Is the maximum of ~30 grams of protein per meal myth busted?

batorkin · September 2019

The growing tend of the last few years seems to be that consuming much more than 30g of protein per meal will result in unused protein. However, there have been studies that show eating 30g of protein 6 times and day versus 60g of protein 3 times a day resulted in no overall difference in muscle gains. I still see people claiming to spread your protein out though...

I don't know what to believe. Is it wrong for me to start every day with a frozen fruit/yogurt/protein smoothie that contains 63g of protein? Would I really benefit more from making 2 smaller smoothies and spreading them out?

mmapags · September 2019

batorkin wrote: »

The growing tend of the last few years seems to be that consuming much more than 30g of protein per meal will result in unused protein. However, there have been studies that show eating 30g of protein 6 times and day versus 60g of protein 3 times a day resulted in no overall difference in muscle gains. I still see people claiming to spread your protein out though...

I don't know what to believe. Is it wrong for me to start every day with a frozen fruit/yogurt/protein smoothie that contains 63g of protein? Would I really benefit more from making 2 smaller smoothies and spreading them out?

No, it's not wrong. It's fine. The protein research that derived that 30 gram thing multiple times per day was done using whey shakes for the sake control. When you eat whole foods the transit time changes and the absorption rate changes. To what degree? We don't really know as there haven't been controlled studies on different meal compositions.

Bottom line is that, unless you are body builder training for competitions, it likely makes very little difference.

LyndaBSS · September 2019

I don't read studies about things like this. I also don't pay much attention to the macros. I focus on staying in a calorie deficit and lose weight.

As long as my doctors are happy and my bloodwork is good, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

manowarrule2003 · September 2019

I guess if you were a 250lb mass monster... You would be awake all day trying to space out 30g portions. Doesnt make sense

MikePTY · September 2019

I had never heard this one before. There is a ton of bro science when it comes to meal timing and protein intake and muscle building, this seems like it is one of them. Eat your protein when you want, how you want. A lot of people try to make it more complicated out there than it needs to be, and I wouldn't let them do it for you.

edickson76 · September 2019

Jeff Nippard myth bust Monday series addresses this one. Give YouTube a search.

mmapags · September 2019

LyndaBSS wrote: »

I don't read studies about things like this. I also don't pay much attention to the macros. I focus on staying in a calorie deficit and lose weight.

As long as my doctors are happy and my bloodwork is good, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

You are also posting in the bodybuilding and weight gain forum where most here are looking to gain muscle mass. I'm guessing that is not a focus for you. For pure weight loss, calories or the only thing that matter. For muscle gains, protein in a primary focus along with a good training program.

magnusthenerd · September 2019

It probably doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things, but there may be some utility in having some spacing of protein. I think 4 servings a day with 30g that hits necessary aminos particularly leucine is going to better than say having all protein for the day in a single meal. Not by a huge amount.
Getting in protein within a 2 hour window before or after your workout is probably good.
The instant it becomes a stressing point, the cortisol probably is more detrimental than the benefits from optimization of timing.

sijomial · October 2019

Yes it's a myth - basically if you eat it your body will use it.
Rates of absorbtion aren't the same thing as your body can't use a large bolus of protein.

Worth a read....
https://examine.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-can-you-eat-in-one-sitting/

magnusthenerd · October 2019

I think part of the issue is there is confusion over where the 30g's comes from and what people are thinking it does that causes the myth part.

For clarity, the reason for the specific 30g number comes from the amount of protein it takes typically to kick off a maximal increase in muscle protein synthesis (MPS). The amount can actually be less when the protein source is high in leucine like whey is. It might need to actually be higher for some protein like a lot of plant based ones. The idea is that the MPS pathway responds to a load of protein and then becomes insensitive to protein loads for about 4 hours before it can kick of another maximum synthesis. It also might become sensitive again following training. That's generally where this number comes from and the context of it.

In the broscience circles, this somehow morphed into the idea the body only absorbs 30 grams in a meal, and then everything else does nothing. Just because your body isn't initiated MPS doesn't mean it won't make use of protein. Pretty much all is absorbed, all is used.

Last I saw, the research on intermittent fasting with a window that basically made for two meals didn't show any worse muscle gains than a control feeding window. So for whatever the possible differences in meals are, they don't seem to produce a measurable, statistically significant difference.

Is the maximum of ~30 grams of protein per meal myth busted?

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