The Power of Protein: How Much Do You Need?

     Protein is a macronutrient needed for your body to carry out many important functions. Our body is in a state of constant renewal. This is because our muscles, bones, and skin all break down, and protein is required to rebuild. Protein recommendations can vary greatly based on your age, gender, and activity level. Therefore, it is important to create a nutrition plan that is compatible with your lifestyle and goals.

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Recommended Protein Intakes

 Healthy Adults: .8 (g/kg)

The recommended daily allowance from the FDA is 0.8 grams/kg. The average American man weighs roughly 200 pounds which means they should consume about 73 grams of protein a day. The RDA satisfies the requirements of 97.5% of healthy individuals so speak to a health professional about your unique situation. Other factors such as age, activity level, and gender can impact your specific requirements. The Institute of Medicine established an Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) of protein intake from 10% to 35% for adults older than 18. Given a 2000-calorie diet, this would range from 50 grams to 175 grams of protein.

Strength Athletes: 1.4-2.2 (g/kg)

Given a weight of 200 lbs, a strength athlete should consume roughly 136 grams of protein given a 1.5 g/kg goal. To improve muscle protein synthesis, some studies recommend as high as (2.2 g/kg) or roughly one gram of protein per pound of body weight. Additionally to stimulate muscle protein synthesis maximally, 25-50 grams of protein should be eaten every 3-4 hours. 

Endurance athletes: 1.2-2.0 (g/kg) 

Endurance athletes put a large demand on protein stores due to the intense rhythmic stress imposed on the body during exercise. Running, for instance, can damage bones, tendons, and muscles. This damage is natural, however, protein is required to recover. Therefore, a diet high in protein is necessary to prevent injury and maximize performance. It is interesting to note that endurance athletes may sometimes require more protein than strength athletes due to the sheer amount of damage they impose on their bodies.

Adults Losing Weight: 1.8-2.7 (g/kg)

When you lose weight, your body will pull energy sources from everywhere, even muscles and organs. To help combat this, eating protein can help spare your muscles from being used for amino acids. This is because dietary protein can prevent muscle tissue from being used as a source of freely available amino acids.

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Protein and Weight loss

Satiety

• • Protein is more satiating than fat or carbohydrates. For example, imagine eating 400 calories of chicken breast versus the same amount of potato chips. It would be hard for me to stop at just 400 calories of chips to feel satisfied. This is why I personally, eat a higher proportion of protein to regulate my appetite. It is also known higher protein diets may contribute to a healthier weight and reduce cravings.
  • Your gut releases satiating neuropeptides such as GLP-1 when you eat a higher-protein diet and suppresses the hunger hormones including ghrelin which can reduce cravings.

Thermic effect

• • More energy is needed to digest and use protein for energy. 
  • Diets higher in protein have been shown to burn an extra 170 calories a day.

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Protein Composition

• Animal and plant foods are made from 20 amino acids. All foods will have slightly different proportions and qualities of protein content. Special care should be taken to consume the correct amount and variety of amino acids. Most dietary profiles can eat sufficient amounts and types of protein with planning. For instance, vegetarians can eat all of their required proteins through a plant-based diet.

Essential Amino Acids

• There are 9 essential AAs including histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. The word essential means that we must consume them through our diet because we cannot make them. Deficiencies of EAAs can occur when dietary intake is not adequate. More than 50% of home-bound elderly in the US are deficient in at least 1 EAA.
• Side effects of inadequate EAA consumption can include reduced fertility, vomiting, depression, and insomnia among other symptoms. This is why It is important to ensure that you are covering all of your EAA requirements with any diet you choose to eat.

Digestability

• Not all protein sources are digested the same. The Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) means that some foods have protein that is less bioavailable for your intestine to absorb. This means you should look to consume meals that are well-rounded in their amino acid composition with a high total DIAAS score.

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Meal Timing

• Breakfast ends a hopefully full night of sleep. During this time, your muscle can “donate” amino acids to other organs for metabolism. Therefore, I believe that the first meal of the day should occur shortly after waking and contain 25-50 grams of protein to prevent further muscle breakdown.

Foods high in protein

• Eggs, soy, chicken, seeds, nuts, fish, yogurt, salmon, yogurt, lean meats, spinach, lentils, sardines, and beans.
• Be sure to monitor your intake of excess calories and saturated fat as these can contribute to diseases such as obesity, and atherosclerosis.
• Recent literature from the American Society for Nutrition suggests that eating a diet higher in plant-based proteins may increase health spans.

Takeaways

• Protein intake varies greatly among adults with age, lifestyle, and weight.
• A high protein intake can help you lose weight by reducing cravings.
• Those looking to build muscle and prevent muscle loss should eat a higher proportion of protein, up to (1.2-2.0 g/kg).
• Diets as low as .8 (g/kg) and as high as 2.7 (g/kg) have been considered safe. Consult with your doctor or nutrition health professional before making a change in your diet

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References:

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