Why only 45 grams of protein?

tdelo7634

Protein in excess is actually really bad for you. If your goal is weight loss only I would go ahead and change it in your preferences, however, if health is also a priority I would strive for lower protein consumption.

1.5 grams per pound is often recommended depend on you goals, and is a far cry from excess. For myself that is 225g.

erickirb

I've heard this for years. Too much protein is toxic and that protein is used as a weight gainer, so why UP your protein if you're trying to lose weight? Seems counter-productive?

http://www.medicinenet.com/how_much_dietary_protein_to_consume/views.htm

It is only used as a weight gainer in a caloric surplus to make sure most of what you gain is muscle and not fat. But protein well in a deficit, actually helps you retain the muscle you already have, not getting enough would lead to a larger % of your weight loss coming from muscle, instead of fat.

erickirb

Protein in excess is actually really bad for you. If your goal is weight loss only I would go ahead and change it in your preferences, however, if health is also a priority I would strive for lower protein consumption.

1.5 grams per pound is often recommended depend on you goals, and is a far cry from excess. For myself that is 225g.

Really that higher, maybe 1.5g per lb of LBM, not total weight, that said you probably don't even need that much 1 gram per lb of LBM is usually enough, though more doesn't hurt.

fruttibiscotti

MFP sets your macros using a "% of calories" approach.

this is not really correct.

your protein macro is a function of Lean Body Mass, not the number of calories you eat.

set your protein at 1.0g/lb of LBM and try to meet or exceed this number each day.

for example, if you weigh 150lbs and your BF% is 30%, then your protein goal should be 1.0g x (1-0.3) x 150 = 105g.

^^^ this. I use the 1.5 grams per kg of lean body mass ratio to calculate my protein grams. For a person who does hours of hard exercise, they would need more, otherwise someone who is a couch potato would need less. The 1.5 ratio is the midway point (which I use). When you readjust your protein %, it is best to take it off of the carbs % and not fat %. Fat is good for you - and I had to learn that lesson the hard way - I had increased my protein, and reduced my fat to low percentage, which caused problems with my skin, digestion, sleep, etc. Unfortunately, fat gets a bad reputation, when it shouldn't, as we need fat in our diets to stay healthy. Hope you find what's best for you. Good luck.

jar819

Too much protein in the form of meat and shellfish can raise uric acid levels and lead to gout or as others mentioned kidney problems. If you are eating more protein than drink a lot of water and balance it with other healthy items, fruits and veg. Just saying..gout is NO fun and I am living proof that overdoing the protein can be harmful. I was recently diaganosed with gout and it is a very painful form of arthritis that affects joints. Food for thought...pun intended..

DopeItUp

I've heard this for years. Too much protein is toxic and that protein is used as a weight gainer, so why UP your protein if you're trying to lose weight? Seems counter-productive?

http://www.medicinenet.com/how_much_dietary_protein_to_consume/views.htm

Protein is not a weight gainer any more than fat or carbs are.

If you read your own link, it states a possible issue with extreme protein intake and extremely low carb intake. Sometimes referred to as Rabbit Starvation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation

This is a very specific and almost impossible situation to encounter without REALLY REALLY trying. Basically extreme amounts of protein (several hundred grams of protein a day), WITHOUT any other fat or carbs.

This is a problem none of us will ever face in our lifetimes.

uconnwinsnc

It is nearly impossible to "overdose" on protein unless you're just chugging protein shakes all day. Don't worry if it goes well into the red on MFP.

33Freya

MFP is a guideline only.
If I go over protein or fiber, I don't consider it a bad thing. For me, those are just minimums. I watch calories, carbs, and sugars and try not to go over on those though. Fat too, unless I ate avocado or nuts that day

Don't stress it

steve_mfp

Protein intake:
.64g-.82g per pound of body weight or 1.4g1-1.8g per Kg of body weight is the most you really need.

Link that cites actually research on the topic:
http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/

You can go above it but it's not going to change how fast you build muscle. Studies at Colgan Institute of Nutritional Sciences by Dr Michael Colgan PHD found the highest amount of lean muscle mass in a year was ~18 pounds and is limited by your genetics...i don't have the link to the exact paper on hand.

In regards to too much protein...no real evidence yet, unless you are going excessive and it's usually a problem NOT because of too much protein but not enough of the rest of your macros/micros and water intake.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16174292

full extract:

http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/2/1/25

amastre

I've heard this for years. Too much protein is toxic and that protein is used as a weight gainer, so why UP your protein if you're trying to lose weight? Seems counter-productive?

http://www.medicinenet.com/how_much_dietary_protein_to_consume/views.htm

A lot of studies have shown that diets higher in protein can result in greater fat loss when one is eating at a caloric deficit. The article you cited is correct that it isn't recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to consume greater than 35% of one's calories from protein, however there is still plenty of room between 10-35% of daily calories for variation.

mustgetmuscles1

http://www.lookgreatnaked.com/blog/high-protein-intake-myths-and-misconceptions-about-saftey-part-1/


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16174292

Dietary protein intake and renal function.
Martin WF, Armstrong LE, Rodriguez NR.
Source
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA. William.martin@uconn.edu
Abstract
Recent trends in weight loss diets have led to a substantial increase in protein intake by individuals. As a result, the safety of habitually consuming dietary protein in excess of recommended intakes has been questioned. In particular, there is concern that high protein intake may promote renal damage by chronically increasing glomerular pressure and hyperfiltration. There is, however, a serious question as to whether there is significant evidence to support this relationship in healthy individuals. In fact, some studies suggest that hyperfiltration, the purported mechanism for renal damage, is a normal adaptative mechanism that occurs in response to several physiological conditions. This paper reviews the available evidence that increased dietary protein intake is a health concern in terms of the potential to initiate or promote renal disease. While protein restriction may be appropriate for treatment of existing kidney disease, we find no significant evidence for a detrimental effect of high protein intakes on kidney function in healthy persons after centuries of a high protein Western diet.

geebusuk

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/three-problems-associated-much-protein-intake-6546.html

First, should be noted that I presume the OP isn't pregnant.
Then - this link is rather alarmist and makes few real points. The first reason it gives not to eat lots of protein is because if you do you'll eat too many calories and too many calories=fat. Well, duh; I'd hope most on MFP understand that eating too much food makes them fat .

The liver function has a 'may' - and yes, if you have other problems, this MAY be an issue.
Just as if you have an allergy, eating peanuts may be deadly.

The last one is not only based on rather questionable science by modern standards, but also not against protein per se.

[qute]http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20000425/protein-popularity
This is 13 years old. I can't believe even they they couldn't find evidence that a high protein diet beniftted bodybuilders.
Athletes that didn't do strength training, sure I can understand that.
"Taking in excess protein means you'll just be excreting it," Pagenkemper says. "Basically, high protein is just an expensive way to feed yourself."
It also say they can't know what the right amount is.

So I believe the logic behind your claim people may end up getting too much protein is faulty.

stt43

MFP is a guideline only.
If I go over protein or fiber, I don't consider it a bad thing. For me, those are just minimums. I watch calories, carbs, and sugars and try not to go over on those though. Fat too, unless I ate avocado or nuts that day

Don't stress it

If you go too far over on fibre you may end up doing a poo in your pants.