How much is too much protein?

It says the suggested daily serving is 45 grams - I usually ball park around 100 or 115 grams. Is it bad to consume more protein than recommended daily intake? This is coming naturally from the foods such as meats or eggs I eat and no other sources.

Also, this happens to me with sugar intake sometimes as well but not as drastic. Daily recommendation is 24 grams but I tend to hit 40 grams at times as 1 apple and natural sugars in foods already adds up for the daily recommendation quickly. Doesn't seem enough!

I also ask this question without activity level in play. Is it bad to consume over the daily recommended grams while sedentary?

Replies

  • kkdelduca
    kkdelduca Posts: 73
    Good question. I'm curious also.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    The recommended amount is the bare minimum. Don't worry, I usually get over 100g a day too - most of us around here do :) The important thing is to have a balanced diet - as long as you're getting some healthy carbs and fats in there with your protein, it's no biggie. Protein is actually great when you're losing weight because it can be beneficial in preserving your lean mass - in other words, it can help with losing pure fat instead of fat + muscle.

    Also, don't worry so much about natural sugars in foods. Fruit is great for you! It's refined/processed sugars that you should try to limit. This applies whether you're sedentary or not - though of course, a little exercise is always great for you :)

    Good luck!
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
    Not a bad thing at all. The MFP recommendation is far below the optimal amount to retain muscle mass while in a calorie deficit.
  • Barbellgirl
    Barbellgirl Posts: 544 Member
    Sites like scoobyworkshop will tell you it's okay to consume up to 1 gram a day or every pound of lean muscle mass. If you are worried, just drink lots of water. It's usually the kidneys that are taxed with excess protein which will just pass out of your body, drinking lots of water will make their job easier. I consume about 40% of my daily calories fom protein or close to 1.3 grams per pound but I'm active and trying to put on muscle. I hope that helps.
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
    Layne Norton....has a PhD in protein metabolism.....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjmV8BlsJTQ
  • Scrogglez
    Scrogglez Posts: 26 Member
    .8-1grams x your bodyweight
    your body can only absorb so much at once 30grams/4hrs but pack that **** in

    Protein is great
  • agleckle
    agleckle Posts: 235 Member
    Yeah, the MFP amount for protein is way low, but it depends on what you want to do also, Are you trying to gain muscle? Just maintain your muscle mass? I personally try to eat roughly .8 or 1*my bodyweight grams of protein so I make sure my body has plenty of protein to maintain as much muscle mass as possible while losing fat.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    .8-1grams x your bodyweight
    your body can only absorb so much at once 30grams/4hrs but pack that **** in

    Protein is great
    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/is-there-a-limit-to-how-much-protein-the-body-can-use-in-a-single-meal/
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    .8-1grams x your bodyweight
    your body can only absorb so much at once 30grams/4hrs but pack that **** in

    Protein is great
    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/is-there-a-limit-to-how-much-protein-the-body-can-use-in-a-single-meal/

    ^Was just about to post this :drinker:
  • Very cool guys! It's good to know I am not over doing it with the protein. I am eating healthier/cleaner and meet my carbs and fats usually. I just find I go quite high in the protein department. And as usual Vitamin A and C are sky rocketing underneath that.

    To answer one of the questions above, I am not eating the protein to do anything specific. I am not trying to gain muscle mass or lean up specifically. Just wanting to eat the right amount of good foods and also listening to my body.

    I do exercise so the protein is definitely useful post work outs. More so concerned on sedentary days and if it's better to cut it down. Luckily I don't eat more than 30-35 grams of protein per 2-3 hours so that's good too. I guess my body does know what it needs.

    And I do find I drink a lot of water after protein induced meals. So hopefully my kidney's will be ok. Going to read more articles on this topic!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Very cool guys! It's good to know I am not over doing it with the protein. I am eating healthier/cleaner and meet my carbs and fats usually. I just find I go quite high in the protein department. And as usual Vitamin A and C are sky rocketing underneath that.

    To answer one of the questions above, I am not eating the protein to do anything specific. I am not trying to gain muscle mass or lean up specifically. Just wanting to eat the right amount of good foods and also listening to my body.

    I do exercise so the protein is definitely useful post work outs. More so concerned on sedentary days and if it's better to cut it down. Luckily I don't eat more than 30-35 grams of protein per 2-3 hours so that's good too. I guess my body does know what it needs.

    And I do find I drink a lot of water after protein induced meals. So hopefully my kidney's will be ok. Going to read more articles on this topic!

    You really don't have to worry about setting a 30g limit on protein doses.
  • .8-1grams x your bodyweight
    your body can only absorb so much at once 30grams/4hrs but pack that **** in

    Protein is great
    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/is-there-a-limit-to-how-much-protein-the-body-can-use-in-a-single-meal/

    ^Was just about to post this :drinker:

    Great article you guys!!

    Also this was a great paragraph in the conclusion section:

    "Based on the available evidence, it’s false to assume that the body can only use a certain amount of protein per meal. Studies examining short-term effects have provided hints towards what might be an optimal protein dose for maximizing anabolism, but trials drawn out over longer periods haven’t supported this idea. So, is there a limit to how much protein per meal can be effectively used? Yes there is, but this limit is likely similar to the amount that’s maximally effective in an entire day. What’s the most protein that the body can effectively use in an entire day? The short answer is, a lot more than 20-30 g. The long answer is, it depends on several factors. In most cases it’s not too far from a gram per pound in drug-free trainees, given that adequate total calories are provided [8,9]. In terms of application, I’ve consistently observed the effectiveness of having approximately a quarter of your target bodyweight in both the pre- and post-exercise meal."