protein ? for vitalady

Someone asked me if our bodies flush out extra protein like vit C. So how much protein can we drink? does our bodies flush any unused protein? Someone posted that they have 6 protein drinls a day. I love my protein drinks, but at the cost I don't want to just drink them if our bodies can't use it. If you know what I mean. also how much B-12 (under the toungue) is needed. The instructions say 1 dropper ful. Is that enouph? Thanks, Brenda

Hi Brenda, As for the protein drink question....I don't know the answer to that.   But I do know that on the liquid protein.....I am using Vitamin Shoppe brand liquid B12....it is 1000mg a dropper full.   I was told that we needed 500 mg a day.   I use to do 1 dropper a day till my bloodwork showed my B12 levels double what they should be.....so now I do it every other day.   So I would say 500 mg a day on the B12.   Hopefully someone else will answer your question on the protein.   Sorry I didn't know the answer to that one too for you.   Have a wonderful week !!! Hugs and blessings ~~~ Vivian

thanks vivian for your reply. I t is helpful to hear from othrs when we're in doubt.

Good Morning, Brenda  No, the human body does NOT flush out extra protein. It uses the nutrients (amino acids) in them for every function the body must perform. Amino acids are crucial for our health. The doctors want us to drink them for protein, but what we actually need out of them is the amino acids, which is what "protein" is.   I like to be at around 100 to 120 mg of protein a day (between food and 2 protein drinks) but some people like to go higher. In my opinion, I don't think 180 mg or higher will hurt you, but I don't think it's necessary to go that high. I just make sure I am counting my amino's, as well, (on the package of your protein) just to make sure....  I work in a vitamin store and body builders come in and buy loads of protein shakes, bars, and the amino tablets. Some of them go as high as 20,000mg of amino's a day! But.......we are NOT body builders getting ready for a competition, (or at least, I'm not!!) so we don't need that much.  Just make sure you get your protein shakes in, every day!  As for the vitamin b-12, my doc said 500mg to 1000mg should be fine. Follow your doc's or your nutritionist's guidelines.  I hope this helps!

thank you. I went directly to my container & checked out the amina acid's. Do I dd up the total of all for? thanks, Brenda

There is no steadfast rule that applies to every post-op unfortuantely for vitamins.  The amount of B12 you need will depend on your labs.  How is your B12 level on your blood work? My hubby and I are doing fine with sublingual tablets but we have adjusted them over time to 5000 mcg per day and that seems to keep our B12 high.  My doctor says "We like it high."  For some post-ops, the sublinguals aren't enough and they need B12 injections - frequency on that would again depend on your labs.   Kathy

I went for my labs in Aug & my Doc said all was good. He didn't say if they were high, so I guess I'll stick w/ 1 dropper full. I do take an extra dropper during the day if I feel sluggish though.

I get copies of all my labs and track stuff myself.  My doc is fabulous but I like to watch for trends too.   The bad thing about B12 is that the "normal lab values" are based on cardiac issues not neurological issues so a lab may have a range of 250 to 1200 as normal.  Well, neurological damage (peripheral neuropathy) can occur with a level of 300-350 or less but according to some labs that level is "normal".  Ideally we don't just want our level in normal range - we want better than that... I've heard it is best over 650. Another one is Vitamin D.  Lab ranges for normal are in the low 20s upwards.  Recent medical journals have stated low values aren't good enough for absorbing calcium and retaining bone.  The nutritionists at our bariatric program told us they many months ago that want our levels at least 45.  I told my doctor (since mine was mid 20s) and we upped my D.  My labs improved greatly.  The next time I saw my doc she told me two days after I saw her she got the medical article on the D levels.  I've read other journals that says over 60 is better.  So I strive for that. Kathy

Yes, you total up all of the amounts, for all the amino's listed. Here is the rule of thumb for figuring up mcg's, mg's and grams:  There is 1000 mcg (microgram) in one milligram (mg) There is 1000 mg's in a gram. So you add up all the amino's and convert the total number of mg's into grams.

Just a quick question for you, all. What is the lab result for B-12. I just looked at mine and can't find the word B-12. Does it have a clinical ID letter? Thanks. Marilyn