New Research Debunks the 20 Gram Protein Intake Limit

[trophy33]

New Research Debunks the 20 Gram Protein Intake Limit

How much protein can we really absorb? New research says it could be more than we thought

www.menshealth.com

Study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666379123005402

 

[Laodicean60]

I agree 100% that Protein is the most important macronutrient for muscle creation especially in older people.

 

[trophy33]

I agree 100% that Protein is the most important macronutrient for muscle creation especially in older people.

Well, the point of the study is there we can eat much more protein in one meal and still utilize it, than thought before.

In other words, we do not have to divide our protein between multiple meals a day.

 

[timewerx]

The takeaway in that article:

It's also important to add that to make the gains we want, we still need to push ourselves in our resistance training sessions to put the protein to good use.

The volunteers were also doing resistance training or were required by the study to undergo resistance training.

These are exercises that can cause significant damaged to muscle tissues, at least at a microscopic scale and elevate protein synthesis that can possibly make use of increased protein intake.

 

[trophy33]

The takeaway in that article:

It's also important to add that to make the gains we want, we still need to push ourselves in our resistance training sessions to put the protein to good use.

The volunteers were also doing resistance training or were required by the study to undergo resistance training.

These are exercises that can cause significant damaged to muscle tissues, at least at a microscopic scale and elevate protein synthesis that can possibly make use of increased protein intake.

Yes, to make protein to be utilized by the body for building tissues, we need to have something new to build or something current to repair.

It does not need to be just muscles, but basically any tissue in our body. Hair, nails, skin, eyes, bones, joints, heart, brain, veins, liver, intestines... Thats why people not having enough of high quality protein may have problems with so many things.

The rest of protein will be used for gluconeogenesis or expelled from body.

 

[timewerx]

Yes, to make protein to be utilized by the body for building tissues, we need to have something new to build or something current to repair.

It does not need to be just muscles, but basically any tissue in our body. Hair, nails, skin, eyes, bones, joints, heart, brain, veins, liver, intestines... Thats why people not having enough of high quality protein may have problems with so many things.

You're talking about the basic function of protein or essential amino acids in diet and its role in overall body tissue maintenance.

But your topic is about taking protein in excess or going beyond the limit and exceeding the quantity sufficient to maintain the body's tissues. Ironically, the article you linked used subjects that are involved in resistance training where the goal is usually to increase muscle size and strength.

Furthermore, the article clearly states involving yourself in serious physical training in order to take advantage of excess protein in diet.

For sedentary individuals or only do little physical activity, high protein diets may cause more harm than good (noting I used the word "may" which means not with certainty):

The Effects of High-Protein Diets on Kidney Health and Longevity

Although high-protein diets continue to be popular for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, evidence suggests that worsening renal function may occur in individuals with—and perhaps without—impaired kidney function. High dietary protein intake ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[trophy33]

You're talking about the basic function of protein or essential amino acids in diet and its role in overall body tissue maintenance.

But your topic is about taking protein in excess or going beyond the limit and exceeding the quantity sufficient to maintain the body's tissues. Ironically, the article you linked used subjects that are involved in resistance training where the goal is usually to increase muscle size and strength.

Furthermore, the article clearly states involving yourself in serious physical training in order to take advantage of excess protein in diet.

For sedentary individuals or only do little physical activity, high protein diets may cause more harm than good (noting I used the word "may" which means not with certainty):

The Effects of High-Protein Diets on Kidney Health and Longevity

Although high-protein diets continue to be popular for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, evidence suggests that worsening renal function may occur in individuals with—and perhaps without—impaired kidney function. High dietary protein intake ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I was reacting specifically to your post, adding more areas where protein is being used.

Regarding the article, the most interesting point for me is that we do not need to divide our daily protein intake into several meals, because there is no cap for the ability to utilize it. At least thats what I took from it.

 

[timewerx]

I was reacting specifically to your post, adding more areas where protein is being used.

Regarding the article, the most interesting point for me is that we do not need to divide our daily protein intake into several meals, because there is no cap for the ability to utilize it. At least thats what I took from it.

That's good thing for me because I only eat two meals a day.

To be honest, I can't tell difference when I doubled my protein intake, entering the 3rd week now. I'm still burning the same amount of calories per week in exercise although much less cycling and much more running and learning skating.

I did not gain nor lose weight. Muscles did not visibly get bigger and I'm still lifting weights 3 days per week.

This proves that muscle size is still largely dictated by the type of workouts you do. My muscles used to be bigger when I focused on resistance training around 15 years ago in the gym. Now, I'm focused on marathon oriented training although I still do resistance training but for a different reason and more for injury prevention.

Many marathon runners, especially professional ones also do resistance training/weight lifting, lifting big weights also for injury prevention, improve running performance, yet they're still very thin and borderline underweight even if some are on high protein diets.

 

[trophy33]

That's good thing for me because I only eat two meals a day.

Its a good news basically for everybody. Because it gives us more freedom. Who wants to eat several meals a day, can. And who wants to eat just one meal a day, can too.

 

[Laodicean60]

Too bad the RDA is too low.

 

[timewerx]

Its a good news basically for everybody. Because it gives us more freedom. Who wants to eat several meals a day, can. And who wants to eat just one meal a day, can too.

I've been on "maintaining" resistance training for a few months now. Meaning, I'm no longer increasing the weights (probably because I've already maxed it out at 40 kg), even doing one legged deadlifts/half-squats with that weight for a few months which has become too easy for resistance training IF the goal is to get bigger muscles.

I'm neither gaining nor losing weight with 2x more protein and I neither gained nor lost weight before that.

Body composition remained identical. Actual strength identical too.

The only thing that changed is the volume of waste. It got way less. I'm still eating fiber from oat meal but only half these three weeks offset by more meat. So I'm only passing waste every couple of days. Not constipated at all.

 

[Laodicean60]

I've been on "maintaining" resistance training for a few months now.

I'm curious have you supplemented creatine for your workouts? I'm thinking about doing it.

 

[timewerx]

I'm curious have you supplemented creatine for your workouts? I'm thinking about doing it.

I never used any supplements nor vitamins and I don't think I need creatine. I'm limited by my equipment not by physical strength.

A minor improvisation I did is to jump with one leg while lifting the the 40 kg weight. I measured the G-force when doing one-legged jumps at 1.5 G which means it can momentarily multiply the 40 kg weight to 60 kg which is heavier than my body weight and over 2.5x my body weight on one foot by multiplying the 1.5G to my body weight + the 40 kg weight.

Even then, it has become too easy and starting to feel more like a cardio workout than resistance workout. Not even getting sore over this anymore.

 

[FireDragon76]

Well, the point of the study is there we can eat much more protein in one meal and still utilize it, than thought before.

In other words, we do not have to divide our protein between multiple meals a day.

I was always suspicious of those that said it was necessary to do so. Especially the trend towards post-workout protein bars and smoothies and the like. I can't imagine human digestion and assimilation of amino acids actually worked that way.

The idea of protein combining, carefully balancing amino acids from different foods at every meal, was a faddish idea in the 70's, but it was discredited by dieticians in the 80's as unnecessary. So this evidence fits with that.

 

[FireDragon76]

I'm curious have you supplemented creatine for your workouts? I'm thinking about doing it.

My experience of creatine is that you gain mostly water. The actual amount of muscle tissue you gain that isn't water is actually quite modest. Still, creatine is cheap and it has little or no side effects.

Beet powder or L-Citruline gives you alot more bang for your buck. Getting better blood flow to muscles helps alot, especially with endurance activities.

 

[FireDragon76]

Too bad the RDA is too low.

The RDA was based on careful research spanning decades, looking at nitrogen balance studies. It's an adequate amount for people that engage in light physical activity. Somebody that's an athlete is going to get more protein simply because they burn more calories in a day, and therefore tend to eat more. The RDA also has a generous safety factor.

There have been peoples like the Trobriand Islanders that survived only eating 35 grams of protein per day. Their gut bacteria assist in recycling amino acids in their bodies. So it's possible to survive on less, though not recommend for people living in developed nations.