How much protein should you eat per day?

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2015-10-31

I want to clarify right away that when I mention protein in this article, I mean protein in general (as a whole), not just protein as a sports supplement, or only the protein found in regular food.

So, everyone answers this question differently: 1 gram per 1 kg of body weight, 2 grams, 3 grams, and even 4 grams! Numerous studies have been conducted, and they all show different results. But a difference between 1 and 4 grams is quite significant! In this article, I will not cite any studies. All the figures are purely my coaching experience, which I have accumulated over 9 years of observing and training my clients.

I also want to mention at the start that many of these experiments were sponsored by sports nutrition manufacturers. It's in their interest for the protein numbers to come out higher. After all, this will stimulate you to purchase more protein. Got it? Now, let’s get to the point.

Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

My experience tells me that for fat burning and muscle gain, you need to consume the same amount of protein. In the first case, we need protein to preserve muscles from breaking down, and in the second case, to increase muscle mass.

But a clever reader might ask: isn’t it true that less protein is needed to maintain muscle than to grow it? Yes, that’s true. However, it’s important to remember that during fat burning, you need to cut back on carbohydrates and fats. So what’s left to maintain the necessary caloric intake? Right, only protein. Plus, fat-burning workouts are much more intense. This means the process of muscle breakdown will also be more intense. So it turns out that it balances out in the end.

Men and Women

Women require less protein per kilogram of body weight than men. Firstly, they have less testosterone. This means that the process of building muscle happens much slower than in men. Additionally, they have a lower proportion of muscle mass compared to body weight. On average, athletic men have 50%-55% muscle mass relative to body weight, while women have 40%-45%. Less muscle means less protein is needed.

All of this leads to the conclusion that women (under the same conditions) need approximately 25%-30% less protein than men. Many authors, when discussing protein intake, strangely do not differentiate between men and women.

And now the numbers!

For fat burning or muscle gain we need:

• Men: 1.5 - 2 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight.
• Women: 1.5 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight.

For maintenance:

• Men: 1 - 1.5 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight.
• Women: 1 gram of protein per 1 kg of body weight.

As you can see, there are no 3 or 4 grams, as some gurus claim and some experiments show. Again, all these grams represent the total protein intake: regular food + protein (if you take it).

I can also say that for teenagers and individuals up to 18 - 19 years, it’s necessary to stick to the upper limits of the norm. Boys should aim for 2 grams, and girls for 1.5 grams since they are also experiencing overall body growth.

How much protein can be absorbed at once?

It is widely believed that only 30 grams can be absorbed at a time. Complete nonsense. The body doesn’t have any counter that keeps track of those 30 grams. Remember, the body will absorb exactly as much protein as it needs at that very moment. It can be 20, 30, 40, or even 100 grams. Of course, you can never know exactly how much protein the body needs at that moment. So, simply divide your daily protein requirement into 4-5 intakes throughout the day. This minimizes the risk of overconsumption. For instance, if you weigh 100 kg and consume 200 grams of protein in a day, divide that 200 by 4-5. You’ll end up with around 40 - 50 grams at a time.

In general, I suspect that the information about the 30 grams limit was intentionally spread by sports nutrition manufacturers to encourage you to drink protein more frequently. It’s a conspiracy theory! They’re watching us! )) Or they may have decided this based on 1-2 experiments that had significant errors or were based on a narrow selection of individuals.

In what cases might more than 2 grams be needed?

If you are not a professional bodybuilder, there is absolutely no reason for you to take more than 2 grams per kilogram of body weight. If you are taking 2 grams and your muscle mass still isn’t growing, then it’s not about the protein. From my experience, muscle generally grows well in most cases with just 1.5 grams (for men) per kilogram of body weight. Two grams is ideal and more than sufficient. Therefore, in my opinion, taking more than 2 grams of protein will not yield greater effects.

Conclusions

1. As you can see, it is not necessary to consume such a large amount of protein as the fitness industry tries to impose on us. A regular citizen will suffice with a maximum of 2 grams, while a citizen (woman) will need 1.5 grams per day per kilogram of body weight.

2. In the case of professional bodybuilders who take up to 4 grams, one must not forget that their muscle mass constitutes 70% - 75% of their total body weight. Additionally, the use of pharmacology significantly accelerates metabolism, leading to a much faster breakdown of protein.

3. And remember that all the figures I provided in this article are the result of my personal long-term observations. They are, in part, very much like mini-experiments. I can, of course, be wrong, but for me, practical experience is far more important than experimental data. After all, what do those data mean if the practice is entirely different? Good luck!