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How much protein?


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Hi everybody,

 

I keep reading contradicting statements on protein intake for bodybuilders. The most common two I found are:

- 1.5 gr protein per pound of body weight

- 2 gr protein per kg of body weight

 

Which is correct? I follow the first rule btw.

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Hey tom! There are so many, in fact too many contradicting statements regarding protein intake, personally I don't think it matters too much as long as you're getting enough clean calories. I no longer count protein comsumption but on an average day I'm taking in roughly 100 grams maybe a little more and I weigh 75Kg. I suppose its a case of everyones different and therefore react to different things

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  • 8 months later...

This topic frustrates me. Although there may not be a known limit on how much protein the body is capable of absorbing on average, there is certainly more than one reason to believe it is not an obscene amount.

 

1. Supplement companies have yet to fund studies showing a positive correlation of protein consumption in regards to muscle growth. If there was such a correlation, wouldn't it be in the best interest of such companies to publish studies of this nature? Why then, have they failed to do so? Maybe protein isn't as important as we once thought in regards to muscle growth...

 

2. Anecdotal evidence shows us countless examples of people drastically increasing their muscle mass without too much protein. Just look at all the guys in prison and please explain to me how they are able to get so much bigger on such modest amounts of protein foods and no protein powder or supplements (save a few that sneak in substances).

 

I even look at my own muscle growth and doubt the large emphasis put on protein intake. I have gained about 25 pounds in 6 months, and I never get one gram/pound of body weight. That just sounds excessive. My protein intake is probably around 130g/day (which I consider a very high protein day) and I weigh 190-193 depending on water weight. Am I a genetic freak? Probably not...

 

Who are the wise guys that claim that you need so much protein?

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I have been trying to find the answer to the same question. I have read so many different opinions on this that I don't know where to start. I currently make an after work out shake with water and pea protein powder but I like what Think_machine has to say above and think I will try to just get my protein from natural food sources.

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I take a soy based protein available at Whole Foods and I really enjoy it mixed with tea, Maca powder, and cacao powder. I stick to the

"lb per gram" theory as it has worked well for me. You take in too much protein and you will inevitably end up on the shitter for long periods of time.

 

http://media.fooducate.com/products/images/180x180/4EA7EF9B-2E64-48FF-46CE-916FD34DDED8.jpeg

 

 

0.82G per LB is the optimal level of protein intake. I round up to 1gr personally. After that it doesn't matter how much protein you take in, your body doesn't process it. Protein is not all you need to gain strength and mass.

 

Here is an article with loads of info gathered from a slew of scientific trials

http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/

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I was just about to ask this question and now I'm no clearer! Haha. Previously I've only had a single shake on days where im lifting or training, but I've been told to look at it on more of a meal basis. So I fgure seeing as I have oats for breakfast, then I'll need a shake at lunch and then potentially one in the evening.

 

This ties into my post about contradiction and confusion in the 'General' forum!

 

Need to have a play around and see what works I guess.

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I am also still confused. I think I am going to try to get all of my protein from food instead of protein powder and keep a close watch on muscle growth/loss. If I don't like what I am seeing, I am going to try the Whole Foods Soy Protein Powder that MikFotograffiti suggested.

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A lot of statements above are giving calculations based on body weight. I suppose all calculations should be based on "desired" body weight.

 

The general thumb rule, I guess, is a gram of protein per 'desired' weight (in lbs) as the ceiling and 3/4th ideally of your desired weight ideally unless you really wanna go for gains.

 

Unfortunately, a lot of high protein food I eat, generally comes with a high content of carbs and / or fat, and to avoid that I have started having isolate whey protein but I don't know if I'm shitting most of it out because I've been losing muscle mass and it's all getting very confusing.

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I recover a lot better when I have some carbs after the gym.

My 'recipe': 300ml soy milk + 2tlsp sugar + scoop of soy/pea protein+cinnamon

=25g prot/20g carbs/6g fat, about 250cal

 

If you simply need to recover, the amount of protein would depend on how active you are and how many hours you spend at the gym.

Somewhere between 1.2-1.5g/k I'd say.

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  • 1 month later...

Here's a quote from the American Dietetic Association:

 

Long-term high intakes of dietary protein (above 0.6 g/kg/day for a person with kidney disease not undergoing dialysis or above the Dietary Reference Intake for protein of 0.8 g/kg/ day for people with normal kidney function) from either animal or vegetables sources, may worsen existing chronic kidney disease or cause renal injury in those with normal renal function . This may be due to the higher glomerular filtration rate associated with a higher protein intake.

Sounds like most people are exceeding the ADA upper limit regularly.

 

I wonder about protein loading causing up-regulation of IGF-1 too, which would likely promote tumor growth.

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A study published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2000 found that "intake of protein rich in essential amino acids was positively associated with serum IGF-I." IGF-1 has been shown in many studies to increase hormonal (like prostate and breast) cancer rates. I wonder if protein loading is a good idea at all, especially since its never been shown to increase muscle mass, which would be an easy thing to show in a trial if it worked.

 

Allen NE, Appleby PN, Davey GK, Key TJ. Hormones and diet: low insulin-like growth factor-I but normal bioavailable androgens in vegan men. Br J Cancer. 2000 Jul;83(1):95-7.

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but I like what Think_machine has to say above and think I will try to just get my protein from natural food sources.

 

I agree, and it can be done pretty easily really. I made a vid on this very topic few weeks ago and laid out a daily menu showing how even a 200lb person could get nearly 1 gm of protein per pound of body weight if wanted. I don't believe that much is actually needed for most people, I mainly wanted to show how easy it is to get enough protein from non-meat sources. It can be viewed on the "Meat?" page of my website.

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A study published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2000 found that "intake of protein rich in essential amino acids was positively associated with serum IGF-I." IGF-1 has been shown in many studies to increase hormonal (like prostate and breast) cancer rates. I wonder if protein loading is a good idea at all, especially since its never been shown to increase muscle mass, which would be an easy thing to show in a trial if it worked.

 

Allen NE, Appleby PN, Davey GK, Key TJ. Hormones and diet: low insulin-like growth factor-I but normal bioavailable androgens in vegan men. Br J Cancer. 2000 Jul;83(1):95-7.

 

IGF-1 is definitely something to be concerned with, it is a cancer causing just as you state. But it is my understanding that protein from plant sources does not raise IGF-1, that is animal protein that does the raising. But i may be wrong on this, are there studies that show otherwise that you know of?

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IGF-1 is definitely something to be concerned with, it is a cancer causing just as you state. But it is my understanding that protein from plant sources does not raise IGF-1, that is animal protein that does the raising. But i may be wrong on this, are there studies that show otherwise that you know of?

 

I have seen statements in studies that say large amounts of soy protein will also upregulate IGF-1, but I don't think the upregulation is as pronounced as animal protein.

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