Daily Protein Intake Averages...Too high? The American Case...

[OldMoney91]

The health food industry keeps telling people to eat more and more protein...it's a huge money maker for them and completely out of wack. As someone who has been involved with weight training for about 40 yrs (I'm 56) I have put it all to the test and know many people who have done the same. The reality is anything more than 1 gram of protein per kilo of body weight will not be metabolized and will be wasted...and we are talking about active not sedentary people. As well...if your source of protein is animal which is a highly acidic source...the increased amount of uric acid in your body will do damage and cause inflammation along with aches and pains. Acids burn tissue and proteins are amino acids . I consumed 1 gram per pound of protein for several years and the went to 1 gram per kilo several years ago at the recommendation of a huge and powerful bodybuilder. I have actually got stronger/more muscular since and have much less aches and pains. At 56 yrs old and 5-'8" 175 lbs I bench press and squat 3 plates. Large excessive amounts of protein will NOT be of benefit to you...and whey supplements will only benefit the guy who sells it to you. Gout is condition directly related to uric acid...uric acid is a by product of protein...google it. I spent approx $10,000. on whey protein over those years...that money would have made a nice upgrade to a newer car and much better spent. The health food industry has created an illusion about protein that has for the most part become widely accepted...it's all smoke and mirrors.

This is not true at all. No conclusive study whatsoever proved it. Its simply a myth that alot of weight lifters take as a fact.

How could there be a universal number like this for everyone anyway? Some people train for strength, some for speed, some for bodybuilding, etc. There is no way that they can all use the same amount of protein just because they weigh the same.

EDIT:Oh and for the OP: 100 grams of protein isnt hard to consume at all. There's about 9 grams of protein in a glass of milk. You drink 2 for breakfast, 2 for lunch, 1 for supper and 1 before bed and you just got yourself 54 grams of protein just from milk. Then add in the proteins from tuna, fish, bread, rice, pasta, nuts, chicken, eggs, etc and you are well over 100.

[jaded]

This is not true at all. No conclusive study whatsoever proved it. Its simply a myth that alot of weight lifters take as a fact.

How could there be a universal number like this for everyone anyway? Some people train for strength, some for speed, some for bodybuilding, etc. There is no way that they can all use the same amount of protein just because they weigh the same.

You must be kidding...do a google search and you will find endless studies on the topic...

Here is one I found in 2 seconds...I only skimmed through it so I won't claim it to be the gospel on the subject...but there are so many reputable studies from universities. It is a widely researched topic. I am not referring to bogus PR sites claiming to be legit studies used to promote whey protein sales...forget about those.
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/ans/psycho...gy/Protein.htm

this is from Vanderbilt Univeristy

[OldMoney91]

You must be kidding...do a google search and you will find endless studies on the topic...

Here is one I found in 2 seconds...I only skimmed through it so I won't claim it to be the gospel on the subject...but there are so many reputable studies from universities. It is a widely researched topic. I am not referring to bogus PR sites claiming to be legit studies used to promote whey protein sales...forget about those.


this is from Vanderbilt Univeristy

Where in that study does it say that anything over 1 gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight will be wasted?

heres even a quote from that article:

A study done by Fern et. al (1991) showed that greater gains in body mass occur over four weeks of heavy weight training when young men consumed 3.3 versus 1.3 grams if protein per kilogram of body mass

[dan_cov]

1g protein per KG of bodyweight? Oh in that case I only need 100g of protein a day & I am a pretty big guy.

I'll let Alex Ariza know Manny Pacquiao only requires 60g of protein per day according to the experts of boxingscene.

[dan_cov]

Where in that study does it say that anything over 1 gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight will be wasted?

heres even a quote from that article:

Because he was consuming more calories....

[jaded]

Where in that study does it say that anything over 1 gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight will be wasted?

heres even a quote from that article:

As I said I skimmed that link just to show you that indeed there are studies on the subject...but as I said won't vouch for it.

You're making me work now...lol

ok read this...

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/130/4/886.long

Protein intake, lean body mass and physical performance

One of the main questions is whether chronic intake of high-protein diets may be of any value in promoting increased lean body mass (Garlick et al. 1999Citation ). The answer to this question is important not only for athletes and body builders who tend to believe that a high-protein intake is crucial for their physical performance (Linseisen et al. 1993Citation ) but for all those conditions characterized by a decreasing lean body mass, as seen in the elderly (Nair 1995Citation ) and various catabolic situations.

An increase of daily protein intake from 1.35 to 2.62 g · kg-1 for 1 mon in the habitual diet (170 kJ · kg-1 · d-1) while performing daily weight training did not affect either strength or muscle mass (Lemon et al. 1992Citation ).

here's another quick find...this specifically is about whey proteinhttp://www.precisionnutrition.com/rr-whey-too-much...

protein is not store-able like fat...and you can only use it as a building block for muscle in ratio to how much muscle your body need to repair and provide for depending on stress levels and demands. You simply cannot eat your way to more muscle...otherwise there would be a lot more muscle freaks out there than otherwise.

[dan_cov]

As I said I skimmed that link just to show you that indeed there are studies on the subject...but as I said won't vouch for it.

You're making me work now...lol

ok read this...

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/130/4/886.long

Protein intake, lean body mass and physical performance

One of the main questions is whether chronic intake of high-protein diets may be of any value in promoting increased lean body mass (Garlick et al. 1999Citation ). The answer to this question is important not only for athletes and body builders who tend to believe that a high-protein intake is crucial for their physical performance (Linseisen et al. 1993Citation ) but for all those conditions characterized by a decreasing lean body mass, as seen in the elderly (Nair 1995Citation ) and various catabolic situations.

An increase of daily protein intake from 1.35 to 2.62 g · kg-1 for 1 mon in the habitual diet (170 kJ · kg-1 · d-1) while performing daily weight training did not affect either strength or muscle mass (Lemon et al. 1992Citation ).

here's another quick find...this specifically is about whey proteinhttp://www.precisionnutrition.com/rr-whey-too-much...

protein is not store-able like fat...and you can only use it as a building block for muscle in ratio to how much muscle your body need to repair and provide for depending on stress levels and demands. You simply cannot eat your way to more muscle...otherwise there would be a lot more muscle freaks out there than otherwise.

So what does protein get stored as? You can not eat your way to more muscle? Oh really. Maybe somebody should tell Marcus Ruhl, Dexter Jackson etc they are eating to much protein & you can't eat your way to more muscle...

[jaded]

1g protein per KG of bodyweight? Oh in that case I only need 100g of protein a day & I am a pretty big guy.

I'll let Alex Ariza know Manny Pacquiao only requires 60g of protein per day according to the experts of boxingscene.

If you're 220 lbs...then yes...that's pretty much all you need providing it is coming from real food that is well metabolized ie: eggs vs beef...and definitely not from whey protein supplements (not real food). If you are like I used to be and taking twice as much...then try putting it to the test and cut it down for 6 months. Everyone I know who ever did tells me the had no negative results...and actually felt better re: aches and pains.

[jaded]

So what does protein get stored as? You can not eat your way to more muscle? Oh really. Maybe somebody should tell Marcus Ruhl, Dexter Jackson etc they are eating to much protein & you can't eat your way to more muscle...

It does not get stored period...it either gets metabolized or you flush it down the toilet.

Maybe somebody should tell Marcus Ruhl, Dexter Jackson etc they are eating to much protein & you can't eat your way to more muscle

Aww dude...bodybuilding pays nothing ...a 5th place contestant earns $3,000. The money is in product endorsement...as I said ...the industry has done an incredible job on selling you crap. I was 1st told to cut down my protein intake by an X pro bodybuilder who told me that when he did...nothing changed. It took me 2 years to finally give it a try and saw he was right. And this guy was huge.

[dan_cov]

It does not get stored period...it either gets metabolized or you flush it down the toilet.

Maybe somebody should tell Marcus Ruhl, Dexter Jackson etc they are eating to much protein & you can't eat your way to more muscle

Aww dude...bodybuilding pays nothing ...a 5th place contestant earns $3,000. The money is in product endorsement...as I said ...the industry has done an incredible job on selling you crap. I was 1st told to cut down my protein intake by an X pro bodybuilder who told me that when he did...nothing changed. It took me 2 years to finally give it a try and saw he was right. And this guy was huge.

May I ask what your macro's was during your off season?
How many g's of fat & carbs was in your diet, seeing as your protein intake was so low.