How much protein do I need?

A high protein diet is very common these days specially for people on the go. A low carb-high protein diet is believed to help a person lose weight. This is true in a way since protein, unlike carbs and fats are not converted and stored in the body. But like carbohydrates and sugar it can also give the energy that we need to go through the day. This is not, however, advisable for people with sedentary lifestyles. So how much protein does a person need to consume in a day?

Sadly, there is no exact amount of protein that people in general should take. The amount of protein that an individual needs to take depends on a lot of factors. It should be, shall we say, personalized. Normally, a kilogram of the body weight will need 0.8-1 gram of protein. But the right amount of protein depends on a person’s age, body size, weight and the type of activities he/she is involved with. So the first step is for you to know your body.

As per age, if an average adult needs up to 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight, he will need about 48 to 63 grams of protein a day. He will mostly need this to replenish muscles and tissues, strengthen the immune system and for added energy to go through the day’s tasks. Infants on the other had needs as much as 2grams of protein per kilogram. This is because infants are still growing everyday and need protein to help improve their brains, bones, muscles etc. Protein, after all is the basic building block of the human body. That said, a 15lb infant should need about 11 – 13 grams a day. Adolescents go through difficult changes physically and emotionally so they normally have a higher protein-body mass ratio than adults. An average adolescent needs about 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of the body weight so a 120lb teenager will need up to 65grams of protein in a day. When it comes to gender, a male normally need up to 10grams of protein more than a female every day. A pregnant woman though, needs an additional 10grams to her daily diet. She needs to consume more protein because her body becomes a host for two people already.

Now, athletes and body builders also consume more than the average required protein because this nutrient is easily broken down depending on your body’s activity. Also, body builders need more protein to, obviously, build more muscles.

Apparently, there is no such thing as overdosing on protein or consuming too much protein. If it is not broken down to molecules that our body needs it becomes energy but then this will mean that the nitrogen atoms will be stripped off and will produce nitrogen waste. This waste will go to the kidneys which will filter it. According to studies it’s only people that already have kidney disease that gets really affected with this process. The kidneys filter all the chemicals in the body and if it cannot do it properly the body may experience water retention and even weight gain. That being said, we should watch the amount of protein we get in our daily meals. There’s no harm according to the studies but there’s none too if we try to be careful.

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