Why does MFP limit my protein?

deannalfisher

Gamliela wrote: »

So, a question I have is : If a moderately active person in maintenance eats sufficient protien, what would be benefit of eating more than enough? Other than if that is simply a taste factor? Does it benefit th body in a way that eating just sufficient protien and plenty of veg and fruit does? Is there an argument for eating more protien than 53 grams a day as the UK guidlines state?

eating more than the RDA - I have noticed more body recomp - my weight has stayed the same (within about 2lb variation), but I'm down 2 pants sizes in 5 months

Gamliela

I found the opposite. When I dropped down protien and added fruit, more sugar and carbs my pants size went down! LOL! Go figure, I guess everyone is a bit different.

livingleanlivingclean

Gamliela wrote: »

I found the opposite. When I dropped down protien and added fruit, more sugar and carbs my pants size went down! LOL! Go figure, I guess everyone is a bit different.

Were you logging accurately and eating the same calories?

Gamliela

Yes I logged it. I noticed its been much easier to meet my calorie goals and tbh in the few weeks since I started eating more fruit and veg my calories have not been up to my maintenance amount most days. But I know its not possible to have lost as much fat as my reduced size would indicate. So I may have lost 3 pounds actually, but it appears, looks like, more like 10. This surprised me because I came off a low carb way of eating and fully expected the dreaded bloat and water gain of, who knows, possibly 10 pounds. After a few days of initial puffing up all over, I dropped significantly and that whoosh was followed by a decrease in my waist measurement, an inch less than before I started adding the fruit and veg ( dietary carbs I have increased significantly/ calories only down average 200 a day in circa 3 weeks). I don't think its unusual, I just expected a gain as I have read so much about how people gain rapidly if they eat high carbs after low carb.

lemurcat12

Gamliela wrote: »

EFSA sets population reference intakes for protein

EFSA has published population reference intakes (PRIs) for protein, completing the latest stage of its work on dietary reference values (DRVs).

A PRI indicates the amount of an individual nutrient that the majority of people in a population need for good health depending on their age and sex. EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies set PRIs for protein for adults, infants and children, and pregnant and breast-feeding women, as follows:

Adults (including older adults) – 0.83 g per kg of body weight per day.
Infants, children and adolescents – between 0.83 g and 1.31 g per kg of body weight per day depending on age.
Pregnant women – additional intake of 1 g, 9 g and 28 g per day for the first, second and third trimesters respectively.
Breast-feeding women – additional intake of 19 g per day during the first 6 months of lactation and 13 g per day thereafter.

So that is what is recommended in Europe by the european union.

So again, how is this lower than the US numbers?

Gamliela

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Gamliela wrote: »

EFSA sets population reference intakes for protein

EFSA has published population reference intakes (PRIs) for protein, completing the latest stage of its work on dietary reference values (DRVs).

A PRI indicates the amount of an individual nutrient that the majority of people in a population need for good health depending on their age and sex. EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies set PRIs for protein for adults, infants and children, and pregnant and breast-feeding women, as follows:

Adults (including older adults) – 0.83 g per kg of body weight per day.
Infants, children and adolescents – between 0.83 g and 1.31 g per kg of body weight per day depending on age.
Pregnant women – additional intake of 1 g, 9 g and 28 g per day for the first, second and third trimesters respectively.
Breast-feeding women – additional intake of 19 g per day during the first 6 months of lactation and 13 g per day thereafter.

So that is what is recommended in Europe by the european union.

So again, how is this lower than the US numbers?

No its not, as you noted, I was posting it because I didn't provide the link. The UK is below this I believe though.

I have no argument to make. I just noticed that both the WHO and the UK advise a lower requirement for Protien. I also see here on mfp frequently that it is advised to eat one gram per pound of body weight. As per other threads going on atm.

lemurcat12

Gamliela wrote: »

So, a question I have is : If a moderately active person in maintenance eats sufficient protien, what would be benefit of eating more than enough? Other than if that is simply a taste factor? Does it benefit th body in a way that eating just sufficient protien and plenty of veg and fruit does? Is there an argument for eating more protien than 53 grams a day as the UK guidlines state?

At a deficit there is.

If one is active or trying to build muscle, there is. I would add to this that if one is concerned about maintaining muscle that is commonly lost as one ages, I think there is, which is one reason I want to keep mine higher than the RDA.

Here's a good source of information: https://examine.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-do-i-need-every-day/

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, protein intakes of 1.4-2.0 g/kg of bodyweight (0.6-0.9g/lb of bodyweight) for physically active individuals is not only safe, but may improve the training adaptations to exercise training. [7]. The American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine also support high protein intake for active individuals[8] in the range of 1.2-1.7 g/kg of bodyweight (0.5-0.8 g/lb of bodyweight).

The reasons for the above tend to be increased leucine oxidation (a marker for amino acids being used for fuel, by being turned into glucose) that requires a higher intake of amino acids to negate and preserve nitrogen balance.[9][7] Additionally, increasing protein intake above the previously defined RDA 'daily allowance' will increase protein synthesis and, at levels higher than double this total, decrease protein breakdown.[10] Increased muscular hypertrophy is seen as beneficial to sports performance.

lemurcat12

Gamliela wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Gamliela wrote: »

EFSA sets population reference intakes for protein

EFSA has published population reference intakes (PRIs) for protein, completing the latest stage of its work on dietary reference values (DRVs).

A PRI indicates the amount of an individual nutrient that the majority of people in a population need for good health depending on their age and sex. EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies set PRIs for protein for adults, infants and children, and pregnant and breast-feeding women, as follows:

Adults (including older adults) – 0.83 g per kg of body weight per day.
Infants, children and adolescents – between 0.83 g and 1.31 g per kg of body weight per day depending on age.
Pregnant women – additional intake of 1 g, 9 g and 28 g per day for the first, second and third trimesters respectively.
Breast-feeding women – additional intake of 19 g per day during the first 6 months of lactation and 13 g per day thereafter.

So that is what is recommended in Europe by the european union.

So again, how is this lower than the US numbers?

No its not, as you noted, I was posting it because I didn't provide the link. The UK is below this I believe though.

I have no argument to make. I just noticed that both the WHO and the UK advise a lower requirement for Protien. I also see here on mfp frequently that it is advised to eat one gram per pound of body weight. As per other threads going on atm.

Again, I rarely see any MFP regulars advising 1 g per lb of body weight (which IMO would have no benefit). I see people coming here thinking such numbers are needed from other (bodybuilding or whatever) websites, and it's also often driven by fear of fat and carbs.

What I see recommended on MFP (and what I recommend) is that if you are at a deficit or trying to build muscle or are quite active, .6-.85 g/lb of a healthy body weight (or .8-1 g/lb of LBM) are good numbers to aim for. I tend to aim at the higher end of those numbers (95-100 g), since I am active, am lower carb, and am a woman in my 40s, and I'd like to gain a bit of muscle/recomp when I am not working on losing body fat.

Gamliela

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Gamliela wrote: »

So, a question I have is : If a moderately active person in maintenance eats sufficient protien, what would be benefit of eating more than enough? Other than if that is simply a taste factor? Does it benefit th body in a way that eating just sufficient protien and plenty of veg and fruit does? Is there an argument for eating more protien than 53 grams a day as the UK guidlines state?

At a deficit there is.

If one is active or trying to build muscle, there is. I would add to this that if one is concerned about maintaining muscle that is commonly lost as one ages, I think there is, which is one reason I want to keep mine higher than the RDA.

Here's a good source of information: https://examine.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-do-i-need-every-day/

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, protein intakes of 1.4-2.0 g/kg of bodyweight (0.6-0.9g/lb of bodyweight) for physically active individuals is not only safe, but may improve the training adaptations to exercise training. [7]. The American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine also support high protein intake for active individuals[8] in the range of 1.2-1.7 g/kg of bodyweight (0.5-0.8 g/lb of bodyweight).

The reasons for the above tend to be increased leucine oxidation (a marker for amino acids being used for fuel, by being turned into glucose) that requires a higher intake of amino acids to negate and preserve nitrogen balance.[9][7] Additionally, increasing protein intake above the previously defined RDA 'daily allowance' will increase protein synthesis and, at levels higher than double this total, decrease protein breakdown.[10] Increased muscular hypertrophy is seen as beneficial to sports performance.

At my age not much muscle building is happening. Fortunatly my life has been active and for whatever reason, mostly genetics, I have a good ability to hang on to muscle. Dairy farming for generations may have something to do with it as well. I seem to be unable to avoid getting almost twice the recommended 53 grams a day.

I understand from what you posted that the larger protien requirement is for athelites and in very physically active individuals. I was asking about moderately active people. I had read that older people can benefit from somewhat higher protien intake but it isn't much and I believe I am already above that amount tbh.

So for me, .5 grams per pound is 75 grams per day, within the range of the associations you mentioned. I am even over that some days. It seems very possible, maybe even easy to get enough protien imo unless people are of very high body weight.

lemurcat12

Gamliela wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Gamliela wrote: »

So, a question I have is : If a moderately active person in maintenance eats sufficient protien, what would be benefit of eating more than enough? Other than if that is simply a taste factor? Does it benefit th body in a way that eating just sufficient protien and plenty of veg and fruit does? Is there an argument for eating more protien than 53 grams a day as the UK guidlines state?

At a deficit there is.

If one is active or trying to build muscle, there is. I would add to this that if one is concerned about maintaining muscle that is commonly lost as one ages, I think there is, which is one reason I want to keep mine higher than the RDA.

Here's a good source of information: https://examine.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-do-i-need-every-day/

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, protein intakes of 1.4-2.0 g/kg of bodyweight (0.6-0.9g/lb of bodyweight) for physically active individuals is not only safe, but may improve the training adaptations to exercise training. [7]. The American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine also support high protein intake for active individuals[8] in the range of 1.2-1.7 g/kg of bodyweight (0.5-0.8 g/lb of bodyweight).

The reasons for the above tend to be increased leucine oxidation (a marker for amino acids being used for fuel, by being turned into glucose) that requires a higher intake of amino acids to negate and preserve nitrogen balance.[9][7] Additionally, increasing protein intake above the previously defined RDA 'daily allowance' will increase protein synthesis and, at levels higher than double this total, decrease protein breakdown.[10] Increased muscular hypertrophy is seen as beneficial to sports performance.

At my age not much muscle building is happening. Fortunatly my life has been active and for whatever reason, mostly genetics, I have a good ability to hang on to muscle. Dairy farming for generations may have something to do with it as well. I seem to be unable to avoid getting almost twice the recommended 53 grams a day.

I understand from what you posted that the larger protien requirement is for athelites and in very physically active individuals. I was asking about moderately active people. I had read that older people can benefit from somewhat higher protien intake but it isn't much and I believe I am already above that amount tbh.

So for me, .5 grams per pound is 75 grams per day, within the range of the associations you mentioned. I am even over that some days. It seems very possible, maybe even easy to get enough protien imo unless people are of very high body weight.

That's actually the reason I err on the higher side. Like I said, muscle building is harder and muscle loss is common for an older woman (I'm 47), so I work to avoid it. Plus, I see no reason to think muscle building is impossible, and I want to improve my composition overall. For recomping (losing fat, gaining muscle), I think it is beneficial too. Also, since I tend to do quite a bit of cardio, which means that muscles need to be repaired (I'm training for a marathon).

But for just health without these factors no reason to eat more than the RDA, IMO, unless you find it makes things easier. I tend to get my 95 g or more without thinking about it most of the time.