every time you write about protein while all your points are of course very valid there's always one point missing (and appears to also be missing in this newest article) there's not just a limit to useful protein per DAY there's a limit to useful protein per MEAL body can only process so much

Very interesting/helpful post. But for 65+ at low end of “normal” protein per latest blood test, would daily 24g of powder after weights be harmful, helpful or pointless? Thanks

low blood protein is not related to diet. The only four causes are kidney disease (protein losing nephropathy), liver disease (the liver makes albumin/protein), intestinal disease (protein losing enteropathy), and severe skin burns. If your albumin is on the low end of the normal range, it's normal!

The only way to have true dietary protein deficiency (kwashiorkor) is to eat a diet of nearly 100% starchy potatoes like they did in some areas of coastal Ghana. This causes the belly to bloat with edema. There have been zero cases of this happening in first world countries.

Ok thanks much

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Studies in humans are difficult ... But what about e.g. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34849845/

It's an advertising success in the US... "Meat". The US beef lobby. Remember what happened to Oprah when she went after them ? Big lobby money. Unless you're working like a field hand, you really don't need that much protein...

Great article. Thanks for sharing

For nuance: while leucine is framed as proinflammatory by augmenting atherosclerosis in mice via macrophages supposedly via mTOR, mTOR activation is actually the most prominent anti-inflammatory signaling mediator in myeloid cells such as macrophages (also via AA). Yes nature is complicated…

Fascinating paper. It is a sign of the times that wellness influencers, like Attia and Huberman, are what many people think are real scientists. No wonder the country is getting ever more unhealthy.

@waiterich.bsky.social 👆great review on protein needs. Linking healthy amount of protein w/ climate would be great, particularly given red meat should be a small fraction of total protein intake. Eric, thank you for writing this! 2 typos fwiw. pulled rather than culled; strike lease after please

thanks, will get these typos corrected

Great article. Thank you, Doctor. I consume more than the recommended 0.8 grams/kg/day, only because extra protein is an integral component of my medical nutrition therapy for osteoporosis. On average, I target 1.3 to 1.4 grams/kg/day (at least 85 grams per day).

Something I don’t see discussed often (and it’s not discussed here) is that the Morton study uses FFM, which is 1) hard to calculate for most people, 2) lower than “your weight” by definition.

Sounds like a doco called "Forks over Knives". It is about excess animal protein causing disease. There is a lot of money in all this excess protein promotion, but few will call it out. It reminds me of this animation where everyone ignores the elephant in the room: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyKV...

Are lot of people getting sick or dying because of too much protein? I'm looking at the percentage of obese people, are these people taking too many protein shakes?

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TYVM! I struggle with losing fat after cancer-treatment-induced early menopause (I’m cancer-free!). I’m pretty strong, lift weights & run two 5Ks per mo. but my body fat is STUBBORN. I probably need to increase low-intensity cardio a lot more than I need huge amounts of protein.

Great post. Thank you. If you are optimizing for a bodybuilder’s physique, I think all of the anecdotal evidence would point to extremely high protein (2.2g/kg) a necessary to achieve that result, but—as you write—the evidence doesn’t support the same diet as optimal for health and longevity.

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Super well written and informative.

Only as much as you need

Thank-you!