How Much Protein?

How Much Protein?

I don't know why this is such a huge debate among fitness enthusiasts. But it is. Some say you should eat no more than 0.8g of protein per lb of bodyweight. Some say you should eat no more than 0.8g of protein per kg of bodyweight. And others say that you should eat 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight or more. Who is right? Does it make a difference? And if so, then why?

There is little dispute that protein is needed in order to build and maintain muscle. A protein deficiency can have all sorts of interesting consequences, one of which is loss of muscle tissue. As far as I know, that much is not really up for debate.

High Protein Diets Are Not Harmful

But then there are all sorts of other concerns about protein consumption, like how much protein is too much? Most people's argument for limiting protein consumption has something to do with healthy kidney function. And it doesn't help matters much that doctors perpetuate this myth. There is no scientific or medical evidence that supports the argument that a high protein diet leads to kidney failure.[1] And there is also no evidence that a low protein diet decreases the likelihood of kidney failure. [2]

So, now that we know a high protein diet won't make our kidneys shut down. What is the optimal amount of protein that should be consumed? Well, I think that all depends on what your goals are.

If you are bulking (i.e. trying to gain weight in the form of lean muscle) then not only do you want to ensure that you are consuming enough protein to maintain your existing muscle. But you also want to ensure that you are consuming enough protein for a maximum anabolic effect. The minimum amount of protein required to build and maintain muscle as measured in young adults is about 0.8g/kg of body weight.[3]

You May Actually Benefit From Higher Protein Consumption

 However, if you are trying to build muscle then you don't care about the minimum amount of protein required. You want to know how to get the maximum anabolic effect from protein consumption. And to that end, you might benefit from consuming significantly more protein than the recommended minimum. Another interesting research finding is that it looks like how much protein you consume during meals (spaced 3-5 hours) also has an impact on the anabolic effect of protein consumption.

For athletes, optimal protein intake for an anabolic response appears to be around 30-40g of protein per meal.[4] Therefore, it might make sense to consume up to 200g of protein or more per day over the course of about 5 meals to maximize the anabolic response. My guess is that people who weigh less would see their anabolic response per meal peak at a lower protein consumption. But this does give some credence to the 1g/lb of body weight or more argument.

More Protein Can Help You Shed Fat

If you are cutting fat then your goals are a little different. You are trying to shed fat and at the same time spare as much muscle as possible. So, in this case it seems reasonable that you might not only want to max out your anabolic response to protein consumption, but also take advantage of the thermic effect of the food (TEF) you consume. Not surprisingly, research shows that diets higher in protein than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) can assist in weight loss.[5]  So, not only can a higher protein diet potentially trigger a higher anabolic response, it can also help you lose fat.

For people trying to cut fat, maximizing TEF while still maintaining sufficient carbohydrates and fats to meet your goals and nutritional needs should also provide enough protein to maximize the anabolic response from protein consumption. If that is the case, then it's probably safe to assume that someone with a goal of cutting fat could benefit from an even higher protein intake than the effective amount for someone interested in bulking. And through my personal experience, I have found that to be true.

References

1. Poortmans JR, Dellalieux O. Do regular high-protein diets have potential health risks on kidney function in athletes? Int J Sports Nutr 2000;10:28-38.
2. Klahr S, Levey AS, Beck GJ et al. The effects of dietary protein restriction and blood-pressure control on the progression of chronic renal failure. N Engl J Med 1994;330:877-884.
3. W.M. Rand, p.L. pellett et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 77, pp. 109-127 (2003).
4. Norton, L., and GABRIEL J. WILsoN. "Optimal protein intake to maximize muscle protein synthesis." Examinations of optimal meal protein intake and frequency for athletes. Agro Food Ind High-Tech 20 (2009): 54-57.
5. Layman DK. Protein Quantity and Quality at Levels above the RDA Improves Adult Weight Loss. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6 Suppl):631S-6S.

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Posted by Clayton Long