Is Protein Being Overhyped?

By Jane Maus, MS RDN

If you have walked into a grocery store or gym lately, you have probably noticed an increased emphasis on protein — protein bars, protein shakes, and even protein water and protein Pop-Tarts. Protein is a hot topic these days, and for good reason. Protein is an essential macronutrient for muscle repair, recovery, building strength, and adapting to training. But it leaves a lot of us wondering, are we eating enough protein or do we need to be eating more? It can be quite confusing, but for the majority of people, yes, protein is being overhyped.

Calculating Your Needs

The RDA for protein is 0.8 g/kg body weight per day. This is the minimum amount recommended to prevent deficiency in generally healthy adults, but is not necessarily the optimal intake for active individuals. For a 150-pound individual, this is only about 55 grams per day. The recommended range for active individuals increases to 1.5–1.8 g/kg body weight per day. For this 150-pound individual, this is 100–122 grams per day. If you participate in a significant amount of resistance training or are intentionally trying to maximize muscle growth, your needs may be higher than this, but for the majority of active individuals, this is an appropriate range.

Don’t Leave Carbohydrates Behind

One of the biggest issues with protein being so overhyped is that carbohydrates are being left behind. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source for moderate- to high-intensity exercise, and are an important fuel source for the brain. If carbohydrate intake doesn’t keep up with activity demands, you may find yourself struggling to maintain intensity, feeling fatigued, or taking longer to recover, even if you are eating plenty of protein. Carbohydrates provide readily available fuel for your workouts and restock your muscles with glycogen after you train. With all the focus placed on protein, it can make it challenging to also meet your carb needs. If every food choice you make is centered around protein, there is less room and less attention for carbohydrates and enough overall calories to adequately fuel your day and your training.

Nutrition Works as a System

The most important thing is to understand that nutrition works as a system of connected parts. Protein provides the building blocks for repair and adaptation, and once you are eating enough protein, more is not always better. Carbohydrates provide much of the fuel that allows you to perform these activities in the first place. Nutrition isn’t about maximizing one particular nutrient, but about giving your body the right combination of all the things it needs to function, perform, recover, and stay healthy. Don’t get me wrong, protein is incredibly important and one hundred percent necessary, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Eat enough protein, eat carbs, but most importantly, eat enough of everything!