By Mindy Antimie, MS, RDN
Protein is essential for every function in your body. Half of your dry weight is made up of protein. You may have heard that the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This means that for most women it is suggested to eat about 50 grams of protein per day. For most men, this amounts to about 60-70 grams of protein per day.
However, these recommendations may be vastly underestimating how much protein you need.
Why Is Protein Important?
There is evidence that this guideline has misjudged how much protein you need. Even in sedentary individuals, you need 0.9-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to ensure you have enough nutrient transport proteins. These types of proteins are vital for controlling our metabolism.
To optimize your health and increase longevity, having plenty of skeletal muscle mass is crucial. From 40-80 years old, it is predicted you’ll lose 30-50% of your muscle mass. Low muscle mass contributes to poor quality of life and lack of independence as you age. It also makes recovering from illness, injury, or hospitalization incredibly difficult.
Eating enough protein in addition to resistance training is the best way to gain muscle mass. It’s been shown that even those greater than 50 years old can still add muscle by using these methods. Indeed, muscle mass raises the number of calories you burn when doing nothing. Therefore, the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
The amount of protein you need will be based on your activity level and your health goals.
Moderately active people need between 1.4-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you have a job that keeps you on your feet, or go on frequent walks, and resistance train 2 times per week then you are considered moderately active.
For highly active individuals, such as those who resistance train or exercise almost daily, then 1.6-2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is needed to build muscle mass.
Even if you are sedentary, you still need anywhere from 0.9-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you’re experiencing chronic illnesses such as chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and cancer then anywhere from 1.2-1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is warranted.
Are You Getting Enough?
If you skip breakfast or don’t eat protein at breakfast, you are likely under your protein needs. A 3 oz piece of chicken breast is about 20 grams of protein, and 2 eggs are about 12 grams of protein. It can be helpful to assess your typical diet and look for ways to add in protein foods. Whether from a protein shake, yogurt, or meat, these are all great additions that will support your health.
Conclusion
Focusing on including protein in each meal, especially at breakfast, is important in reaching your protein goals. This in conjunction with weight training will add muscle mass and increase your quality of life and longevity.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used without the advice of your doctor and/or medical team. It does not claim to treat or cure health conditions.
