Protein Intake Debate: How Much Protein do You Really Need?
Introduction
There may be no other topic so widely discussed and argued about in every facet of fitness than protein. As we embark on the journey to understanding the importance of protein, let me give you one piece of advice: do not discount the importance of protein in your diet. We’ll get into each of the MANY benefits of protein for our health and fitness, but chances are, unless you’re already actively striving for high protein in your diet, your protein intake is almost definitely too low, especially if you’re exercising fairly regularly.
Protein is a critical nutrient that goes beyond just muscle building. Protein is fundamental in maintaining healthy muscles, bones, skin, hair, nails, hormones, and enzymes. However, determining the right amount of daily protein intake is not a straightforward task. It’s a personalized journey, influenced by various factors unique to each individual.
My goal here is to share the understanding of protein intake that I’ve developed from spending more than half of my life trying to figure out how to make high-protein diets as easy as possible, for myself and my clients.
Factors Influencing Your Protein Requirements
Age and Gender Dynamics
As we age our bodies need protein to maintain muscle mass and basic health functions. We know thatalmost half of the protein in our body is found in muscle. Since we lose muscle mass as we get older (known as sarcopenia), the demand for protein gets more important the older we get. If an older individual has already lost a lot of muscle mass, they won’t require as much protein as, say, a bodybuilder, in order to start maintaining and moving in the right direction, though that requirement will surely increase as they add more muscle mass to their body.
Similarly, men generally require more protein than women due to their typically higher muscle mass. The average athletic male will also have a lower body fat percentage compared to athletic females. Lean muscle tissue needs protein to recover and grow. Body fat (aka adipose tissue) does not. For this reason, simply using body weight as a gauge for protein intake will give results of varying accuracy.
Body Composition
That said, just using sex and body weight won’t give consistent accuracy either. The primary difference between men and women has more to do with average body composition - the ratio of fat to muscle. This is what most significantly impacts your protein needs. Higher muscle mass means higher protein intake. But having excess body fat will make using body weight useless for the purpose of determining protein intake.
Diverse Fitness Goals
Your nutritional requirements change fairly significantly based on your fitness goals (often even more so than your training will change). Your nutrition should mirror your fitness aspirations, whether it’s shedding pounds, bulking up, or maintaining your current shape. While your protein intake may not be completely different based on your goals, it’s widely accepted that the leaner you get, the more catabolic (state of muscle breakdown) your body becomes, thus increasing the demand for protein in order to maintain muscle mass. While training to build muscle, carbs gain some importance, allowing for a slight decrease in protein (emphasis on slight) as you will no longer be in a catabolic state. It’s also worth noting that someone wanting to gain 50+ pounds of muscle and then get shredded abs is going to require a higher focus on protein than someone wanting to just get more fit and healthy.
Training Intensity and Daily Activity
The intensity and frequency of your training sessions are crucial. Rigorous workout routines demand more protein for efficient muscle repair and growth. Doing weight training 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes per session is going to require much higher protein consumption than a sedentary person, but training 5-6 days a week for an hour or more per session is going to require even higher protein intake. Your protein requirements aren’t only dictated by your gym time, though. Other regular or daily physical activities, including any sports, physically demanding hobbies, or a physically demanding job, all contribute to your overall protein requirements.
The Debate
The ideal protein intake is a long-debated topic. Some swear by extremely high-protein diets, while others advocate for a more conservative approach and suggest that such high protein intake is unnecessary, and maybe even harmful in rare cases. I believe the key is finding a balance that suits your body and lifestyle. Let’s start with the basics and work from there.
Practical Protein Intake Guidelines
The general Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) suggests that about 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight (g/lb) is ideal for sedentary individuals. For those engaged in regular exercise, especially weight lifting or endurance training, the recommended intake increases to 0.5-0.9g/lb. I generally recommend starting on the lower end for those new to fitness, as excessively high goals may be too challenging and cause discouragement, lowering the likelihood of success.
I find this to be a good starting point, as it is both effective and achievable for anyone. I’m also a firm believer that it’s nearly impossible to determine an EXACT number of grams of protein we need per day, so it’s easier (and therefore more effective long-term) to give yourself a range to shoot for every day. Try to be objective about your current fitness level. Do you have any muscle definition in your stomach? Would you classify yourself as overweight or obese? A 300+ pound individual certainly does not need 270g (0.9g/lb) of protein per day, though 150g (.5g/lb.) may be just what they need. If this individual were training 3-5 times per week, I would suggest they start with 150g and work up to 160-180g as they build muscle and get stronger.
How much is too much?
To be honest with you, unless you have a rare metabolic disorder or preexisting health condition that affects your body’s ability to process protein, it’s unlikely that you’ll consume TOO MUCH protein. I have never seen it happen, and there aren’t any physiological reasons for avoiding very high-protein diets. If you’re a fairly advanced lifter or athlete, and you have frequent, high-intensity training sessions, I’m not against going above the recommended 0.9g/lb. I regularly strive for 1.2g/lb. or even more. My thought process is that I’d rather provide my body with more protein than it needs for recovery than not provide it enough (better safe than sorry mindset). However, going much beyond that may have some drawbacks, like cutting into the amount of nutrients you get from your diet from non-protein sources. If the protein is so high that it’s limiting your vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, fiber, etc., then it may be worth dropping it a little.
Wrapping It Up
Start on the lower end of the recommended 0.5-0.9g/lb. of body weight, and increase over time as you make progress in the gym. Monitor how your body responds to your protein intake. Fine-tune your intake based on recovery speed, muscle growth, and overall well-being.
Be sure to consider protein quality. Choose high-quality protein sources like lean meats, poultry, fish, dairy, beans, and nuts for the best nutritional value. Don’t overly rely on protein powders as your main source of protein, as your overall nutrition may suffer, however, feel free to utilize it if you are struggling to meet your protein goals.
Determining the perfect protein intake is a dynamic process. It’s about understanding and responding to your body’s signals, aligning your intake with your physical activities, and acknowledging that your protein needs will evolve along with your body. Remember, protein is vital, but it’s just one aspect of a nutritious diet. Strive for balance to support all facets of your health.
Need further help sorting out your nutrition playbook? Book an in-person or online consultation with us, ZNT Personal Training — based in Louisville, KY. Give us a call at (502) 233-3348, email zack@zntraining.com, or click here to learn more.
