Does your body only absorb so many grams of protien/fat per sitting?

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JustaNoob
JustaNoob Posts: 147 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was watching documentary last night that talked about this and much of the other information was pretty good. But this was the first I heard on this.

I tend to eat 2 big meals a day and try to meet protein goals with those. But this said that your body can't take in all that protein at once (or twice) and promoted eating 5 meals a day. Is that true?

Sometimes there is so much information out there, I can't decide who is right.

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    So many grams of protein an hour - yes there is a limit, but obviously that won't be the same number for every individual of whatever size.

    So many grams of protein a sitting - that's a bit more nuanced as our bodies are very good at using every thing we stick in our pie holes. Effectively with a big / high protein meal your digestion is slowed down so that unless you are talking about massive protein overloads you are going to process it, but just over a longer timescale.
  • JustaNoob
    JustaNoob Posts: 147 Member
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    Oh okay so.. If I sit down and get 50grams of protein in one sitting, it will just process slower over the day? It's not like I will eat 50g's then only absorb 10g's, then the rest goes to waste or something.

    I am concerned about losing significant muscle so I want to hit my protein goals. But I was worried that even in hitting them, I might have to spread them out more (like 6 meals a day).
  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
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    If you want a scientific analysis of the studies on protein absorption, here's one:

    https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
    edited February 2021
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    This come up so often and whatever I say will be contradicted by someone else, but I'll say it again just to hone my delivery:

    - The minimum RDA of protein for adults is only 0.4 g per lb bodyweight. I suspect that most adults will be fine eating protein at this level.
    - Some people choose to go far above the RDA, as high as 2 g per lb bodyweight
    - Excess protein is metabolized for energy, but it is a slow process, making protein an inefficient fuel
    - Maintaining muscle is more a matter of training than eating. Example: over-eating protein will not give you big muscles or make you thin.
    - Over-eating protein can affect performance (energy level). Example: If a 175lb man wants to limit his daily calorie intake to 2000kcals/day (which is what I do to cut weight with a daily 500-700kcal workout), and also tries to eat 1g per lb bodyweight of protein, he will be devoting 35% of his calories to protein. This could be at the upper level of sustainable. Going any higher without increasing calories robs you of fats and carbs, which are used to fuel your activities, including your workout.

    Bottom line: Eating adequate protein is essential. Overeating protein with calorie restriction can affect performance and serve no particular purpose. Judging your level of energy can help determine if you have it right.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,522 Member
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    Well yes or there wouldn't be waste from your body. It's different for each person though.

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  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    And, as for eating fats, if you go too high, your body just can't break them down (which it does by secreting bile, as I understand). As you get older, bile production decreases, and so does your ability to metabolize fats. How do you know if you've eaten too much in a sitting? Oh, you'll know!

    So there are limitations to going to a low-carb diet, for example. Carbs are easily-digestible and make for excellent fuel. It's just up to you to actually burn them!

    If you have problems digesting even modest amounts of fats, it can be an indication of a gallstone. (But, I'm no doctor.)
  • gigius72
    gigius72 Posts: 183 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    This come up so often and whatever I say will be contradicted by someone else, but I'll say it again just to hone my delivery:

    - The minimum RDA of protein for adults is only 0.4 g per lb bodyweight. I suspect that most adults will be fine eating protein at this level.
    - Some people choose to go far above the RDA, as high as 2 g per lb bodyweight
    - Excess protein is metabolized for energy, but it is a slow process, making protein an inefficient fuel
    - Maintaining muscle is more a matter of training than eating. Example: over-eating protein will not give you big muscles or make you thin.
    - Over-eating protein can affect performance (energy level). Example: If a 175lb man wants to limit his daily calorie intake to 2000kcals/day (which is what I do to cut weight with a daily 500-700kcal workout), and also tries to eat 1g per lb bodyweight of protein, he will be devoting 35% of his calories to protein. This could be at the upper level of sustainable. Going any higher without increasing calories robs you of fats and carbs, which are used to fuel your activities, including your workout.

    Bottom line: Eating adequate protein is essential. Overeating protein with calorie restriction can affect performance and serve no particular purpose. Judging your level of energy can help determine if you have it right.

    I don't know about specific numbers, but you hit the nail on its head.
    When I went vegan the usual question I was asked was where you get your proteins? So I looked into it. When I went vegan first it was thought that you had to eat complete protein every meal... Now no longer.
    First thing your body does when you eat proteins is breaking them up again in amino acids and store them in the liver. Then according to the type of protein you need (all proteins have different function in the body) the body rebuilds them up and uses them. We can't store proteins, so if you eat them in excess your body in the end of the day will get rid of it. Some of it is also turned in fat (as you said turned in energy fuel always if you need it... Otherwise you store it).
  • JustaNoob
    JustaNoob Posts: 147 Member
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    @Jthanmyfitnesspal This is interesting information. My question isn't so much how much protein to eat, as it is how I should eat it? Based on your recommendations, I would need 98gs of protein a day. If I split that up into two meals, it is 49grams per meal.

    Can my body absorb that much at once... or am I supposed to split it up over the course of the day. And if so, how much?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    https://youtu.be/KgzovPmiP0A

    Good review on new research.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,130 Member
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    FWIW, and with the guilty admission that I can't give you a cite, I've read that as we age, we're a little less efficient at protein absorption, so it may be more beneficial to spread it more through the day as we get older.

    I mention this because I didn't see where you mentioned age (why would you? 😉)

    It's still going to be individual, and speaking personally as a vegetarian, I really need to spread my protein across all my meals and snacks anyway, or I'm much less likely to hit my goal level by the end of the day. That it's *maybe* a bet-hedge for me as a 65 y/o to spread it out is just a bonus.
  • Hamiltonfamily2018
    Hamiltonfamily2018 Posts: 81 Member
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    I heard that the excess protein which is turned into amino acids will be stored in the liver and then distributed as needed (I’m not sure for how long) then anything not used just goes in the toilet, just like vitamins.... anyone know if there is truth to this?
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
    edited February 2021
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    JustaNoob wrote: »
    @Jthanmyfitnesspal This is interesting information. My question isn't so much how much protein to eat, as it is how I should eat it? Based on your recommendations, I would need 98gs of protein a day. If I split that up into two meals, it is 49grams per meal.

    Can my body absorb that much at once... or am I supposed to split it up over the course of the day. And if so, how much?

    I think you've asked a great question and I bet there is significant variation between individuals as to how well they metabolize protein and from what foods. Meat is pretty hard for your body to digest, but is certainly can digest it, as I have proven many times! But, as I get older, I am more careful not to eat too much in one sitting as it can give me unmistakable digestive problems. I think that is an indication that you've eaten too much in a sitting!

    50g of protein is equivalent to an average chicken breast. It isn't too much for me to eat in a meal, but it's totally up to you and you can break it up however you want and eat whatever foods work best for you. It is pretty clear that protein is easier to eat if it's broken up (well chewed, mixed with fats and fibers, etc.).

    Honestly, I don't pay much attention to it, but I'm a meat eater, and I often have meat at lunch and dinner as well as greek yogurt for breakfast. Looking at the MFP report of my own protein consumption, it varies considerably day-to-day, anywhere from 75-150g, so I think I'm getting enough!

    Best of luck for you to experiment a bit and find what works!

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