What's your opinion on this post on the Protein Power board?

"  posted 08-09-2000 04:49 PM
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We are constantly reminded that high protein diets are dangerous to our
health and we are reminded about getting kidney problems, gout, and other
problems. Well, we know better now, and every time we need to clarify our
position we say this is not a high protein but an adequate protein, adequate
fat and restricted carbohydrate plan.
Fine, but the next question to ourselves is how adequate it is? One of the
cornerstones of this plan is the outmost importance of an adequate intake of
protein, which we estimate according to our lean body mass and our level of
activity. Another cornerstone is to keep carbohydrates not as the dominant
type of food in our diet but rather the less dominant and to a level that
keeps our insulin withing a healthy range. How often do we think about the
relationship between these two concepts?

Recently, I was asked if we can make fat from protein. A strict answer,
purely based on the biochemical possibility is YES. However, as any other
metabolic process, the right conditions must prevail. Therefore, I thought
appropriate to comment on this particular issue.

I started by mentioning what we always say about this plan being one where
we eat an adequate amount of protein. Withing the context of fat synthesis
from protein, the word adequate must be differentiated from large when we
talk about the amount of protein we eat every day. It is important to notice
that surplus dietary protein can be converted into fat. However, for protein
to be converted into fatty acids and triglycerides, the essential precursors
for fat synthesis, namely a carbon source with the name Acetil-CoA, and a
biosynthetic reding compound such as one with a long name but shortened as
NADPH+H, must be formed.

Acetyl-CoA can be formed from several amino acids, which in the case of a
high protein diet, will always be in excess. On the other hand, dietary
glucose or fructose provide intermediaries that generate the reducing
compound, NADPH+H for fat synthesis.

It is clear then how protein and carbohydrate metabolism can interact and
result in fat synthesis. As with fat synthesis from carbohydrates, which is
an insulin driven process, mainitaining a restricted carbohydrate intake not
only keeps insulin levels but limits the amount of NADPH+H available that
can be used in combination with Acetyl-CoA produced from surplus amino acids
for fat synthesis.

How much is too much protein? Difficult to say... but hey, don't you have
enough problems trying to get at least your minimum intake?  Chapter 13
(LifePlan Nutrition) of the PPLP book, addressing the question of minimum
protein intake reads "Remember, the protein requirement you calculated is a
minimum requirement. If you feel hungry, you can have a little more lean
protein (as long as it's relatively free of carbs) anytime. You probably
know now why!

This has been long... you deserve a delicious protein snack. Go get it now!
And enjoy your good health!

-Orion-"
 (http://bbs.eatprotein.com/ubb/Forum8/HTML/000005.html )