My coach says that I need to eat 1.2 - 1.5 grams of proteins per kilogram when I

Question

My coach says that I need to eat 1.2 - 1.5 grams of proteins per kilogram when I have a common cold and flu. I normally eat one gram of proteins per kilogram, while double it when doing my exercise training.

He explained that the reason why you need to get more good proteins when you are sick is that the body is building antibodies by the adaptive immune system and later for innate immunity.

I think he can be right based only on my own experiences getting better from common cold with low protein diet - it just takes a lot of time, while under high protein diet, you get better faster. I also think his explanation makes complete sense to me, since antibodies and antigens are proteins.

Why do you need more proteins when you are sick?

Explanation / Answer

Your body needs more energy when you are ill to facilitate the recovery process which includes the production of white blood cells to help fight the infection. This shouldn't be limited to proteins though, carbs are also very important as they are provide high amounts of energy. Basically just making sure you eat a varied and balanced diet is more important when you are ill to make sure your body receives the nutrients it needs to fight infection and heal itself. As it is having to work harder when you are ill it makes sense to eat more high energy foods. Micronutrients are also very important!

Minerals such as selenium and zinc work to keep the immune system strong. These minerals are found in protein rich foods such as beans, nuts, meat, and poultry.

Although if your diet is varied you should be getting plenty of these anyway, without needing to take supplements.

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