The Importance of Protein for Chronic Pain Patients

Adequate protein intake is essential for chronic pain patients. Protein is a major part of healthy nutrition: protein breaks down into amino acids, which are used to repair and build cells, perform chemical reactions, and even become part of pain relieving compounds like endorphins. Without enough protein, the body cannot heal, maintain muscle mass, or function properly.

Receiving nutritional advice can be frustrating as your food choices can be personal, cultural, vulnerable, or driven by external factors like socioeconomic status or family influence. However, prioritizing your protein intake doesn’t have to shift your whole diet. You can continue to stay true to your way of eating while incorporating more protein.

In this article, you will review the function of proteins in the body, why protein intake is especially critical for pain patients, and how to get more protein in your diet.

What are proteins?

Proteins are molecules that are critical for the body’s structure, function, and regulation. They are made up of smaller units—amino acids—connected in very long chains. The specific sequence of amino acids determines the shape of the protein.

The proteins in your body make up structures like skin, hair, muscles, cartilage, etc. Additionally, they are vital parts of antibodies, enzymes, hormones, receptors, neurotransmitters, metabolic processes, etc. 

There are 20 amino acids; however, nine of them cannot be made by the body. These are called essential amino acids. You must source these amino acids through your diet. Without protein intake, your body cannot properly make any proteins that include these essential amino acids.

Why is protein intake essential for people with chronic pain?

Folks who live with severe chronic pain often report having loss of appetite, with a diet that is high in carbohydrates and low in protein. As previously mentioned, the body needs essential amino acids to produce functional proteins that are critical for muscle mass, immunity, hormones, and blood sugar regulation. Protein deficiency could lead to weakness, inflammation, hormone dysregulation, and metabolic issues.

Additionally, there are several functions in the body, facilitated by proteins, that are involved in pain relief. Many pain relieving compounds are protein derivatives. Amino acids are needed to make dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, etc.

On a more structural level, protein is a major part of muscles and cartilage. In order to feel strong, adequate protein intake is essential. Muscles can degrade if there isn’t enough protein available. Weak muscles can cause postural issues, falls, sprains, and pain. Weakened cartilage can lead to joint pain, spinal issues, and inflammation.

Hypoglycemia, or a drop in blood sugar, is often associated with pain flares. When protein is ingested, it stimulates the pancreas to release glucagon: a hormone involved in blood sugar regulation. Simply put, glucagon combats the blood sugar crash associated with an insulin spike. If you want to learn more about this in detail, read this article by the Endocrine Society. When you eat a protein-rich meal, even with carbs, hypoglycemia is less likely.

To summarize, protein is necessary for pain relief, strength and sturdiness, and glucose metabolism. Without protein in the diet, the body may struggle to relieve pain, stay strong and balanced, and/or regulate blood sugar.

How to get more protein in your diet

Dieticians suggest that protein should be 10-35% of your total caloric intake. In other words, if you normally eat 2000 calories, about 400 of those calories should be from protein sources. At minimum, you should aim to eat 30 grams of protein three times a day (or with each meal).

Protein is found in many healthy foods, including: 

• Eggs
• Beans and legumes
• Nuts and seeds
• Fish
• Poultry
• Tofu and other soy products
• Whole grains, like quinoa
• Dark leafy greens

Protein is high in red meat, too. However, red meats are often high in saturated fats and pro-inflammatory compounds. It is ideal to get protein from other nutrient-dense, healthy foods like fish, that contain anti-inflammatory compounds. 

If you’re finding it difficult to naturally add more protein to your diet, you could try protein supplements (e.g., protein drinks or bars). However, make sure to check the ingredients. Some of these products have a lot of added sugar. Always check with your doctor before taking any kind of supplement. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, chronic pain patients should prioritize protein intake. Amino acids are needed for bodily function, healing, pain relief, sugar metabolism, and structural integrity. To feel well, strong, and stable, protein is a necessary nutrient. 

If you’d like to learn more about nutrition for chronic pain, consider taking our free eLearning course, Nutrition for Chronic Pain: Making Healthy Choices to Control Pain. This free resource introduces nutritional basics with a focus on diets that can help support chronic pain. Learn about protein in more detail, plus antioxidants, sugar metabolism, and finding adaptations to make cooking easier. Head to the I-Engage Academy to learn more. 

References

Brazier, Y. (2023). How much protein does a person need? Medical News Today. Retrieved from: here.

MedlinePlus. (2023). Protein in diet. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from: here. 

Rath, L. (2023). You Have Arthritis: How Much Protein Do You Really Need? Arthritis Foundation. Retrieved from: here. 

Tennant F. (2011). A Diet for Patients With Chronic Pain. Practical Pain Management;11(6).

The Nutrition Source. (n.d.). Protein. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Retrieved from: here.