works so well because my genetics are suited to it. 2/3rds of my genes are from mountaintops, and most of the other third is North Atlantic. Not places known for long growing seasons.

While the people in Brazil (where I attended a wedding) danced the night away on 80% carbs. I now have a geographic theory about what we should eat :lol:

But when we consider how much the local flora and fauna would dictate what we eat, until the last couple of hundred years which is an eye blink in body time, it only makes sense that the different blends of regional enzymes would get inherited far away, where people eat differently.

At least the four food groups let me pick and choose, and as a child I always liked to eat the way I eat now. I was forced to eat vegetables (like everyone else) but I preferred them in cheese sauce. And of course grains, which I no longer like. I love a local Italian crustless cheesecake.

As my low carb journey progressed, my tastes did change. I grew to find grains a taste-smothering barrier to good eating.

I saw a recent video where yet another person was explaining that they gave up processed food, lost weight, and got their taste buds back. "And now, I can have it without overeating it, but I don't want it. It tastes like dirt."

And that's so true. It's what DH said when we had so many places closed and we needed food, but we wound up throwing it away. "It tastes like dirt," he said. He'd been away long enough that his tastes had reset.

It reminds me of how calorie counting never did me any favors, because I wouldn't eat fatty things, too high in calories. So I ate sandwich after sandwich and then candy, which was low in calories on a bite by bite basis.

What a mess that led to.

80/20 beef, aka 80% lean, is 43% Protein and 57% fat. It may work well for Shawn Baker, but often not for older women who have spent years low carb/low cal dieting. What works on the P:E diet is around 40% protein, with the other 60% energy a combo of fat and carbs that meet your goals. Fewer calories, more micronutrients, more fiber, more satiety. The carbs are high-fiber green vegetables, berries and other low sugar fruits, NF dairy, etc, not flour, sugar nor "keto treats".

I definitely struggle with limiting carbs. One serving leads to another!Keeping to the under 30 net carbs is difficult. Even after eliminating flour, grains, sugar, starchy veggies. A 20 year battle. Need to go back to measuring by the cup or grams, for a while.


Oddly ,or not so oddly, cutting out the keto sweets really knocks down cravings for sweets.

If a big salad at lunch leads to eating multiple servings of green vegetables at dinner, this really is not a problem as long as you avoid refined carbs. The satiating fiber and micronutrients in a high protein, moderate carb diet is what makes it healthy.

Its been leading to fruit!! A crisp and juicy Pink Lady or Cosmic Crisp. A pomegranate. A grapefruit.

Definitely all whole fruits.

I need to give them up for a short time to get back into ketosis, says the carb addict. Then I can limit apples to a few slices, instead of a whole apple. .....off to find an apple..

I accidentally bought 3 lbs of 93% lean ground beef today. :blush:

I was utterly exhausted when I got to the store today, saw that single 1 lb packs of ground beef were 20 cents more per pounds than the 3-pack, and knowing I could cut the 3-pack apart and freeze them to use as needed, I threw the 3 pack into the cart. It wasn't until I got home and cut them apart that I noticed they were 93% lean. (the single packs are 85% lean, and usually the 3-packs are too, just not this time!)

So we'll see how that works out, considering that I just don't get any satiation from such low fat meats.

I may end up using those ridiculously lean packs of ground beef to make something with a ton of full fat cheese, cream cheese, or sour cream in it.