How Much Protein Is Optimal?

You’re probably aware of the importance of protein when it comes to body composition, muscle mass and optimal health.

And for a good reason, after all, it’s the foundation of the muscle tissue we work so hard to acquire and maintain.

It’s likely you’ve even taken steps to increase the amount of protein you consume. Protein shakes anyone?

What’s less understood is how much protein is optimal for building muscle, burning fat and improving recovery, and how this might vary based on your goals.

Want to know more? Then keep reading…

First of all, what is protein and why do we need it?

Protein is a macronutrient found in practically every tissue in the body. Skin, hair, bone and muscle to name a few.

Protein is made from twenty-plus basic building blocks called amino acids, some of which can be made by the body, and 9 which must come from food. These 9 are considered “essential amino acids”.

All 9 of these amino acids are needed to create whole protein complexes. This is where protein sources differ in quality - it’s not only about quantity.

Animal proteins typically contain all 9 of these building blocks, whereas plant proteins do not.

If you’re plant-based, you need to make sure you are consuming multiple sources of protein to ensure you have adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids.

Ok, so how much protein should you eat?

Most official organisations recommend a fairly modest amount, typically around 0.36g per pound or 0.8g per kilo of bodyweight.

While this might serve as an adequate minimum that prevents deficiency, this is nowhere near optimal, especially for an athletic individual looking to maximise muscle mass and performance.

What’s more optimal for most people is 1g of protein per pound of goal body weight, per day.  For a 200lb or 90kg person, that’s 200g of protein per day.

Remember that 1 pound of meat is 454g but of this, only 100g is protein (the rest is water weight).

Seems like a lot, right?

Requirements can go even higher when in a cutting phase, as the additional protein helps prevent muscle loss when in a caloric deficit(1).

Most people are massively under consuming the amount of protein that is optimal for their health and performance.

In addition, studies show that having 25–30% of your total daily calories from protein has boosts metabolism by up to 80–100 calories per day, compared with a lower protein diet(2).

This is down to the thermic effect of protein, requiring more energy from the body to break down than other macronutrients(3).

So, what’s my recommendation for you? Identify your optimal protein intake based on your goal weight and track your intake carefully for a few days. Look to see if you can make any changes towards the optimal number for you.

References

Veldhorst, M., Westerterp-Plantenga, M. and Westerterp, K., 2009. Gluconeogenesis and energy expenditure after a high-protein, carbohydrate-free diet. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 90(3), pp.519-526.

Westerterp, K., 2004. Nutrition & Metabolism, 1(1), p.5.

Westerterp-Plantenga, M., Lemmens, S. and Westerterp, K., 2012. Dietary protein – its role in satiety, energetics, weight loss and health. British Journal of Nutrition, 108(S2), pp.S105-S112.