Excess Protein?

HotBodUnderConstruction

Is there an upper bound limit regarding how much protein your body can absorb in one sitting? I'm curious because I've read here that meal frequency doesn't matter for metabolism, but at least in terms of getting your macronutrients in can I eat 100g of protein in one meal and it actually get absorbed properly?

rileysowner

I hoping someone will post actual studies, but basically the bigger the protein meal, the longer it takes to digest. So you may be digesting it still 8 hours later. That is more or less true of any meal. The bigger the meal the longer it takes to digest. I'm sure there is an upper limit, but I would guess it is quite high. Our bodies are very good a processing food. Realize also that even eating small amounts of protein, some will absorbed completely simply due to how available and easy to digest it is.

HotBodUnderConstruction

I hoping someone will post actual studies, but basically the bigger the protein meal, the longer it takes to digest. So you may be digesting it still 8 hours later. That is more or less true of any meal. The bigger the meal the longer it takes to digest. I'm sure there is an upper limit, but I would guess it is quite high. Our bodies are very good a processing food. Realize also that even eating small amounts of protein, some will absorbed completely simply due to how available and easy to digest it is.

Thanks for the response. I am hoping for medical citations as well. I've read about the length of time it takes protein to be digested, but I'm definitely curious about protein absorption.

rileysowner

I'm curious as well. Sadly you topic title may be seen as yet another person asking about being over their protein amount and whether it is bad. That is what I expected to find when I saw the topic. Hopefully some of the intense researchers will pick up this thread as I would like citations as well.

HotBodUnderConstruction

LOL- I think you're right. I have yet to finesse the art of catchy thread titles.

billthekill

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

Article by Alan Aragon

HotBodUnderConstruction

Thanks, hopefully I can find a meta analysis through the article's citations

slkehl

Some proteins are more digestible than others so it depends on what type of proteins you are eating. Proteins can be structured and bonded together in many many different ways, all which affect digestibility. For example, keratin is insoluble in water, so it resists digestion. Proteins with a lot of sugars attached to them are also resistant since they have a barrier of sorts that keeps the enzymes in the intestines from getting to them and breaking them down. The amino acids within the protein all have different digestibility as well. In a gram of protein, you can get many more miligrams of leucine, lysine, and phenylalanine than you can of tyrptophan, isoleucine, and histadine, for example. So it is very complex. However, the daily requirement for protein is quite low and those living in developed countries should easily eat enough, so I don't believe eating all your protein for the day in one sitting would make you deficient in any way, if that's what you are getting at. Also, the body has a pool of amino acids it can use for storage and pull from at any point.


The Dietary Reference Intakes from 2005 by the Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Sciences is some of the best information on the consumption, digestion, and metabolism of protein: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/DRI//DRI_Energy/589-768.pdf
Let me know if you need any help "translating"

For those who want to know how much is too much protein:

From that link: "While an upper range for total protein in the diet as a percent of total energy intake was set at no more than 35 percent to decrease risk of chronic disease (see Chapter 11), there were insufficient data to provide dose–response relationships to establish a Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for total protein or for any of the amino acids. However, the absence of a UL means that caution is warranted in using any single amino acid at levels significantly above that normally found in food."

So basically, protein above 35% isn't going to decrease your risk of disease. There's not enough research to give a number for how much is too much, but it could be dangerous, so avoid taking any one type of protein at levels much higher than in the food (aka too many protein supplements)

HotBodUnderConstruction

Thank you for the links and info!

Hopeful677

I'm curious as well. Sadly you topic title may be seen as yet another person asking about being over their protein amount and whether it is bad. That is what I expected to find when I saw the topic. Hopefully some of the intense researchers will pick up this thread as I would like citations as well.

Does anyone have an answer for this question? I have a problem with always going over in protein and don't know if it's bad to do that...

slkehl

No, it isn't. If you stick to normal foods and don't mess around with amino acid supplements, you're golden.

nataliefallbach

I am also always over on protein, but I feel good so I think its working for me. Listen to your body, carbs make me starving later, protein helps me keep my calories in check

HotBodUnderConstruction

The question is not regarding the daily total of protein consumption, it's about how many grams of protein your body can absorb in ONE SITTING. Just want to make sure others don't get confused about the question and information being posted here.

jacksonpt

The question is not regarding the daily total of protein consumption, it's about how many grams of protein your body can absorb in ONE SITTING. Just want to make sure others don't get confused about the question and information being posted here.

I'm no expert here, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but how can you think about things in terms of "a sitting"? Considering how long it can take the body to digest and metabolize food, how many of us actually don't eat again until our previous meal is completely processed?

DCFineandFit

I am also always over on protein. I came to this diet plan from weight watchers and I know the food that I am eating would not put me over my allotted points total. How does the extra protein affect your weight loss effort?