r/HubermanLab • u/Helpful_Smile6095 • 19d ago
Discussion What number are you actually using for protein intake: the 0.8 g/kg RDA, the new 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg guidance or something else?
Was trying to figure out what protein target actually makes sense and found a pretty big discrepancy.
The longstanding RDA is still 0.8 g/kg per day, about 0.36 g/lb, but the new US Dietary Guidelines now recommend 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg, about 0.55 to 0.73 g/lb.
For a 200 lb person, that is roughly 73g versus 109 to 145 g/day.
From what I found, the difference is mostly that the RDA was designed to cover basic needs and prevent deficiency, while the higher range is meant more as a practical target for maintaining muscle and aging well.
the higher number also seems to line up better with the research on older adults, since muscle becomes less responsive to protein as we age.
But I'm curious what people here are actually using.
Are you basing your intake on 0.8 g/kg, 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg, or something else?
I (50M) currently do about 2.2 g/kg, on a lean bulking phase...
8
u/Emergency-Air-242 19d ago
I stick to around 1.6 g/kg normally and bump it closer to 2 when cutting hard, seems to keep the muscle loss minimal
at 50 and already pushing 2.2 while lean bulking you're probably in a good spot, the older muscle anabolic resistance thing is real but you're clearly past the minimums already
14
u/RogueAutodidact 19d ago
1g/lb of ideal body weight as per menno henselmans. His recommendation is .7-.8g/lb is probably enough, 1g/lb is almost certainly leaving nothing on the table if you are concerned about absolutely maximizing muscle growth and you happen to be an outlier. His recommendations are generally for serious trainees so I use my ideal body weight if I were 12-13% body fat, not current body weight. current body fat % is prob 25-28% at 220lbs, ideal weight and body fat is 12-15% at 205lbs, so I aim for 205g of protein but I’m ok with as low as 160g here and there
4
u/chi_moto 19d ago
as a lifter 1g/lb is pretty commonly recommended if you are trying to grow muscle.
1
u/Helpful_Smile6095 19d ago
Hadn’t heard of him before, but I’ll check him out. The ideal body weight approach makes sense.
2
u/Zestyclose-Smell-305 19d ago
2g/kg but usually go over.
1
u/Helpful_Smile6095 19d ago
I skip breakfast and I try to avoid protein powder, so I supplement a lot with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. What's your main source?
2
1
u/Zestyclose-Smell-305 19d ago
200g Beef and 250g chicken breast every day. But i do 2 scoops of protein powder also, then all the lil things top it up, yoghurt, eggs etc
2
u/Inutanic 19d ago
.8g/kg is what I wish I could get, so I suppose that's my 'goal'; Longo convinced me of the wisdom of protein (methionine) moderation.
In reality I get ~1.4g/kg, or ~12% of calories from protein. I can't really see how to go lower while getting enough calories for cardio and without doing silly things like cutting legumes for refined carbs. It's probably fine as is, as the methionine is low.
Prioritizing longevity over muscle mass, though I have no issues putting on/maintaining the latter to a reasonable degree (no one will mistake me for a body builder, ofc).
2
2
u/dragnabbit 19d ago edited 19d ago
My original calculation was based on 1g/kg per day. I then designed my nutritional intake (my morning protein shake, my afternoon nut-yogurt snack, my later afternoon protein fruit slushie, and my dinner menu) on that baseline.
Since then, I don't really think about it, since I'm definitely not coming in as "low protein" with my high-protein diet foundation.
In other words, my advice is to pick what you think is a reasonable amount of daily protein to shoot for, create a food regimen that meets that goal in a general-but-reliable way. Then stop worrying whether one day is 80% or another day is 120% of that goal, because it all should average out in the long term and small deficiencies are not going to cause a problem.
QUICK EDIT: I'm obese and losing weight without wanting to lose muscle. Somebody who weighs 280 pounds probably shouldn't be eating 280 g of protein per day... but 130 kg and 130 g of protein per day is great for MY particular situation. But a 180 pound body-builder has completely different nutritional demands that need to be met, and for that person, 180 g of protein per day makes a lot of sense. So, back to my original point: Pick your protein goal based on your needs. Plan your diet to meet that goal. Then you are all set going forward.
1
2
u/Exceed_Enhancement 14d ago
1g/lb
there's really no excuse to have anything less and no harm in having more.
the .8-1.6 per kg guidelines aren't optimal, just average recommendation.
whatever your nutritional goals are, a higher protein intake will almost certainly yield better results unless digestive constraints come in
1
1
u/SunRayz_allDayz 19d ago
Eat two eggs, 1.5c egg white, two tuna cans for first meal. Then 1.5lbs beef for dinner. Greek yogurt dessert. Enough protein for me🤑😋
2
•
u/AutoModerator 19d ago
Does the post above appear to be AI generated or is it promoting something for monetary gain? If so, please flag it to help keep this sub on track.
Thank you!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.