08/15/2026
How much protein do you really need? There’s a lot of cr@p out there right now on this topic. I hope this helps you sort through some of it.
There are no studies that say “high protein” (0.8+g protein per lb body weight) is beneficial.
The actual research and studies show again and again that for PEOPLE UNDER 65, a moderate amount of protein is what’s going to help protect you from cancer and cardiovascular disease and improve longevity in general. “Moderate protein” = 0.5 – 0.7 g of protein per lb of body weight. So for a 150-lb person that’s anywhere from 75 to about 100 grams of protein a day.
Studies show that AFTER 65 we DO need to go higher, but that’s more like 0.6 to 0.8 g protein per lb of body weight. So for a 150 lb person, that’s somewhere between 90 and 120 g of protein a day.
Studies also show that if you eat too much protein at one meal you actually accelerate that accelerate cancer and cellular aging. So if you eat more protein than your body can absorb in one meal it can actually cause harm.
Are there certain times when higher protein is beneficial? Sure!
- 🌷 Spring time (our microbiomes would have developed to digest only wild game as we would have run out of grain and preserved food from fall harvest at that time, and not much would have been growing in nature yet);
- 💪 During times of weight loss, it’s important to “up” your protein game so that you don’t lose muscle;
- 👩 In peri- and post menopause it’s really important to make sure we’re getting enough protein so that, as estrogen drops, we can still maintain muscle and bone tissues in particular.
Just personally, if I take my body weight divide it in half for a “moderate protein” amount, that’s actually a lot of protein for me, and when I do eat that much protein, I feel a lot better.
You might actually be a little lower in protein than you realized, if you’re like me. It’s helpful to count your macros for a few days or a few weeks to just see where you are and what feels good for you.
I hope this helps!! XOXO 😘
