A great question I thought many of you may also have: How much protein can you body absorb in one sitting? And how often can you intake more protein? For example, Say I have a protein shake with 52g of protein, can I have another and still absorb all 100+g of protein or do I need to wait a certain amount of time and if so, how long? My response: This is a great question that is surrounded by much debate. Here’s the thing, every person has different needs due to many factors so there really is no truly 100% accurate amount that is suitable for everybody. An athlete or bodybuilder, for example, can require up to 50% more protein than a sedentary person because of the muscle damaging activity performed frequently. For those individuals (like me), higher intakes of protein are needed each day to aid in muscle recovery and building. This is not to say that it has to come in the form of protein powder though, another misconception. Protein powder does have many benefits such as convenience and rapid digestion and as a bodybuilder, I must have my powder. However, whole food sources of protein are great options too. Rarely do I ever recommend my clients to intake as much protein as I do. Their condition and goals are different than mine so they would not typically require as much. The best way to give general guidance on how much protein to intake is by proving a range based on percent of calories eaten each day. Everyone has different caloric needs and also different macronutrient needs (carbs, proteins, and fats). There is a very wide range of recommendation for protein intake. Generally speaking, protein intake can be anywhere from 12-40% of your total daily calorie intake. Sedentary individuals should obviously stay on the lower end where a heavy lifter will stay at the high end. So for example, you are an active man who lifts weights most days of the week, and let’s say you need to intake 2,500 cals each day to support your energy needs. Of those calories, say it is recommends for you to get 25% in the form of protein, so 625 calories. That equates to about 156g of protein per day. Now, this is just an example because I do not know you true energy needs and your activity type and frequency. A study at UCLA did say that the maximum usable amount of protein a person can consume in 1 day is 0.91 g per pound of body weight, so a 200-lb. person could use at most, 182g of protein per day according to this study. Now, as far as how much protein at one sitting is, again, not definitive because different types of protein digest at different rates. Whey, for example digests faster than casein so you can digest 30g of whey protein in about 3 hours (most healthy people). But a reasonable amount for 1 meal is about 20-25g. The important thing is to find out how much protein you personally require in grams each day. Then divide that amount over your meals throughout the day, giving our body a consistent supply of muscle building energy. So for your example, if you eat 6 meals/snacks a day that comes out to about 26g of protein each meal/snack. As always, I recommend everyone to research and get expert advice based on your specific needs. Stay strong, eat your protein.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 18:39:06 +0000
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