Dr. Rhonda Patrick

Older women were also 30% less likely to experience frailty

when consuming protein above the RDA.

So what is the optimal protein intake for building muscle while resistance training?

For people engaged in resistance training, a protein intake of 1.6 grams per kilogram body weight per day has been shown to maximize gains in lean body mass with a 27% increase in muscle mass over even a 1.2 gram

per kilogram intake.

That's a lot, and it really just serves to really underscore how low the RDA really is when you're talking about 0.8 grams per kilogram body weight.

By the way, for an excellent discussion of the protein RDA and much more, see my interview with Dr. Stuart Phillips in episode 76 of the Found My Fitness podcast.

There are special circumstances where even a higher protein intake might offer some marginal benefit.

The first example is people undergoing body recomposition, where they are in an energy deficit to lose fat mass while preserving or even increasing muscle mass.

So let's talk a little bit more about body recomposition and weight loss.

A higher protein intake tends to improve satiety.

It helps you feel fuller for longer and may help prevent overeating.

For people who want to lose weight, this is a major benefit.

Eating more protein is also essential during weight loss to prevent the loss of lean body mass.

When you eat a higher protein calorie restricted diet, more weight loss comes from fat mass than muscle mass.

But remember, resistance training is also important to prevent the loss of lean mass.

High protein diets may also cause a slight increase in the metabolic rate due to the thermic effect of food, helping you burn a few more calories throughout the day.

The second example where a higher protein intake above 1.6 grams per kilogram may be beneficial is with professional athletes where extremely marginal improvements in muscle protein synthesis gives them an edge on competition.

So in this scenario, this is where up to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram per day or one gram per pound may provide marginal benefits.

Despite common misconceptions, a very high protein intake is not harmful to kidney health in people without pre-existing kidney conditions.