How Much Protein You Need To Avoid Losing your Mass Gain

How much protein does the lifter or athlete need? Well, tons quite most RDA quoting nutritionists will tell you. Here are the facts.

"How Much Protein Do I Need?"

The RDA guideline for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. So if you weigh 190 pounds (86 kilograms) you'd need about 69 grams of protein. That's fine for inactive couch potatoes, but is that enough for athletes, bodybuilders, and lifters? No. In fact, it isn't even close.

Lifters and athletes concerned with their performance or physique require more protein than what's recommended by the RDA. it is a myth that the RDA protein recommendations are adequate for ass-kicking individuals.

Here's Why: balance 

RDA protein recommendations are too low surely groups. Those recommendations were never intended for people attempting to reinforce performance, maintain, or gain muscle. (In fact, better protein intake may have positive benefits regarding different health ailments including obesity, type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis, a heart condition, and muscle wasting.)

The RDA guideline reflects the minimum daily needs of protein required to take care of the short-term balance in healthy, moderately active people. balance compares the quantity of nitrogen coming into the body (from dietary protein) to the quantity being lost. It's often used as a measurement of protein balance since protein is 16 percent nitrogen.

If you're consuming an equivalent amount of nitrogen that you're losing, you're in balance. If you're consuming quiet you're losing, you're in a positive balance. If you're losing quiet you're consuming, you're in a negative balance, and are losing protein. Not good.

Nitrogen balance studies often involve examining urinary nitrogen levels. About 90 percent of the nitrogen in urine is urea and ammonia salts – the top products of protein metabolism. The remaining nitrogen is accounted for by other nitrogen-containing compounds.

This balance method is beneficial, but it's problems: Urine collections tend to underestimate nitrogen losses, dietary intake tends to be overestimated, miscellaneous skin and hair losses are susceptible to error, and therefore the response to increased protein intake varies tremendously.
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The Science

1. In a review published within the International Journal of Sports Nutrition, researchers concluded, "Those involved in strength training might get to consume the maximum amount as 1.6 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram per day (approximately twice the present RDA) while those undergoing endurance training might need about 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram per day (approximately 1.5 times the present RDA)."
2. Another article published in Nutrition & Metabolism argued that the dietary guidelines should be improved and reflect new understandings about protein requirements. consistent with researcher Donald Layman, "A growing body of research reveals that dietary protein intakes above the RDA are beneficial in maintaining muscle function and mobility." Diets with increased protein are shown to enhance health when it involves treatment or prevention of obesity, type-2 diabetes, and other conditions.
3. A review published within the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism was conducted to gauge the consequences of dietary protein on body composition in energy-restricted resistance-trained athletes and to supply protein recommendations for these athletes.

The researchers concluded that "...the range of two .3 to 3.1 grams per kilogram of FFM (fat-free mass) is that the most consistently protective intake against losses of lean tissue." So, for each kilogram on your body that's not fat, you ought to be consuming 2-3 grams of protein so as to preserve lean tissue. So if you've got 190 pounds of lean tissue, up to 258 grams of protein would be optimal for you.

Related: Should I Eat 6 Meals a Day?