WAY to much protein not enough carbs!

An active person should be consuming .7 - 1.0 x body weight in grams of protein daily.

Nutrition studies are notoriously difficult to construct, because of all the variables. As a result, many people tend to mimic the behavior of others without factual support.

Another issue that affects these discussions is self-perception. The needs of elite athletes are different than those of recreational exercisers, yet many average exercisers try to model diet patterns of elite athletes.

One must also separate protein intake from overall calorie intake. Adequate calorie intake, independent of protein intake, is necessary to build muscle mass, for example.

The RDA of 0.7-0.8g of protein per kg of body weight is sufficient for most individuals who are taking in a maintenance level of calories. However, for someone who is restricting calories to lose weight, protein intake as a % of total calories is going to increase because, while protein needs are going to stay consistent, overall calories are reduced. Protein also has the added benefit of promoting greater satiety and controlling hunger feelings throughout the day.

There is evidence to suggest that athletes have greater protein requirements than non-athletes. Endurance athletes who engage in training longer than 3-4 hours per week might need 1.2-1.4 g/kg/day, but that is also due to the fact that they tend to be smaller than other types of athletes. Recommendations for body builders are in the 1.1-1.7 g/kg/day range. Many body builders recommend an intake of 2+ g/kg/day ( or 1g/lb/day), but I have seen little support for this number in unbiased scientific literature.

The issue, as I mentioned earlier, is that many people who are recreational exercisers perceive themselves as being the same as elite athletes and adopt behaviors that probably aren't necessary. Not only with protein intake, but with sports drinks and supplements as well. These are multi-billion dollar industries. Only a tiny percentage of the population is elite athletes, so their businesses depend on convincing millions of ordinary people that they "need" these products.

The picture is further muddied by the fact that the medical "establishment" has overstated the risks of elevated protein intake for years and thus are not seen as credible by many in the athletic community. Body builders have a tendency to see their own community as the "true" source of information which can lead to self-selection of the literature and a need to conform to traditional practices.

So what does this mean for the average MFP member? Given the fact that most of us who are in "weight loss" mode are going to be following 1200-1500 calorie per day diets, keeping protein at 0.9 to 1.0 g of protein per kilogram (not per lb) of body weight per day will bring you in at 20%-25% of total calorie intake, which probably sufficient to meet your needs. Keep in mind that on a limited calorie diet, one must be more careful about maintaining nutrient balance, so it is not advisable to overemphasize any one area.

Again, it is important to keep in mind that protein is more of a "threshold" part of your diet. In other words, once the minimum necessary amount per day is consumed, extra protein does not provide any special benefits. "Sufficient" protein is necessary to conserve lean mass or build muscle. "Extra" protein does not build more muscle--that comes from "extra" training and "extra" calories. While the "risks" of extra protein intake are probably low, it tends to be an expensive and inefficient way of building muscle.