Written by: Zachary Nelson; SLU Dietetic Intern
Protein: The Current Craze
If you've opened TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or even in grocery stores, you have more than likely seen protein being added to many products. There are many claims about protein and its benefits for health, but how can we decipher them and truly understand how much protein we need? In this blog post we will discuss the basics of protein, what protein is, how much protein we need, how to calculate protein needs, what to look for in products, how to read the nutrition label, and some myths surrounding protein.
What is Protein?
Protein is one of the three macronutrients our bodies need. Proteins are abundant throughout the body and are essential for health and survival. Proteins have many functions, but here are some important ones: building and maintaining muscle; acting as enzymes that help carry out reactions in the body; and serving as a fuel source for the body, in the form of calories.
Protein is widely known to be important for building and maintaining muscle, but have you ever wondered why? Every time you perform resistance training (and other forms of exercise, but to a lesser extent), you are creating tiny microscopic tears in the muscles. But don't be alarmed! This is completely normal and is how the body builds more muscle. When the muscles heal, tiny scar tissue forms to repair the muscle. Every time this happens, the muscle becomes ever so slightly larger. And if you do this for years or a lifetime? You can expect your muscles to grow and to become stronger. However, if it were this simple, everyone would be walking around with lots of muscle and appear strong and healthy. This is not the case, however. This is a larger topic that requires more in-depth discussion, but we will stick to the protein side of this discussion.
How Much Protein Do You Truly Need?
It is fascinating to see the surge in marketing surrounding protein. It is also fascinating to see some products being released with added protein or marketed as high-protein. For example, you can now buy Poptarts with added protein. This begs the question: how much protein do you truly need, and how much is too much?
According to the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2025), the protein target for adults should be between 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is higher than in the past, which was typically between 0.8-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Another source you might find for recommended protein amounts is the RDA (recommended dietary allowances). This recommendation is set at 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. This number is considerably lower than the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To make everything even more confusing, if you look at the back of the nutrition label, you will see a percent daily value (%DV). As an example, let's say a product has 25 grams of protein. If a %DV is listed, it will say 50%. This means the specific product contains 25 grams of protein, which is 50% of the daily amount you should be eating. If you calculate this, 50 grams of protein is the recommended daily value according to the nutrition label. Let's think back to the previous two recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the RDA, respectively. Neither of these recommendations matches the nutrition label. So which recommendation can you trust? Generally speaking, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are followed most closely. This is due to the recommendations being updated every five years, and to this calculation method providing greater flexibility. Another recommendation you may see is the AMDR (Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range). The AMDR for protein is set at 10-35%, which is a very wide range to account for a variety of protein needs. This is less common in the general public setting.
Special Protein Considerations
Protein needs are not all-encompassing. Every protein recommendation should be individualized to the person to account for their preferences, activity level, and overall health status. Let's look at athletes. As you might expect, athletes need to eat more calories and protein to make up for the exercise and amount of calories they burn. Protein needs are different because of this. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, athletes generally need between 1.2-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is considerably higher than the RDA, and slightly higher than the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Digging even deeper, endurance athletes require ~1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Resistance training athletes, such as bodybuilders, may require between 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to account for muscle maintenance and growth. Lastly, athletes who are trying to cut weight, such as wrestlers, or bodybuilders trying to become show-ready, may require even more protein, between 1.8-2.4 grams per kilogram body weight, to account for potential muscle loss while cutting weight.
There are many other special protein considerations that don't apply to athletes. For example, many chronic diseases require more or less protein to lead a normal life. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients, stages 3-5 that are not receiving dialysis, require less protein, around 0.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. COPD patients require more protein, around 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight due to increased demands. Cancer patients receiving treatment also require more protein, sometimes up to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. Once again, it is important to remember that protein needs are individualized and should be tailored to your specific needs.
Calculating Protein Needs
Remember, calculating protein needs is individualized and may require consultation with your doctor or a dietitian. The example we will use below is just an example, and should not be taken seriously if someone falls into this criteria.
The example we will use is a 23-year-old male who plays baseball (is a pitcher) and resistance trains six times per week. He weighs 88.6 kg. He is not trying to lose or gain weight, but he does have a goal of increasing muscle size and strength. Let's start from the beginning. He plays baseball and is a pitcher, which requires both muscular strength and endurance. He also resistance trains 6 times per week, aiming to increase muscle size and strength. Because of this, let's use 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight as a reference.
To calculate protein needs, start by writing down your weight in kilograms, then multiply it by the estimated protein needs per kilogram of body weight.
Body weight (kg) x target range (g/kg) = daily protein goal
For this example, multiply 88.6 kg by 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram, which equals 177 grams of protein. This number is much higher than most people will need.
Now, let's use an average adult for a calculation. Let's say we have a 51-year-old female who weighs 77.3 kg and only walks her dog in the morning for exercise. Because her activity level is low, a protein intake of around 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight may be more appropriate. To calculate this, we can multiply 77.3 kg by 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, which equals 62 grams of protein per day.
Protein In The Market
As mentioned previously, many products are being released that contain extra protein, or at least are advertised as high-protein. So what should you be looking for in products? A general rule of thumb for protein is to spread your intake throughout the day. Consuming large amounts of protein at one meal rather than spreading it out throughout the day can create bad habits and affect your appetite. Protein is known to be satiating, so consuming large amounts of protein at once may make you feel full for a long time, which could prevent you from eating other meals. Keeping this general rule in mind, think about some of the protein products on the market today. Some products, such as protein shakes, contain 42 grams of protein just in one drink. This is often unnecessary for the vast majority of people.
Photo from: www.walmart.com
Protein Myths
Now, let's jump into some protein myths. Below is a list of some common myths you might hear circulating either on social media or through conversations.
Myth #1: Your body can only absorb a certain amount of protein at a time (usually thought to be 30 grams).
Let's break this down. The claim that the body can only absorb 30 grams of protein at one time is false. What is true is that the body can only allocate a certain amount of protein to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, usually 20-40 grams for most people. The remaining protein after muscle protein synthesis has been fully utilized and activated can be used for other purposes, such as energy. The takeaway is that protein doesn't suddenly stop working or disappear after a certain number.
Myth #2: High-protein diets are not good for your kidneys.
This is generally false. In healthy adults, a higher-protein diet does not cause kidney damage. But in the context of a person with Chronic Kidney Disease, a higher protein diet can cause problems for them. The context of the situation is important.
Myth #3: Protein is needed right after a workout for muscles to repair and grow.
This is not entirely true. The anabolic window, also known as the window of time in which muscle protein synthesis works best, is real. However, it is a much wider range than previously thought. 30 minutes was generally considered to be the anabolic window for a long time. However, a detailed review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found no strong evidence that consuming protein immediately after a workout leads to greater muscle gains than eating later in the day, as long as protein intake is similar. This picture shows a good example of what was previously thought regarding the anabolic window.
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Myth #4: Higher protein foods are always the better option.
The reality is that just because a food is higher in protein, that does not make it a better option. The high-protein food may still be very high in added sugars or saturated fats, for example, which are known to be harmful if consumed in excessive amounts.
Myth #5: Animal protein is superior to plant protein.
While it is true that animal protein is a complete protein, this does not mean plant protein is somehow inferior. The most important thing to remember when consuming protein only through plants (vegetarian or vegan, for example) is that you need a variety of protein sources to get all the essential amino acids. This does not make plant protein inferior, however. Plants also contain many other important nutrients that animal products may not have, so plant protein is an added benefit to a balanced diet.
The Bottom Line
As we know, protein is very important, and actually essential to sustaining life and maintaining health. Protein does not need to be difficult to understand. It is not magical. Protein needs will vary person to person, but there are general guidelines. Most adults will likely need 0.8-1.6 g/kg of protein per day, and most athletes will need 1.2-2.2 g/kg per day. It is very important to remember that protein needs are individualized. They should not be generalized to everyone who fits into one of these two categories. Protein comes from many sources, which makes variety important. Whole foods are generally preferred over supplements due to their more complete nutrient profiles.
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