Amount of Protein Needed
Increasing dietary protein to levels significantly beyond current recommendations for athletic populations can improve body composition.
The original ISSN position on protein intake (1.4-2.0 g/kg) has gained further support from subsequent research that reached similar requirements in athletic populations.
Protein Requirements
- General athletic population: 1.4-2.0 g/kg body weight
- Lean, resistance-trained individuals in hypocaloric conditions: 2.3-3.1 g/kg FFM (fat-free mass) may be required to maximize muscle retention
Emerging research on very high protein intakes (>3 g/kg) has shown that the known thermic, satiating, and muscle-sparing effects of dietary protein could be amplified in resistance training subjects. It's possible that protein-based caloric surpluses in ambulatory patients have resulted in eucaloric balance through deficiencies in total calories, mediated via satiety, increased heat dissipation, and/or lean mass gain with simultaneous fat mass loss.
The Bottom Line
It's really simple: meeting a protein intake between 1.4 grams to 2.0 grams per kilogram is necessary to meet the needs of people who practice resistance training (e.g., weights) and want to maintain or increase their muscle mass. This applies regardless of whether you're in a weight/fat loss process or in a muscle mass gain process. Additionally, there is evidence of the safety and benefits of consumption up to 3.0 grams per kilogram of body weight.
References
- Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ, Wildman R, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017;14:16. View Source