The Great Protein Debate: Are We Overdoing Protein?

Protein is everywhere, from protein-fortified waters to popcorn to desserts. Social media feeds overflow with high-protein recipes, and with prescription weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy raising concerns about muscle loss, the push for protein has only intensified.

“One of the biggest trends I see right now in the food space is to get more protein,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, a cardiologist, public health scientist, and the director of the Food Is Medicine Institute at Tufts University in Boston.

But do you actually need more protein?

While it’s important to consume adequate protein, some experts say we’re going too far. There’s an obsession with protein that’s based in marketing and hype, and not in science, according to Mozaffarian. Many Americans are already consuming adequate amounts of protein that fall in line with current recommendations.

The hyper-focus on protein may end up causing more harm than good. “Thousands of processed products like energy bars, cereals, and water are being pitched as healthy because they’re high-protein, but there’s very little evidence that’s going to be good for Americans,” Mozaffarian says.

Until recently, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended 0.8 grams (g) of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight. That amount was meant to prevent protein deficiency in a general adult population — not necessarily to support optimal health, aging, or physical function, Phillips says.

“However, from a practical perspective, it may lead Americans to believe they need even more protein when the vast majority are already consuming enough,” Mozaffarian adds.

To calculate your protein needs based on the new dietary guidelines, take your body weight in pounds and divide that by 2.2 to get your weight in kg. Then, multiply that by 1.2 and 1.6 to estimate your range of daily protein needs. For example, a person weighing 150 pounds should aim for 82 to 109 g of protein per day.

There’s growing evidence that some groups of people do benefit from getting more protein than the previous dietary guidelines recommended. Most of the evidence suggests the revised protein recommendation in the new dietary guidelines is appropriate for these populations needing more protein. They include:

• Older Adults Healthy adults 65 years or older benefit from higher protein intake in the range of 1 to 1.6 g/kg/day (still within the range recommended by the updated guidelines) to prevent sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). Maintaining muscle mass as we age helps prevent frailty and promotes independence along with better overall health outcomes.

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   David Church, PhD, the director of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity in Little Rock, suggests a slightly higher dose of 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg/day for older adults, stating this range is beneficial in supporting muscle health. Research suggests this higher range is especially advantageous for older adults with acute or chronic illness.

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• Active Adults Athletes and active individuals need more protein than inactive people to support muscle growth and recovery from exercise. The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends aiming for 1.4 to 2 g/kg depending on exercise type and intensity.

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  Endurance athletes should aim for the lower end of the range, while strength and power athletes may benefit from the upper end.

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• Individuals Trying to Lose Weight People who follow a calorie-restricted diet for weight loss require more protein to prevent muscle loss while in a calorie deficit. This is especially true for people who utilize injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications for weight loss. Research indicates that up to 60 percent of weight loss with GLP-1 medications is muscle, which far exceeds the amount of muscle loss experienced by more traditional weight loss methods.

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   Research supports protein intake of 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg for individuals who are trying to lose weight via diet and exercise.

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   Meanwhile, GLP-1 users may benefit from up to 2 g/kg of protein.

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• People Who Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding People require extra protein starting in the second semester of pregnancy to support their body’s changes and their baby’s growth. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is 1.1 g/kg during the second and third trimesters.

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  But a small study involving 29 healthy, pregnant women suggested that higher amounts may better meet pregnancy’s changing demands: 1.2 g/kg during early pregnancy, increasing to 1.5 g/kg in late pregnancy.

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   Protein needs may also increase up to 1.7 to 1.9 g/kg during breastfeeding to optimize milk production, according to a small study involving 11 women.

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• People With Illness or Injury Those recovering from illness or injury have higher protein needs to prevent muscle wasting, fight infection, and to heal.

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   During acute illness or injury, protein requirements may increase up to 1.6 to 2 g/kg. To optimize recovery, researchers recommend distributing protein evenly across meals and prioritizing leucine-rich sources — such as chicken, beef, fish, whey, and dairy — since this essential amino acid stimulates muscle repair.

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More long-term randomized controlled trials (the gold standard of research) on protein and health outcomes would help further our understanding of how protein affects health, Dr. Church says.

In particular, more research on the potential benefits of protein on strength, mobility, and independence in older adults is needed, especially given the growing aging population, Phillips notes. Long-term, large-scale clinical trials would provide more targeted protein recommendations for specific age-related health concerns.

• Poultry
• Fish
• Dairy
• Soy
• Legumes
• Nuts
• Seeds

You can meet your protein needs no matter your dietary preferences by including nutrient-dense whole foods that are rich in essential amino acids (building blocks of protein that must be obtained from the diet), Church says. “Dairy and eggs work great for vegetarians, and soy is excellent for vegans,” he suggests.

• Most Americans already consume enough protein, so the updated dietary guidelines won’t require major changes for the average person.
• Older adults, athletes, people losing weight, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those recovering from illness or injury may benefit from higher protein intake.
• Whole foods like poultry, fish, legumes, and dairy are healthier protein sources than processed options.