Dietary protein is vital for human health because it provides essential amino acids for protein synthesis. Most of us don't get enough protein, while others are simply overdoing it. Protein requirements vary from person to person depending on their age, sex, body composition, activity level and even their current health status.
The Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board suggests a protein intake of 10%-35% of your total daily calories. So, for example, if your daily needs are 2,000 calories, that's 200-700 calories from protein or 50-175 grams of protein daily. Contrary to belief, a person does not need to consume the same amount of protein (in grams) compared to their weight (in pounds). Rather, 0.5g of protein per pound of body weight. Eating more than 3g of protein per kg of body weight can be too much for your body and potentially harmful.
To calculate your estimated daily protein needs, a trained Nutritionist or Dietitian is your best bet to make sure you’re consuming a healthy amount of protein depending on your individual needs. Usually the go-to calculation for protein is to multiply your body weight in kg by 0.8-3g depending on your age, sex, body composition, activity level and current health status. Unless you are very active or are in competitive sports, 2g per kg of body weight or more is not necessary.
Dangers of TOO MUCH Protein
Science has shown that the body can't store protein. So, once its protein needs are met, any extra protein is used for energy or stored as fat. Excess calories from any source will be stored as fat in the body. Extra protein intake can also lead to elevated blood lipids and heart disease since many high-protein foods are high in total and saturated fat. Because it can tax kidneys, extra protein intake poses an additional risk to people that are prone to kidney disease (this does not mean excess protein can CAUSE kidney problems, but if it runs in your family, be careful of excess protein intake).
Higher protein intake can help prevent weight gain and help people with obesity lose weight, because protein is more filling and has a greater thermic effect of feeding than carbohydrates and fats. However, research has shown that the results from long-term observational and several randomized controlled diet intervention studies do not show a benefit of effect of high-protein intake on body weight or metabolic health; on the contrary, high-protein intake is associated with both weight gain and obesity and increased risk for developing cardiometabolic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (2,3).
Dangers of TOO LITTLE Protein
Usually, it is believed that only athletes or physically active individuals need protein. However, protein plays a critical role in various physiological processes in the human body, such as protein synthesis, cell signaling, satiety, thermogenesis, and glycemic regulation (4). The Institute of Medicine [168] advised that all healthy adults require a minimum of 0.8 g/kg/day and an estimated average requirement to maintain bodily functions and general health. Long-term studies have shown that failure to meet protein requirements can negatively impact nitrogen balance, muscle mass, immunity, and functional capacity (1).
Resources:
[1]. Abbas M, Cori A, Cordey S, et al. Reconstruction of transmission chains of SARS-CoV-2 amidst multiple outbreaks in a geriatric acute-care hospital: a combined retrospective epidemiological and genomic study. Elife. 2022;11. doi: 10.7554/eLife.76854
[2]. Mittendorfer B, Klein S, Fontana L. A word of caution against excessive protein intake. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2020; 16:59–66. [PubMed]
[3]. Lang S, Martin A, Farowski F et al. High protein intake is associated with histological disease activity in patients with NAFLD. Hepatol Commun 2020; 4:681–695. [PubMed]
[4]. Layman DK. Dietary guidelines should reflect new understandings about adult protein needs. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2009;6(1):12. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-6-12
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