George Farah talks about the big misconceptions about animal protein consumption in bodybuilding.
George Farah is a legendary bodybuilding coach who has used his later years to warn bodybuilders about big misconceptions that can lead to massive health risks. He’s already spoken with us about the risks of insulin and unhealthy bulking. Now he’s warning bodybuilders about eating too much animal protein. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, George Farah explains why bodybuilders should not eat more animal protein than 25% of their entire caloric intake.
Protein is a main staple of bodybuilding. This is the most basic knowledge about bodybuilding. It’s the first thing everyone learns when trying to build muscle. The easiest way to consume high quality protein for muscle building is via animal sources. Old school images of Arnold Schwarzenegger eating massive amounts of steak and eggs come to mind from Pumping Iron.
But as science advances, we are starting to learn different ways of obtaining protein beyond animals. Schwarzenegger himself has become a proponent of veganism and was a part of the documentary The Game Changers. George Farah also agrees. Bodybuilders are eating too much animal protein and it’s bad for their long term health.
George Farah is not saying that bodybuilders should become vegan or vegetarian. Instead, he’s emphasizing that animal protein is being abused with much too high consumption compared to their overall caloric intake. This, Farah claims, can lead to long term issues with your kidneys down the road. He’s experienced it himself, between liver and kidney problems and having cancer, Farah focuses now on longevity in bodybuilding.
The biggest thing George Farah wants to make clear is that he’s not saying to avoid all meat. He doesn’t want to be labeled unrealistic by claiming vegan bodybuilders can achieve the same mass as meat eaters. But he does believe that the amount of animal protein bodybuilders eat is beyond what is necessary. It takes more focus on your diet – but you can still hit the right level of protein without relying majorly on animal products. For instance, there are various non-dairy plant-based protein supplements that are perfect for building lean muscle and promoting weight loss.
Here’s what George Farah stated in our latest interview:
“If you get a bunch of people [doctors/experts] and sit down and talk to them. They will all agree with you that if you go more than 25% of your daily caloric intake from protein. You’ll have some type of problem… it’s been proven for longevity it’s not good to have more than 25% animal food.”
More specifically, George Farah ties in the high protein consumption with anabolic steroids. He claims that going over 25% of animal protein in your diet in combination with anabolic steroids will increase chances significantly for kidney damage.
“They say where there’s a smoke, there’s a fire,” George Farah states in our interview. He continues, “There’s a reason a lot of bodybuilders have kidney problems. What’s the reason? The use of anabolic and high protein intake. Period. Period!”
You can watch George Farah go into detail about protein intake and bodybuilding by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
