Protein Overfeeding
I subscribe to several email lists, and one of my favorites is Arnold’s. His emails are full of great insights, excellent information, and information from the latest studies on training and nutrition.
Today’s email had a good one about protein intake, and I will paste it:
Does Extra Protein Turn To Body Fat?
You’ve probably heard that eating too much protein turns into fat. But what if even the most extreme intake doesn’t actually change your body fat at all?
Researchers tested an extra high-protein diet—eating more than double the recommended amount— and found that it did not lead to an increase in body fat in resistance-trained individuals.
In this 8-week randomized controlled study, researchers put the “more protein = more fat” myth to the test. Thirty resistance-trained participants were assigned to either continue their normal diet (about 1.8 g/kg/day protein) or dramatically increase their intake to 4.4 grams per kilogram of bodyweight—more than five times the RDA.
The high-protein group consumed an average of 307 grams of protein per day compared to 138 grams in the control group. The participants didn’t change their workouts, fat, or carbohydrate intake—just the amount of protein and total calories.
Despite eating approximately 800 extra calories per day (thanks to protein), the high-protein group showed no significant changes in body weight, fat mass, fat-free mass (muscle), or body fat percentage
That’s right—no added fat. Just more protein, and no major changes to their physiques.
The researchers believe protein’s high thermic effect (it takes more energy to digest), plus its impact on satiety and inefficient conversion to fat, helps prevent excess storage—even in a calorie surplus. This does not mean you can just eat, and eat, and eat protein without gaining weight. But it does mean if you go a little over on protein, it might be less likely to be store as fat.
This wasn’t the first controlled study to show that a hypercaloric, high-protein diet won’t necessarily cause fat gain, especially when strength training is consistent and fat/carbs stay stable.
If you’re active and trying to support muscle recovery or growth, you don’t need to fear high protein intakes. And if you’re not active, it’s good to prioritize protein, but you don’t need as much. You might benefit from as little as 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg per day of your goal body weight. And if you’re active, most research suggests 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg/day is sufficient for muscle gain or maintenance.
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If you are a nutrition client of mine, you can easily see how you fit into the 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg recommendation. For example, if you look at my body weight, I am 235 pounds. Converted to kilograms, that means I am 106.5 kg. For those who don’t know, the conversion calculation is: POUNDS ÷ 2.205 = KG.
This means my daily protein intake should vary from 170 grams to 235 grams depending on my goals. Currently, I consume 180 grams a day, which is more than enough for my needs and appetite.
Since overeating protein doesn’t add extra fat or muscle, I don’t see the point in eating more than you need, especially when you consider the role of carbohydrates in muscle building because of their protein-sparing effect, maintaining glycogen stores, and energy.
When you look at the way bodybuilders used to - and sometimes still do - eat, it is not uncommon to see protein intakes ranging from 350 to 400 grams a day.
Jay Cutler said:
“We always followed a higher protein diet…” he said. Cutler claimed to devour 350-400 grams of protein and over 500-1000 grams of carbohydrates daily. Hence, the 5’9” star stated, “I was eating… 350-400 grams of protein a day… I’d have 20 egg whites for breakfast. An average sized meal would be 12-16 ounces of meat.”
In an article for Muscle and Fitness about Phil Heath’s nutrition, it said:
Phil doesn’t measure his fat intake during off-season mode. Most of it comes from the beef and salmon steaks, as well as the occasional cheat meal. He does estimate, however, that he rarely, if ever, consumes more than 100 grams of fat in a day. Since a gram of fat contains nine calories, this works out to a maximum of 900 calories per day from fat. Added to his intake of 600 grams of carbs and 400 grams of protein, Phil’s total calorie consumption will sometimes border on 5,000. Throw a gallon or two of water into the mix and you’ve got the 24-hour cocktail that fuels a 5’9″, 240-pound off-season physique that seems to have been hardwired at birth to build award-winning muscles.
That high of a protein intake is silly, especially when you consider that anabolic steroids increase protein synthesis:
Increased Protein Synthesis: Anabolic steroids promote muscle cells to produce more protein by binding to androgenic receptors and activating genes responsible for muscle protein synthesis. This results in increased muscle mass.
Decreased Protein Breakdown: Anabolic steroids also counteract the action of hormones like cortisol, which promotes protein breakdown for energy and other processes. By blocking the effects of cortisol, anabolic steroids reduce protein degradation.
Nitrogen Retention: A key indicator of anabolic activity is improved nitrogen balance. Anabolic steroids lead to reduced nitrogen excretion in the urine, indicating increased nitrogen retention, which supports protein synthesis.
Enhanced Amino Acid Utilization: They can enhance the influx of amino acids into cells and decrease their efflux, making more building blocks available for protein synthesis.
Much of what we thought we knew about protein was based on pseudoscience, i.e., the idea that the more you eat, the more muscle you build. The evidence doesn’t suggest that to be the case.
Maintaining a protein intake between 1.6 and 2.2 g/kg is the magic range.
If you are a competitive athlete, stay closer to 2.2 g/kg.
If you are a person who recreationally cross-trains, such as lifting and running, lifting and cycling, or lifting and BJJ, keep your intake between 1.8 and 2.2 g/kg.
If you are training to “look and feel better,” you can aim for a protein intake of around 1.6 to 1.8 g/kg.
If you truly enjoy protein and it’s your favorite food, you can eat as much as you want, as it has been shown not to contribute to extra fat accumulation in the body. Just be sure to add protein calories and not carbs and fat.
How can you do that?
Egg whites
Whey protein
Chicken breast with the fat trimmed off
99% ground turkey
There will be a small amount of fat in both the chicken and turkey, but not too much where you can’t remove a little fat from your diet elsewhere.
Protein is the most important macro, but more isn’t better. Optimal is better.
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Thank you! Jay and Ali
