Is the emphasis on protein over-hyped?

Ducks47 wrote: »

I heard we should eat 1/3 of our weight (pounds) of protein in grams a day. I am eating either just at that amount or below with a protein shake. There are people that eat 100+ grams but is it really necessary?

never heard of the 1/3 thing. The RDA for protein is a minimum for health and also assumes a more or less sedentary lifestyle. People who are active need more because they're constantly breaking down muscle and protein helps to rebuild it. People who are trying to put on muscle mass also need more. It is also beneficial to eat more when dieting because it helps preserve muscle mass in a calorie deficit...when you diet, you lose both fat and muscle...loss of muscle mass can be mitigated by more protein and resistance training.

For health, I think .8 g per kg of a healthy weight is recommended (or .36g/lb -- I expect that's where your 1/3 estimate comes from). So for someone 125 lb, that would be only 44 g.

That's not a maximum, and there are other reasons someone might want to eat more protein. One, relevant to people cutting calories, is that it tends to be the most filling macro, although people, of course, vary as to what satiaties them.

Another is that higher amounts can be beneficial if you exercise a lot or are cutting calories (this time for retaining muscle), as well as if you are trying to build muscle. And that gets more important as people get older.

Here's one good source: https://examine.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-do-you-need/

There are discussions of studies and explanations at the link, but to summarize:

"The U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 g/kg. This is considered to be the minimal amount of protein a healthy adult must consume daily to prevent muscle wasting when total caloric intake is sufficient. According to recent studies, however, the RDA for protein may not be sufficient for healthy young men,[1] older men,[2] or older women.[3][4] These studies point to 1.2 g/kg as the minimum intake before the body starts downregulating important non-essential processes, from immune function to muscle protein synthesis.[5] Even a reanalysis of the data used to establish the RDA suggests the minimum intake should be at least 1.0 g/kg.[6]"

1.2 kg per lb for the 125 lb woman is 68 g. Personally, I think of this as about my minimum, although I usually eat more.

Also:

"If you’re physically very active, you need more protein daily than if you were sedentary. The American College of Sports Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the Dietitians of Canada recommend 1.2–2.0 g/kg to optimize recovery from training and to promote the growth and maintenance of lean mass when caloric intake is sufficient.[8] This recommendation is similar to that of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (1.4–2.0 g/kg).[9]

Importantly, it may be better to aim for the higher end of the above ranges. According to the most comprehensive meta-analysis to date on the effects of protein supplementation on muscle mass and strength, the average amount of protein required to maximize lean mass is about 1.6 g/kg, and some people need upwards of 2.2 g/kg.[10] For those interested in a comprehensive breakdown of this study, please refer to our Examine.com Research Digest, Issue 34, Volume 1."

And most important for the usual discussion on MFP:

"More protein helps preserve lean mass in dieters, especially lean dieters. An early review concluded that, to optimize body composition, dieting athletes should consume 1.8–2.7 g/kg.[15] Later studies have argued that, to minimize lean-mass loss, dieting athletes should consume 2.3–3.1 g/kg (closer to the higher end of the range as leanness and caloric deficit increase).[16] This latter recommendation has been upheld by the International Society of Sports Nutrition[17] and by a review article on bodybuilding contest preparation.[18]

Note that those recommendations are for people who are relatively lean already. Several meta-analyses involving people with overweightness or obesity suggest that 1.2–1.5 g/kg is an appropriate daily protein intake range to maximize fat loss.[19][20][21] This range is supported by the European Association for the Study of Obesity, who recommend up to 1.5 g/kg for elderly adults with obesity.[22] It is important to realize that this range is based on actual body weight, not on lean mass or ideal body weight."

So because I am a woman in my late 40s, active and would like to lose a bit more fat, gain some muscle, and currently maintaining a small calorie deficit, I see the recommendation for me as closer to 2 kg/lb (discounted since I'm not really an athlete and not especially lean). For the 125 lb woman, that becomes 114 g.

I'm not that focused on it, and eat a range of about 80-120 depending on the day.

Personally I think a good general recommendation unless you have super specific goals is around .65-.8 g/lb of a healthy goal weight.