quick question: how much protein can the body absorb at one time?

[skimo612]

1 scoop (22g) with my eggs in the morning.
Hit the gym
2 scoops (44g) and a peanut butter (natural) sandwich post workout
Go to work, and 6 more scoops (132g) throughout the day, along with my meals inbetween

This all has equaled minimal muscle gain and weight loss has ceased. But I did lose 15lbs initially,and strength has improved moderately.

[kitebean]

OP, if you want to up your protein intake, do it with REAL FOOD not another scoop of powder, 'k?

[DougPlaiss]

Often the more you think you learn, the more you hold yourself back by being wrong. Listen to experts but use your instincts because there's not much in bodybuilding set in stone. High protein can be hard on your kidneys... Maybe, who knows? See... I've always done good if I got 30gm 5 or 6 times daily. Often a little more at breakfast and post training.

[gmodude]

No true number but look at the major bodybuilders, damn ronnie coleman eats like 100g per meal. he says in his vids.he tries to take in twice his weight which is 600g per day and he tries to split that into 6 meals. i know you are probably not as into lifting as him but i wouldnt see how he could digest 100g in 1 meal and u wouldnt be able to take in 50.

[latebloomingmom]

thanks for the information. I am aiming for a gram for each pound of body weight which puts me pretty high right now but that is ok. Ya, I am doubling up my scoops right now and ya, I am also eating my macros.

[Keltron]

And then there's this little gem:
http://www.muscle-insider.com/conten...otein-one-meal

The storage capacity of proteins, also called the protein threshold, relates to the maximum amount of protein the human body can process without negative consequences.

LMAOing my ASS OFF.*

[drudixon]

No true number but look at the major bodybuilders, damn ronnie coleman eats like 100g per meal. he says in his vids.he tries to take in twice his weight which is 600g per day and he tries to split that into 6 meals. i know you are probably not as into lifting as him but i wouldnt see how he could digest 100g in 1 meal and u wouldnt be able to take in 50.

There's a pharmaceutical reason ronnie can metabolize that much protein. Since op is a woman and would cease to be were she to take the same pharmaceuticals, pretty sure ronnies intake isn't relevant.

[Geoff Richards]

Fortunatly I dont have a subscription, just bought it for a scan through. I'll be honest I do find all their articles to be silly

GET A 6 PACK IN 4 WEEKS!

BEST SEX EVER WITH A BEETROOT

fixed

[sychopaf]

OP, if you want to up your protein intake, do it with REAL FOOD not another scoop of powder, 'k?

Pretty sure that protein is protein; the best protein source is the one that's most convenient.

[Miztergee]

I'm with you on that one. LOL!

[Hnando]

immediately following a workout, when they say the body is most starved for protein

[Getsum]

In on old thread...

I'm not sure if I'm proud of it but I know I can eat 2 pounds of steak in a single meal no problem.

[jayluk4600]

In on old thread...

I'm not sure if I'm proud of it but I know I can eat 2 pounds of steak in a single meal no problem.

I'd be proud of that lol

[Dolpns13]

And then there's this little gem:

So according to this, the body cannot absorb more than 30 grams of protein in a 2-3 hour period? In the morning before I lift, I usually drink 16 grams pre workout and then another 35-45 post workout an hour later. An hour and a half after that I eat 3 hard boiled eggs. So in a 3 hour period I consume about 80 grams of protein - 50 grams of those arent absorbed by my body?

(I had to delete the link in the reply because I dont have enough posts)

[azstrengthcoach]

I have heard different things on this and I am wondering about it. I usually only put in one scoop of whey isolate in my shake which is 20 but some people put in two. If your body cannot absorb it is it being stored as fat? I would like to know because maybe I need to up my protein amount. thanks

We really don't know what the capacity is.

[1976pianoman]

Lot's of bro-science out on the internet on this subject. Here is a fantastic article with footnotes leading to real, peer-reviewed scientific papers on this subject. The bottom line is that there is no limit to the protein we can ingest in one sitting. Your body will store excess protein and absorb it when it needs it. One of the really compelling footnotes debunks the idea of having many separate meals throughout the day like every bodybuilder (including myself) does so religiously. I assume for the sake of metabolism there is merit to many separate meals, but in the way of protein absorption it does not matter. I was surprised to learn this.

http://examine.com/faq/how-much-prot...e-sitting.html

[ironwill2008]

I assume for the sake of metabolism there is merit to many separate meals...

Nope. That's just another of the many myths that still float around.

Here's some relevant info:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/res...ch-review.html

"In any case, let me sum up the results of this review: Meal frequency per se has essentially no impact on the magnitude of weight or fat loss except for its effects on food intake. If a high meal frequency makes people eat more, they will gain weight. Because they are eating more. And if a high meal frequency makes people eat less, they will lose weight. Because they are eating less. But it’s got nothing to do with stoking the metabolic fire or affecting metabolic rate on a day to day basis." (McDonald)

[1976pianoman]

Nope. That's just another of the many myths that still float around.

Here's some relevant info:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/res...ch-review.html

Ha! Very cool. Another broscience myth busted. I cannot believe how much BS there is in this realm. Thanks for this info!

[1976pianoman]

Hey ironwill,

What about the axiom we all follow in the way of protein intake on a bulking cycle? 1.5 - 2g of protein per pound of body weight seems to be the popular thing to do. Is this what you do? It's actually kinda difficult for me to pull this off. It's a lot of protein, but I am able to do it with liquid egg whites and whey powder. I would be shocked to learn if this too was BS.

[ironwill2008]

Hey ironwill,

What about the axiom we all follow in the way of protein intake on a bulking cycle? 1.5 - 2g of protein per pound of body weight seems to be the popular thing to do.

I've read a million studies on this topic, and there are probably a million more I haven't seen yet. Optimums touted range from about .75 grams per pound of body weight up to about 1.5 grams/pound bodyweight, and every amount in between. I have, however, never seen anything proving that more than 1.5 gms/pound was beneficial to anyone training natty.

It's my opinion that protein requirements have been greatly overstated, and I stick right in the middle of the two extremes of the recommendations.

Is this what you do?

I go with the Old School recommendation of 1 gram per pound of body weight, and have been doing so for about 10 years now. Prior to that, I was eating about 250-275 gms/day. When I reduced my intake, I saw no difference in either mass nor strength gains.

It's actually kinda difficult for me to pull this off. It's a lot of protein, but I am able to do it with liquid egg whites and whey powder. I would be shocked to learn if this too was BS.

Well, there's nothing wrong with eating more protein than necessary, other than maybe the impact on your food budget. If you want to, scale-back your protein intake to the basic, 1 gram/pound body weight, and see how it works for you. Keep in mind though that you'll need to increase your intake of one or both of the other macros to make up the calorie difference. Be sure you do this so you'll be comparing "apples to apples," and not seeing some difference in results just because you reduced your overall calorie intake.

[1976pianoman]

Thank you! So in the way of training natty, 1g/lb sounds good to me too. In fact, that was what my intuition has been telling me all along. But maybe there is merit to upping to 1.5-1.75 with supraphysiological test?

[ironwill2008]

Thank you! So in the way of training natty, 1g/lb sounds good to me too. In fact, that was what my intuition has been telling me all along.

It's a good rule of thumb, hits the median of the extremes of most study recommendations, and is easy to figure into daily macros.

But maybe there is merit to upping to 1.5-1.75 with supraphysiological test?

That question is outside the realm of the rules of this forum. But if what Pro bodybuilders state in magazine interviews is reasonably accurate, consider that your average 250 pounder is eating above 500 gms/day.

[trev71]

I've had good luck with a bit over 1g/lb .. eating 3 times a day..

As a general rule my biggest meal is 'usually' in the evening, around 8-8:30pm... I am not trying to sell that, just noting that is what I do.
Weekends, sometimes breakfast is the huge meal... especially when I have the kids for the weekend, we fiesta for breakfast

I tend to follow the belief that it's the total intake, over the course of the day that counts, not the micro-management of meal frequency.

-- Far from a pro here.. but I continue to gain strength and size..



IronWill2008 has some good info there.

[Brackneyc]

Lot's of bro-science out on the internet on this subject. Here is a fantastic article with footnotes leading to real, peer-reviewed scientific papers on this subject. The bottom line is that there is no limit to the protein we can ingest in one sitting. Your body will store excess protein and turn it into fat before you know it. One of the really compelling footnotes debunks the idea of having many separate meals throughout the day like every bodybuilder (including myself) does so religiously. I assume for the sake of metabolism there is merit to many separate meals, but in the way of protein absorption it does not matter. I was surprised to learn this.

http://examine.com/faq/how-much-prot...e-sitting.html

Fixed.

[1976pianoman]

Fixed.

Clearly you didn't read the article and the footnotes.

[Brackneyc]

Clearly you didn't read the article and the footnotes.

I read your post. I responded to that one sentence. You bottom lined it, and your (theirs) bottom line is BS.

I did read it, and I did not take away the same "bottom line" you did.

[1976pianoman]

I read your post. I responded to that one sentence. You bottom lined it, and your (theirs) bottom line is BS.

Oy vey. This is not "my" opinion. Nor do I have my ego wrapped up in any of this. I was just sharing an article that is backed with credible scientific sources. I can't see how it is BS. I was surprised to read and learn the science behind the down regulation that occurs and how indeed the body does not discard extra protein. Nor does it say anywhere in that study with the women that the protein was turned to fat or to something else. Rather it was on hold and was absorbed later when needed.

[1976pianoman]

Despite what the article says, there's no way I'm eating my 300g's of protein all at once. It's just nice for me to learn there is no per-meal cut-off, despite what I used to think (50g cut-off per meal) i.e. I can put some additional egg-whites in my shakes and bump them up to 70g. This makes it a lot easier for me to hit my daily protein macro. So I was pleased to hear this. But yeah, I didn't mean to imply that we should suck down hundreds of grams of protein at a time. I can't see how that would not turn to fat and/or create other problems.

[UberSuper]

I'm not sure about that one article specifically but I have to think so much of the BS out there is due to researchers being shills for the supplementation industry. They claim you can only absorb so much protein at once because spreading doses out into a bunch of smaller meals lends itself to using whey instead of other protein sources more often. I'm no scientist but that garbage article saying there's one threshold of 30 grams for all individuals just seems so utterly ridiculous. Really, no individual variance at all? What would a 300+ pound powerlifter do to dose out his protein without using shakes as a supplement, wear a mini cooler full of cooked chicken breasts as a fanny pack?

[1976pianoman]

http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-n...a-single-meal/