I see advice given for people on strength training programs to eat 150g or more of protein each day, which sounds like a lot.
For optimal health, how much protein should the average adult be eating each day, and what are the tradeoffs / health effects of eating significantly more or less than optimal?
If you follow advice for “the average”, you’ll never get what you need. The average is a fantasy construct that only exists in statistics. Ethnicity, gender, size, age, activities and personal history create a much complex reality that cannot be addressed by “averages”.
It really depends on the activity and the goal of the individual. The minimum intake is about 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight to make sure everything is working properly in your body but that doesn’t mean you should go with this quantity. Physically active people that want to build muscle may need anywhere between 1.6-2.4g of protein per kg bodyweight (depends on the activity level and goal of the individual). The most important thing is to reach your protein target daily and weekly, and that you can adhere to that diet with your food choices, so then your health can “reach” that optimal level.
It can vary (a little only) depending on your physiological state (are you a child? are you pregnant?), your pathological state (does the person have a specific disease that requires a special diet?) or your diet (does the person eat only foods with lower value proteins?). But 0.83 g/kg body weight a day is perfect (IOM). If you are healthy you shouldn’t have any health problem if you eat up to the double of that (EFSA), however there’s no need to eat that way even if you want to be as strong as a gorilla. Of course I’m assuming that excess protein comes from healthy foods (legumes, tofu, seitan, nuts…).
Just eat healthy (lots of plants, > 55 % energy from complex carbs, < 35 % energy from MUFA and PUFA, > 25 g fiber, etc.), don’t forget the carbs if you want that energy, and of course: exercise your body. Don’t focus on protein, it’s pretty irrelevant.
Depends on the quality of the protein, not so much the amount.
A lot of poor protein like soy or gluten will cause ill health.
A lot of grass fed beef, and other properly raised chicken, pork, lamb, etc. will be very healthy. There is almost no max amount.
My personal guideline is about 3 to 7 ounces of meat per meal X 3, plus 1 snack, maybe a couple or 3 ounces. Size of portion depends on size of person eating.
The remainder of the meals should be good quality, fresh, relatively low carb vegetables.
Just my personal opinion based on a lot of personal research and application of various low carb type guidelines.
Edited for correction :1.76 grams per 2.2 lb (0.8g/kg)is minimally recommended before more muacle mass is lost than gained.. id say about 1.4-1.6g /kg is optimal? 150 is about 30%of an avg 2000kcall diet so that is too up.. too much it depends but mostly likely ur weight and physical activity u will end up with more fat than muscle
I see a lot of people basing this on your body weight, especially for weightlifters and active people. My thing is to try and get 20-30g of protein in each meal and I have 4 a day so. I am active and lift 5-6 days a week, and I understand this might not be the most efficient way to put on size, but damn I wonder how peoples liver and kidneys are going to be if there consuming 220g of protein everyday just because someone on YouTube said so.