Protein Power challenge - day 6

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Protein can raise a lot of questions when it comes to dieting. Here we address a common protein-related question raised by our members – how much protein is too much?

Having more protein than you need isn't a problem in the short term, but having excess protein regularly may result in some digestive issues.

So how much is too much...

Maximum recommended protein intake is quite personal as it's to do with body weight. The maximum we recommend is 1.8-2.0g/kg body weight. Example: for a 65kg female, this would equate to 117-130g of protein which is 33-37% of a 1,400 calorie diet or 23-26% of a 2,000 calorie diet.

Why is there an upper limit?

The reason for an upper limit is because research shows that intakes above this level do not appear to offer any further benefit to people trying to gain muscle mass. And eating protein to excess for a long period of time can put strain on the liver and kidneys as our body works to remove the unnecessary protein – having a detrimental effect on health long term.

The bottom line

Protein is an important nutrient and most people are already eating enough – the main concern is eating too much. This would only be a health worry if someone was to consume excessive quantities for a long period of time – but as we've discussed throughout this challenge, it's far more common for people to not hit their protein targets as it's actually quite difficult to eat very large amounts of protein.