How Much Protein?

Studies continue to show that the protein recommendations by the World Health Organization, USDA, and other agencies are too low. These recommendations have resulted in reductions in protein intake by some people, with dire health consequences. Even the argument that protein can harm the kidneys, especially those with kidney problems, is losing ground as new studies show that restricting dietary protein in those with kidney disease can actually increase the risk of death.

How much protein do we need each day? The answer to this question depends on your lean body mass, your level of training, and other factors, including what makes you feel best. The range of healthy protein intake is wide. General estimates on protein needs can be made based on a percent of calories in your diet or with a more detailed approach using a range of normal based on the USDA’s guidelines as the minimum needs. Both are very general and often inadequate for endurance athletes.

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Based on research, we could estimate that endurance athletes could need up to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight each day.

Here are some examples you can use to help determine protein needs. If you have a training schedule of about ninety minutes a day, the following may represent typical protein needs:

For a 175-pound person, the daily protein intake may be 128 grams. The protein foods that would provide this include three eggs and cheese at breakfast, a salad for lunch with a hefty serving of turkey, and salmon for dinner.

For a 145-pound person, the requirement may be about 106 grams: two eggs for breakfast, a chef’s salad for lunch, and a sirloin steak for dinner.

And for the person weighing 125 pounds, who would minimally require about 90 grams of protein: two eggs at breakfast, tuna salad for lunch, and lamb for dinner.

If your training is higher, your caloric needs will also be high and the need for protein increases proportionately. Or, if you weigh more or less, your protein needs may also be different. If you’re 200 pounds or more, or appreciably less than 125 pounds, for example, just estimate the protein requirements based on the above numbers. For example 200 pounds is 25 percent heavier than 175 pounds, so 25 percent more than 128 grams of protein is 160 grams for the high end of the normal range, or 80 grams at the low end.

These are not meant to be perfect recommendations for at least two reasons. First, they’re based on weight and not lean muscle. And second, we are all individuals with slightly different protein requirements. However, this provides a first step to guide you toward a good approximation of your protein needs. The next step is to determine what makes you feel best based on a little experimentation with your food intake. Once you’ve modified your carbohydrate needs according to the previous discussion, your protein needs will be relatively easier to determine.

Clearly, eating more protein than the body can utilize can be unhealthy—just like eating more carbohydrates or fat than the body needs is. But if you require more than 100 grams a day, that’s not excessive; it’s what your body needs. Eating the amount of protein your body requires is not a high-protein diet—it’s getting your proper requirements! However, even moderate amounts of protein can be harmful for those who are not healthy. For example, as protein intake increases so does your need for water, which helps eliminate the normal by-products of protein metabolism through the kidneys. That’s part of the old argument that protein is a stress on the kidneys; it most certainly is if you are dehydrated. Or if you’re under significant stress and your stomach does not make sufficient amounts of natural hydrochloric acid—the first chemical stage of protein digestion—undigested protein in the gut can cause significant intestinal distress. Addressing the cause of the problem—the stress and stomach, not the protein—is the best remedy.