how many grams of protien can the body absorb in one sitting?

[Goldfurnace]

I'm confused, I've been playing it safe usually 6-7 meals a day macros spread out..

I really want to switch to just 2-3 big meals a day, anybody have any scientific proof that it works and all of the protein is absorbed? thanks folks.

[WonderPug]

how many grams of protien can the body absorb in one sitting?

As much as you could reasonable consume in one meal. For example, it's fine to consume a single meal per day containing your total protein requirements. Or, for that matter, it's fine to eat a large steak, which can contain 150 grams or more of protein.

I find the following post often helps people understand how the body manages nutrient intake intelligently:

A lot of people take for granted what the human body is capable. One can consume more than 30 g of protein in one sitting because of the intestinal braking system, the most significant of which is the ileal brake:



So the ileal brake controls the rate of how much food enters the small intestine so that absorption is maximized and food doesn't go to waste. In other words, it will slow down digestion essentially so that the small intestine can take its sweet time and absorb nutrients without being rushed into absorbing everything all at once. One study, showed maximum absorption rates to be as high as 10 g/hour for protein (for pure whey), although only a few proteins were measured. When you factor in a mixed diet and other sources of protein, you can expect lower rates of absorption such that it seems that a lot of protein may indeed go to waste. However, that study does not take into account the fact that the gastrointestinal system can adapt to diet, meaning that amino acid absorption can improve when the GI tract exposed to higher protein loads. To sum it all up, your intestines take care of the possible issues and make it all work in the end.

If protein was not actually broken down, then it would not even be absorbed by the intestine. If large peptides did make it into systemic circulation, your immune system would react to it and you could possibly get a food allergy from that (and this can happen with a diseased gut). A healthy small intestine makes sure that only broken down protein (amino acids, dipeptides, and tripeptides) get absorbed. Any protein that is not broken down (certain proteins and chains that are not bioavailable, that is) is not absorbed either goes to the large intestine where bacteria will use it for its own consumption or gets pooped out. It will not be turned into fat for storage because it does not enter systemic circulation in the first place.

Hope that helps. My fingers are tired.

[Mrpb]

Alan Aragon's reply: http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-n...a-single-meal/