How much protein is too much ?

dlp97dlp

Hi there,

I had a very poor diet and suddenly decided I need to make a change, I was eating so much processed food and 'junk' food. Microwave burgers and many pizzas a week. Chocolate bars daily, crisps etc... and VERY little fruit and veg.

I never put a great deal of weight on surprisingly but the diet was poor.

Now maybe 5 or 6 days a week for a quick and easy lunch I eat a packet of multi grains and rice (75g carbs - 10 g of protein and fibre - little fat)

I pair it with around 100g of tuna from a can (protein 30g). Sometimes a good handful of nuts as well goes with it.

Roughly I must be consuming around 75g of protein a day which too me seems allot?

I am 6ft and 72kg - looking to maintain my weight. I do a little exercise but tend to do lots of walking anyway.

Just need some advice if that is too much protein on a daily basis?

Thanks

deannalfisher

considering i'm 5'3" and do 140g a day - no 75g isn't too much

a decent rule of thumb - .8-1g per goal lean muscle mass or .6-.8g per overall body weight

so 72kg = 130g (.8*(72x2.2))

kommodevaran

75 grams isn't much for someone your size, it's actually on the low side. It's probably sufficient, but I would actually be more concerend about your diet's apparent lack of variety. Eat different things through the day and from day to day, as long as it's practical.

jjpptt2

You're fine. It's only a lot because you're not accustomed to eating that way.

thunderztormdk

Atm I'm trying to eat +100g of protein a day, so don't worry. Also, excess protein isn't dangerous, so there really is no reason to worry.

Carlos_421

Science has yet to find an upper limit to how much protein is too much.
That said, 75 grams for someone your size is pretty low. I’d actually be aiming for about 100-125 grams if I were you. More towards 125 if you start lifting heavy.

steveko89

75g/day definitely isn't too much IMO. It all depends on personal preference and goals, personally I shoot for at least 175g (1g/lb body weight) and I'm 6'1" 178lbs (~80kg)

RDA is 0.8g/kg, so that's effectively the minimum which would equate to ~58g/day.

Interesting read from the Harvard Medical Center on Protein needs:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096

SledPup

You should consume as much protein as much as you weigh for me I'm 180lbs
So I aim for 180 grams of protein

steveko89

I found another interesting read on the 1g/lb (2.2g/kg) body weight "rule" that the bodybuilding community has lived and died on (and the basis of my intake and recommendation above, likely @SledPup's as well).

https://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/

Write-up includes a number of studies with a range of subjects, though I thought the time-period for most was a little limited. Here's the TL;DR from the bottom of the page:

Take Home Messages
• There is normally no advantage to consuming more than 0.82g/lb (1.8g/kg) of protein per day to preserve or build muscle for natural trainees. This already includes a mark-up, since most research finds no more benefits after 0.64 g/lb.
• Optimal protein intake decreases with training age, because your body becomes more efficient at preventing protein breakdown resulting from training and less protein is needed for the increasingly smaller amount of muscle that is built after each training session.

Doing the math for OP that's 102-130g/day for effective muscle synthesis, which would probably be the threshold of "too much" for a 72kg male who doesn't exercise much.

lemurcat12

steveko89 wrote: »

I found another interesting read on the 1g/lb (2.2g/kg) body weight "rule" that the bodybuilding community has lived and died on (and the basis of my intake and recommendation above, likely @SledPup's as well).

https://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/

Write-up includes a number of studies with a range of subjects, though I thought the time-period for most was a little limited. Here's the TL;DR from the bottom of the page:

Take Home Messages
• There is normally no advantage to consuming more than 0.82g/lb (1.8g/kg) of protein per day to preserve or build muscle for natural trainees. This already includes a mark-up, since most research finds no more benefits after 0.64 g/lb.
• Optimal protein intake decreases with training age, because your body becomes more efficient at preventing protein breakdown resulting from training and less protein is needed for the increasingly smaller amount of muscle that is built after each training session.

Doing the math for OP that's 102-130g/day for effective muscle synthesis, which would probably be the threshold of "too much" for a 72kg male who doesn't exercise much.

Agree that there's no need to/likely benefit from aiming for more than .8 g per lb of healthy body weight, and that the 1 g/lb is just bro science or a simple measure. I generally recommend aiming for .65-.85 g per lb (of a healthy weight) if one is trying to gain muscle or is in a deficit.

Don't understand why that would mean that above that range is "too much." It could still have other benefits, like being a way someone enjoys eating or greater satiety. (I don't personally eat above that range much, but I think many healthfully do.)

lynn_glenmont

lemurcat12 wrote: »

steveko89 wrote: »

I found another interesting read on the 1g/lb (2.2g/kg) body weight "rule" that the bodybuilding community has lived and died on (and the basis of my intake and recommendation above, likely @SledPup's as well).

https://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/

Write-up includes a number of studies with a range of subjects, though I thought the time-period for most was a little limited. Here's the TL;DR from the bottom of the page:

Take Home Messages
• There is normally no advantage to consuming more than 0.82g/lb (1.8g/kg) of protein per day to preserve or build muscle for natural trainees. This already includes a mark-up, since most research finds no more benefits after 0.64 g/lb.
• Optimal protein intake decreases with training age, because your body becomes more efficient at preventing protein breakdown resulting from training and less protein is needed for the increasingly smaller amount of muscle that is built after each training session.

Doing the math for OP that's 102-130g/day for effective muscle synthesis, which would probably be the threshold of "too much" for a 72kg male who doesn't exercise much.

Agree that there's no need to/likely benefit from aiming for more than .8 g per lb of healthy body weight, and that the 1 g/lb is just bro science or a simple measure. I generally recommend aiming for .65-.85 g per lb (of a healthy weight) if one is trying to gain muscle or is in a deficit.

Don't understand why that would mean that above that range is "too much." It could still have other benefits, like being a way someone enjoys eating or greater satiety. (I don't personally eat above that range much, but I think many healthfully do.)

^^Good clarification -- I just assumed the quotes in the earlier post around "too much" meant "not literally 'too much,' just more than your body will use for functions for which it requires protein specifically," but that's probably because I was interpreting it through the filter of believing it's not really too much in any sense of being physically harmful, just "more than sufficient." But there are probably lurkers who would take it literally.

xxzenabxx

75g would be enough for short lightweight woman...if you're 6 ft then I would increase it.

Shawshankcan

My daily goals are around 275-300.

AnnPT77

I'm endorsing 0.6-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight - not current weight if overweight/obese - as a minimum, especially for those who are active or losing weight.

More won't hurt a healthy person, unless it drives out other essential nutrition like adequate fats (.35-.45g per pound of healthy weight) or veggies/fruits (5+ servings daily).

Lean59man

You really don't need to concern yourself with protein if you are eating a balanced diet.

However, MFP's default macro is 20% protein and this very adequate.

Th excessive protein concept is BS.

vingogly

The only medical concerns I've heard are related to kidney disease and gout (if you have gout attacks, you have to watch which sources of protein you use - something like a can of sardines can trigger an attack for me). I tend to average right around the minimum daily requirement for men but could stand to add a little more protein to my daily intake. I've started doing a protein smoothie in the evening.

YosemiteSlamAK

If you realize you are constantly tooting, you may be consuming too much protein. I noticed when I was drinking a lot of protein shakes, a side effect was I got gassy. I stopped the shakes, reduced my protein intake and the gassiness dissipated.