A Primer On Protein Requirements – How Much Protein Do You Really Need?
Got protein? That could be a new catch phrase of those who are looking to get fit and improve their eating habits. Protein has been a much debated about topic in the industry and there is still a great deal of confusion surrounding exactly how much you need to reach your goals. Getting this straight will be vital because too much or too little protein is going to have a big impact on the results you demonstrate.
Here is a primer on your protein needs.
Protein and Muscle Building
Perhaps the biggest confusing surrounding protein intake is for those who are looking to build muscle. They have a tendency to think that they should be consuming vastly more protein than when they weren’t building muscle, thinking this will effectively allow them to increase their lean mass faster.
The important thing to realize here is that excess protein is not going to magically result in more muscle. Excess protein will simply be broken down into the body; some of it being used for energy, some of it being excreted, and in some situations, the rest of it being stored as body fat.
Once you’ve met your protein needs for the day, the body cannot use any more past that so has to find an alternative pathway for these calories to take. The negative thing about eating so much protein when trying to build muscle is that utilizing protein as energy is a very expensive process – meaning you would be far better getting those same calories for energy from carbohydrates (the body’s preferred energy source) than from taking them in for protein.
Since building muscle is a very energy intensive process then, you’re better to boost your intake of carbohydrates (or dietary fat depending on your own individual preferences) than boosting your intake of protein.
For muscle building, 1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight a day should be plenty.
You can bring this up to 1.5 grams/lb/day, but there aren’t really a great deal of advantages to doing so.
Protein and Fat Loss
Next we come to protein and fat loss. Again, misconception surrounds this. People think that since they’re dieting, they should take in fewer grams of protein per day, when it’s the exact opposite.
Here, the situation is reversed. You still have to meet your daily protein needs for muscle and body tissue maintenance (which is around 1 gram per day), but since you will now be eating fewer total calories, there is a higher chance that your body may turn to incoming protein you eat for energy rather than for its intended purposes.
If it does this, that means less protein is left over to maintain your muscle tissue, which could cause you to lose muscle mass.
Because of this, I would recommend boosting protein intake while dieting to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight each day. This will ensure that you have enough to support your lean body mass even if some does get used up for fuel.
Further, protein is the most satisfying nutrient, therefore eating more of it should make sticking with the diet that much easier as well.
Protein Needs For Maintenance
Lastly we come to maintenance - you just want to maintain your body weight; not gain nor lose.
In this situation, 0.9-1.1 grams of protein per pound a day should be sufficient. If you’re eating plenty of carbohydrates on your diet, you can use the lower end if you like. Very active individuals such as those who are involved with endurance training may want to boost it up to 1.2-1.3, but this is mostly personal preference. As long as total calorie support is there, you won’t require any more.
Some people also just feel better eating slightly more protein, and that’s fine too. Just don’t go crazy with it – there’s never any need to eat beyond 1.5 grams/lb/day.
So, keep this in mind as you figure out your diet. Protein is the most important macronutrient that you must consume to sustain life, so getting in the right amount is vital.
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