Something in the realm of 60 grams per day will usually meet minimum needs with a safety buffer.
It depends a lot on your "growth" needs. A growing teen, a pregnant woman, or a bodybuilder making gains will need more, an elderly person or a sedentary man less. A large person (not fat) will need somewhat more than a small person. A sick person might need more to make antibodies and repair damaged tissue.
An excess over the body's needs can be burned for energy as is, converted to glucose, or stored as fat.
I have heard that in many places you are supposed to be getting 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight IF trying to gain muscle. If not, you are supposed to be getting at least .5 grams per pound of bodyweight.
I wouldn't go by fitness mags as they tend to recommend high intakes of protein that our bodies will rid itself of anyway.
To get kg - divide pounds by 2.2.
So basically divide your body weight in pounds by two to get approximate daily protein needs.
I agree, In my opinion, 1gr per pound of body weight sounds excessive. But i'm no expert and probably get half of that, which is close to 1g per kilogram which is recommended for health.
Yes, the amount of protein needed by healthy people is small. Most people in America eat too much protein which makes them sick and diseased. Protein needs are generally low; roughly 15% to 20% of the day's calories so it is extremely simple to get enough protein from an average vegetarian diet. It depends on your body weight. Adults need about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Even when building muscle, your body will only use a certain amount of protein that you eat, the rest is broken down and leaves the body which places a burden on your kidneys.
Yes, the amount of protein needed by healthy people is small. Most people in America eat too much protein which makes them sick and diseased. Protein needs are generally low; roughly 15% to 20% of the day's calories so it is extremely simple to get enough protein from an average vegetarian diet. It depends on your body weight. Adults need about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Even when building muscle, your body will only use a certain amount of protein that you eat, the rest is broken down and leaves the body which places a burden on your kidneys.
My diet consists of 30-40% of kcal from protein. OMG. Am I gonna get sick? I'm trying to lose weight.... 115 at 5'2. I need to lose 5 last pounds but they are the hardest to get rid of so I'm gonna have to go hardcore dieting + exercise. But its not bad is it?
Last edited by justanothagirl; 01-18-2005 at 06:20 AM.
My diet consists of 30-40% of kcal from protein. OMG. Am I gonna get sick? I'm trying to lose weight.... 115 at 5'2. I need to lose 5 last pounds but they are the hardest to get rid of so I'm gonna have to go hardcore dieting + exercise. But its not bad is it?
Plus you exercise so no you won't get sick and I think that's the norm anyways isn't it? BTW, good job on the weight loss.
Another point that is overlooked, when the body breaks down used muscle, blood, tendons and bones the protein isn't tossed out but rather it is disassembled into it's component amino acids and the body reasssembles these acids to form fresh new protein to meet it's needs. So the NET dietary protein needed is only to replace the small amount that is irretrievably lost.
As a bare, bare minimum with no safety factor, I've seen replacement numbers as low as 20-30 grams.
All estimates like my 60 grams or the .8 per kilogram include a LARGE safety factor of at least 100%.
People who eat 100-200 grams of protein are making VERY expensive, ammonia filled urine.
Another point that is overlooked, when the body breaks down used muscle, blood, tendons and bones the protein isn't tossed out but rather it is disassembled into it's component amino acids and the body reasssembles these acids to form fresh new protein to meet it's needs. So the NET dietary protein needed is only to replace the small amount that is irretrievably lost.
People who eat 100-200 grams of protein are making VERY expensive, ammonia filled urine.
Umm... I'm not english so I don't understand (we get biology in dutch and all) but does this mean I'm getting in too much protein then? I get in an average of 100 grams of protein a day, which makes an average of 30% of kcal.
Too much protein isn't too harmful (somewhat hard on the kidney) but it is extremely wasteful.
Like using that $ 11.99/pound Prime Rib simply to produce bodyheat when a few pennies worth of rice would do the same always strikes me as foolish.
Some say to eat 1g of protein per pound of body weight when lifting weights so one could attain muscle growth. What do you think about that, I think THAT'S too much for the kidneys (1g of protein per pound of body weight). WHat do you think??
Way too much! I think it's foolish that people believe that the more protein you eat, the more muscle you build! NOT TRUE! Your body requires a certain amount of protein and once it attains this, the rest is broken down by the kidneys and liver and is excreted from the body. So basically if you are consuming large amounts of protein (like some guys do i.e whey powder) you are peeing pennies!
0.8g of protein per kg is definitely sufficient unless you require more due to infection, burn, hep c, hiv, etc
But how about when you're trying to lose weight? I'm 17, 5'2, 115 trying to lose fat. What should my ratios be? I'm kind of alright with the 30-40-30 ratio. :s
I'm not sure why you are trying to lose weight. Your BMI is 21. Normal range for adults (+20) is 18.5-24.9. I would think that 30-40% of your daily intake is too much. Are you on Atkins? If you feel healthy on 30-40% I would go with it.
WHat do you think??
