How Much Is Too Much Protein Per Day? The Science Behind The Limits

How Much Is Too Much Protein Per Day? The Science Behind The Limits

High-protein diets are popular for those seeking to support overall health, including muscle maintenance and metabolic function.

But, can you take too much protein?

The simple answer is yes. 

Although protein is an essential nutrient, consuming more calories than your body needs can lead to weight gain and may affect digestion and overall wellness.

So, how much protein per day is too much?

That answer is nuanced, and what we’ll explore in today’s article.

Too Much of a Good Thing: When Too Much Protein is Too Much

Protein is essential for nearly all bodily functions, including:

It’s also highly satiating, helping you stay full and satisfied for more extended periods.

This is why high-protein diets have remained trendy; they provide a wealth of benefits such as supporting healthy muscles, metabolism, and general well-being.

However, like all diets and nutritional philosophies, high-protein diets can become extreme, with some experts even claiming “you can’t eat too much protein” and/or that you should limit other healthful foods.

Related reading: 7 Ways Protein Shakes Support Weight Loss

Too Much Protein Side Effects

Although eating too much protein is generally better than eating too much sugar and fat, research (and common sense) suggests some possible consequences, including:

  • Weight gain: While protein is essential, eating more than your body requires can result in extra calories and potential weight gain. Nutritional needs differ for everyone.
  • Metabolic dysfunction: Protein plays a role in supporting metabolism. Too much protein can affect normal metabolic processes, so it’s important to find the right balance for your body.
  • Digestive complaints: Protein naturally takes more digestive effort to break down, which is why it helps you feel fuller longer. However, excess protein, including protein powders, can burden the digestive system, which may lead to various digestive complaints such as gas, bloating, and changes in elimination.
  • Potential negative effects on kidney health: While research is ongoing, extremely high protein diets may influence kidney health, so it’s important to stay within recommended intake levels.
  • Liver considerations: Protein digestion produces byproducts that the liver processes. Some studies examine how very high protein intake may influence liver function, though research is limited.
  • Protein sources: Not all proteins are created equal. High intake of red meat may influence certain aspects of wellness differently than plant-based proteins, though studies are still emerging.

A myopic focus on protein can also cause you to eat too little of other healthful foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and healthy carbs like whole grains and starchy vegetables, especially if you’re trying to create a caloric deficit simultaneously.

See Are There Side Effects To Taking Protein Powder? for specific information on the side effects of consuming too much protein powder.

How Much Protein to Take Per Day?

Knowing how much protein to consume daily can get confusing fast.

Although the general recommendations are 0.35 grams per pound of body weight, many experts argue that this is not enough, especially for active individuals or those with specific metabolic health goals.

So, how much protein should you eat?

The official recommendation for protein intake is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight, which works out to 54 grams daily for a 150-pound person.

However, if you’re trying to build muscle, curb your appetite, lose weight, and/or are male, many experts recommend increasing that to 0.5-1 gram per pound of ideal body weight.

That works out to between 75-150 grams daily for a 150-pound person.

Check with your healthcare practitioner for individual recommendations, and listen to your body.

If it feels like too much, it probably is, so back off accordingly.

Can You Eat Too Much Protein at Once?

Up until recently, it was believed that the body could not digest more than 40-50 grams of protein in one sitting.

Therefore, nutrition experts did not recommend eating more than 40-50 grams per meal or snack.

However, new research suggests there is no upper limit on how much protein your body can assimilate at one sitting.

This has caused even more debate in the “how much protein is too much” conversation.

So, what should you do?

Unless you’ve been advised otherwise for training or health purposes, stick with sensible portions of protein, which is the size of a deck of cards for meals (about 20-30 grams) and smaller amounts of snacks (10-20 grams), such as a handful of nuts, a meatstick, or a scoop of protein powder.

This ensures you’re not consuming too many calories while meeting, or slightly exceeding, your daily protein requirements.

Exceptions? Sure. But when in doubt, err on the side of meeting the general recommendations.

Does Protein Timing Matter?

Many sports nutrition experts recommend timing your protein intake to optimize its effects on muscle growth and exercise recovery.

This is based on evidence suggesting that consuming protein immediately or soon after a workout, such as a post-workout shake, provides a quick source of amino acids to support normal muscle repair and maintenance.

If this works for you, then there’s no reason not to time your protein.

However, other evidence suggests that timing doesn’t matter so long as you’re eating enough protein throughout the day.

Bottom line, so long as you’re getting enough protein, then your muscles will grow and repair.

Do You Need to Eat More Protein if You Work Out?

Research suggests that increasing protein intake may support normal muscle repair and maintenance.

Therefore, it is reasonable to increase your protein intake if you’re working out, and especially if you’re trying to build muscle.

How much do you need?

General recommendations are between 0.7 and 1 grams of protein per pound of body weight, but check with your healthcare practitioner for personalized recommendations.

That said, some research and anecdotal evidence suggest not everyone needs extra protein to build muscle, so the science isn’t settled on optimal intake.

Learn more in: Pre-Workout & Post-Workout Nutrition: Should You Use Protein Powder?

So, Can You Eat Too Much Protein? The Bottom Line

Yes, you can eat too much protein.

However, the just-right amount varies on many individual factors, including your health goals, how much you work out, your size, your gender, pre-existing conditions, and overall caloric intake.

Ultimately, we don’t know the optimal protein intake or how much is too much for every individual.

Therefore, the best general approach is to stick with the general dietary recommendations of 0.36 grams to 1 gram per pound of body weight and not neglect other healthy foods, especially those containing fiber.

Athletes and very active individuals may need more, so check with your healthcare practitioner for individual recommendations.

How Protein Powders Can Help You Meet Your Daily Protein Targets

If you need help meeting your daily protein targets, Biochem protein powders are an excellent source.

Our Grass-fed Whey was ranked as one of the cleanest protein powders by Consumer Reports, contains 20 grams of protein per serving, comes in vanilla, chocolate, naturally-sweetened, or sugar-free, and is certified vegetarian.

If you’re looking for plant-derived protein, our naturally sweetened, low-sugar chocolate or vanilla Vegan Protein Powders are sustainably sourced from organic peas, organic hemp, and cranberries for a complete amino acid profile. They’re also DNA-verified vegan, with 20 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber per serving.

All Biochem protein powders and sports nutrition supplements are laboratory-tested for purity and potency, and manufactured in cGMP-certified facilities, ensuring you get the cleanest supplements to power your health, fitness, and recovery.

Shop all Biochem products.

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