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Case #211
Jason Vert was a superb athlete during his childhood. He played tennis everyday since he was six
years old and became a star. At the age of eleven, he was ranked #3 in his age bracket in the Mid-
Atlantic Region. Observers labeled him as a "human chocolate fudge sundae," smooth, fast in a
compact package. His coach James Michaels said "Jason is a very fast player. He is only 5 feet 6
inches tall, but his speed counterbalances his lack of power." But this observed "lack of power"
led to his downfall. Jason soon became fourteen, and made the high school tennis team, but as he
grew, his speed registered a marked decrease. Still way under six feet tall and weighing only 100
pounds, Jason's serve was one of the weakest on the team. His friends told him that he could
increase his strength by ingesting incredible amounts of protein. Jason fell to the increasing peer
pressure and ate ten Big Macs a day. He drank five raw eggs in the morning for breakfast. Also,
without telling anybody, he bought large quantities of "Mass Master", a protein supplement from
General Nutrition Center. He took triple the daily recommended dosage. At that time, he could
bench press a mere 75 pounds. He expected that to increase. It did, but with some unexpected
side effects. He came to me as a severe case of obesity, weighing 474 pounds. He was sixteen
years old. He came into my office crying and screaming, and told me his story. "I thought I'd be
real buff real fast. Protein's supposed to make you pop muscles, ain't it, doc?" I sighed. "Protein
does aid in muscle development, but excess protein is added to your fat supply just like any other
excess nutrient." He told me the elements of his monster diet, and I asked him why he couldn't
stop after he had gained a few pounds. "I don't know!" he said, tears streaming down his crimson
face, "I thought the fatness was temporary. I thought I would buff up soon, but it didn't happen.
My friends all said it'd work." We had to hospitalize Jason because he could barely move his
extremities. He died later that week. His pot belly had become so heavy that it crushed his
diaphragm and prevented him from breathing. I wonder how many more young athletes will ruin
their lives with the misconception that "the more protein, the more muscle." On the contrary,
more protein only made Jason into a victim.
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Exercises
