This article was a necessity for me to write as I continued to scroll through videos of health influencers titled, “what I eat in a day.” While it is a fun and aesthetic trend that many hopped on, I couldn’t help but notice that many women were missing the mark drastically when it came to balanced diets.

Majority of these women were not eating enough for an adult female body in general, and their plates severely lacked the proper amount of protein for breakfast, lunch, or dinner to support healthy muscle mass, fertility and menstrual cycles ( and not to mention pregnancy or breastfeeding).

In order to put a woman’s dire need for protein into perspective. I have decided to show it in the context of how inadequate protein affects the liver, B vitamins, and ultimately the hormonal health of a female.

I would first like to begin praising the liver for its over 500+ jobs that it is responsible for in the body. It is my favorite organ to love and support because of just how taxed it can be in our modern society.

The liver metabolizes:

•  Fats
• Proteins
• Hormones
• Drugs
• Hormonal birth control
• Alcohol
• Environmental toxins

It also:

• Produces bile
• Turns glucose into glycogen
• Regulates blood & clotting
• Produces cholesterol
• Clear bilirubin
• Resists infections

And so much more.

I would also like to point out that it is the only organ that can completely regrow itself, and that is why a liver transplant can be done with just a small part of the liver.

A liver can completely regrow itself even if 90% of it has been removed.

As I love to say, the body is incredibly resilient and given the right settings- it has the capacity to regenerate without modern interventions.

I always find it interesting that when we cleanse the body with juice cleanses etc, that we leave protein out of the conversation. And while I find there to be great benefit in taking a break from food and letting the body rest with a cleanse, without proper protein consumption in the conversation in the long term- the body will feel the effects.

This is why I simply cannot support a vegan or vegetarian diet as a long term lifestyle. It is simply incompatible with what our body requires of us.

Amino acids and B vitamins found in protein play a crucial role in both phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification processes. During phase 1 detoxification, the liver uses enzymes, primarily from the cytochrome P450 family, to convert toxic substances into less harmful compounds.

This process often generates free radicals, which can be damaging if not properly managed. Amino acids like cysteine, glycine, and glutamine, along with B vitamins such as B2, B3, B6, B9 (folate), and B12, are essential cofactors that support these enzymatic reactions, ensuring their efficiency and safety.

In phase 2 detoxification, these intermediate metabolites are further processed to become water-soluble, allowing for their excretion through urine or bile.

Amino acids contribute to this by forming conjugates with toxins, making them easier to eliminate, while B vitamins support the synthesis of necessary enzymes and facilitate methylation, sulfation, and glucuronidation processes.

Together, these nutrients ensure that the liver can effectively neutralize and eliminate harmful substances from the body.

The liver is a VIP player in maintaining hormonal health due to its role in metabolizing and regulating hormones (alongside its 500+ other jobs). It processes and breaks down excess hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, ensuring they do not over-accumulate, causing issues such as PCOS and endometriosis.

Efficient liver function helps maintain hormonal balance, crucial for overall health, reproductive function, and mood stability. When liver function is compromised, it can lead to hormonal imbalances, resulting in symptoms like irregular menstrual cycles, acne, weight gain, and mood swings.

PROTEIN PROVIDES ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS THAT THE LIVER USES TO PRODUCE ENZYMES THAT ARE CRUCIAL IN THIS HORMONE METABOLISM.

Additionally, the liver’s ability to detoxify the body from environmental toxins and endocrine disruptors further supports hormonal harmony, underscoring the liver’s central role in endocrine health.

I love Grabrielle Lyon’s work on this topic, as she has done such a fabulous job championing protein as the major factor for proper fertility and menopausal health. As she often says:

“Muscle mass is the largest organ of the human body.”

Probably more than you are consuming…

So for example: If my ideal weight is 135 lbs, I will aim to consume 121.5 grams of protein.

If this feels like a lofty goal at first and you find yourself getting really full from eating higher protein, a good goal is to shoot for at least 30 grams of protein per meal.

There are so many good ways to get protein, but diversity and quality of protein is essential. Diversify in the forms of collagen, organs, muscle meat, dairy, broths, seafood, shellfish, legumes etc. to add a broad nutritional variety of vitamins and amino acids.

In summary, ensuring adequate protein intake is not just a dietary preference but a necessity for maintaining hormonal health and fertility for women. Protein is a major key in supporting liver function, which in turn regulates and detoxifies hormones critical for reproductive and overall health.

By incorporating diverse and high-quality sources of protein into your diet, you can support the myriad of functions your liver performs daily, from metabolizing fats and proteins to managing hormonal balance. Remember, your body is resilient and capable of incredible regeneration when given the right nutrients. Aim for at least 30 grams of protein per meal to meet your female body’s ever-fluctuating needs.