Some people don’t seem to get enough protein. Whether in shakes, bars, smoothies or large cuts of steak, it is a macronutrient that many people love, especially in the nutrition and fitness field.
But experts disagree on the ideal amount of protein we should eat, whether we should focus on protein to maximize our nutrition, and whether we might be in danger of eating too much protein instead.
news week He reached out to 10 different nutritionists, each with different opinions, and asked them how much protein they personally eat each day.
Many cited the recommended daily allowance (RDA): US national dietary guidelines recommend consuming at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (g/kg) of body weight.
For someone weighing 180 lbs or 82 kg, this means consuming 65 g or 2.3 oz of protein per day: slightly more than a 10 oz steak.
Consuming adequate amounts of protein is “one of the most important nutritional goals one can focus on,” according to nutritionist Mike Murphy, who says people should aim to eat about 1 gram/kg per day.
He said: “Protein balances blood sugar, provides satiety and it is very difficult to consume too much protein. We also need protein to repair tissues and build things like enzymes, hormones and muscle in the body.”
“I look at muscle as the most important organ of longevity, and we can’t hang on to it without getting enough protein in the diet.”
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He said he gets about 100 grams of protein a day; This might look like this: two eggs, a slice of sourdough toast, and peanut butter for breakfast; One chicken breast, one cup of broccoli and one cup of quinoa for lunch; a handful of almonds for snack; For dinner, a salmon fillet and half a glass of lentils.
Murphy said protein is “very difficult to overdo” and cautioned against overdoing it; but others said more bluntly that there was no need to worry about eating too much.
“There’s really no such thing as too much protein,” said Fredrick Hahn, a personal trainer with studios in New York and New Jersey. “Consuming protein, which has very high nutritional value, increases satiety and you cannot continue eating. Think about it: How many eggs can you really eat in one sitting?”
Canadian sports nutritionist Melissa Boufounous spoke similarly, saying there is “a lot of fear and misunderstanding” about high-protein diets.
“Many studies have shown that it is safe for healthy people to consume much more protein than the RDA,” he said, adding that the RDA is “the minimum amount of protein needed to prevent malnutrition.” He noted that serious bodybuilders who need more protein for muscle growth and tissue repair can safely eat as much as 4.4 g/kg of protein, five times the daily recommended amount.
“I personally do not see the need to consume more than 2 g/kg of protein per day, but if I consumed more than this amount on a regular basis I would not be concerned about my health,” Boufounous said.
Other experts were more measured. Nutritional therapist Milena Mastroianni, for example, echoed Murphy, saying that “it is very difficult to overconsume protein, especially from animal foods,” but added that it may be safe for some athletes to consume up to 3.5 g/kg of protein.
He also warned that focusing too much on protein sources could eliminate other beneficial foods, such as fiber-rich vegetables, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.
Dietician, nutritionist and wellness coach Nichole Maholy also expressed her balanced views, saying she personally wouldn’t eat more than 2.5g/kg of protein – “because it’s unnecessary” – but wouldn’t worry about eating much more than that.
“There are no randomized controlled trials showing that more protein is harmful to our health, but there is some evidence to suggest that eating more than the recommended amount may cause side effects such as digestive upset, dehydration or electrolyte imbalance, and may cause stress.” in the kidneys,” Maholy said.
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However, most nutritionists news week They will be concerned about eating too much protein for a variety of reasons, he said.
Nutritional therapist Petronella Ravenshear said excess protein is stored as fat in the body, and most people don’t need more than 1g/kg of protein per day.
“The received wisdom is that high amounts of dietary protein helps us lose weight by increasing our metabolic rate and muscle protein synthesis, but the science does not support this,” he said.
Dietician Nichola Ludlam-Raine said that although there is no “strict limit” on protein, there is enough protein that the body can use.
“Excessive protein intake over a long period of time can cause unnecessary strain on the kidneys, especially with pre-existing kidney conditions, but healthy individuals are less likely to experience problems,” he said.
The limit was 2.2 g/kg protein per day. Beyond that, “the benefits tend to stall,” he said, “and it’s important to focus on a well-rounded diet.”
Dietitian Dana Hunnes, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, seemed most passionate about excess protein.
“We need much less protein than media influencers believe,” he said. “We really don’t need more than 1g/kg of protein per day. Anything more than that can put extra workload on the kidneys.
“You want to consume the right amount of protein, not too much, not too little. But it’s very difficult to consume too little protein in the U.S., mostly because there’s such an emphasis on protein.”
He said he prefers plant-based protein because it’s gentler on the kidneys, full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and is also “environmentally friendly.”
But other nutritionists like Ravenshear and Maholy said: news week He said they prefer to get their protein from animal foods because they contain all the amino acids (protein building blocks) the body needs and make it easier to reach their protein goals.
On the other side of the same coin was Thompson Maesaka: an amateur bodybuilder who owned a neurological rehabilitation clinic, trained professional sports teams, and consumed 190 grams of protein a day. Even he had his limits.
“Yes, it can definitely be too much protein,” Maesaka said. “I think it’s hard to tell exactly how much is too much from person to person, and the easiest way to figure this out is to use gut discomfort and overall energy as a guide.
“If I don’t balance protein sources, I get really lethargic and have a lot of stomach issues, which is my red flag to have a more balanced macronutrient ratio.”
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