The Truth About Protein

How Much Protein Do You Need

Let's get right to it! The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is .36 grams of protein per pound of body weight to supply your body with its protein needs. For example, if you weigh 150lbs, your RDA is about 54 grams of protein.

However, this is a rough estimate. Many factors go into an RDA, like age, weight, sex, and activity levels, so it is best to input your information into this calculator for a more personalized RDA.

It is important to note that the sources of this information are Harvard health and the USDA; science-based sources. If you google "how much protein do you need," you will find many recommendations of 1 or sometimes even 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

These elevated numbers come from bodybuilding companies and have spread like wildfire. Of course, these companies want to recommend you need extreme excess amounts of protein.

It's impossible to eat this amount of protein even with a balanced diet, so it would force you to buy their protein products to meet their "recommended intake."

We can choose to follow recommendations based on companies that have a vested interest in your business or recommendations based on science.

How Much Protein Can Your Body Use

Studies show that eating more than 20g of protein in one sitting does not affect muscle growth. It makes sense because this is more or less the amount of protein in a balanced meal. Anything above that 20g will not gain us muscle faster than if were having smaller amounts of protein throughout the day.

Well, you might be thinking I can just eat/drink protein powder between meals every hour and get 20g/hr of protein. However, studies show that even if you drink pure whey protein, your body can only absorb and utilize 8-10g of that protein per hour.

Let's say you have a 12-hour eating window, absorb at the higher end of that 8-10g/hr, and weigh about 150lbs. You would still only have 120g of protein available to utilize, not 150-300g. It's physically not possible to use 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Because of this, the RDA of .36g of protein per pound of body weight makes even more sense.

What Happens To Excess Protein

Unlike fat, the body can't store protein. Once the body's needs have been met, excess protein is either used for energy or converted and stored as fat just like any other excess calories consumed. This can lead to weight gain because of overconsumption and storing fat.

This makes me wonder, is the whole bulking phase of gaining all this weight necessary, or are people just putting on a bunch of unnecessary fat while gaining muscle because of all the excess protein?

What Else Do Muscles Need

Protein is often coupled with muscle growth. But the truth is protein is necessary for more than muscle growth alone and muscle growth requires more than just protein.

Protein is a necessary building block for bones, tendons, cartilage, skin, hair, nails, and muscles. Don't assume that all the protein you consume goes straight to your muscles.

Your muscles also need carbohydrates and fats that each provide different sources of fuel to power your physical activity. Without them, you will not have the necessary energy needed to actively work your muscles.

Good sources of carbohydrates could be whole grains like brown rice and rolled oats or fruits and vegetables. Good sources of fats could be nuts, seeds, and avocados.

Unprocessed sources of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates will fuel our bodies best. Now that we know the truth about protein, we can all better plan a healthy eating program for ourselves.