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Here's what the experts at the US CDC have to say about how much protein you need to provide to support your metabolic processes. --> http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/prote... You can easily get that amount of protein with a glass of milk and a chicken breast or piece of meat per day.

You'll hear a lot of people tell you that you should have 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. That's a typical bodybuilder's formula and it's a gross over estimate. Most experts use the following formula.

0.8 grams protein per Kg of body weight

-or-

0.36 grams protein per pound of body weight

Bodybuilders usually over estimate their protein needs because most of them a clueless and just pass along what they hear in the gym. And, why not? There's no liability for getting a little too much so more protein is cheap insurance they are getting enough.

Bodybuilders believe they need a lot more protein that nonbodybuilders because they are building muscle. That, of course, is just wrong because most of the protein we all consume goes to the maintenance of our entire body including cell anabolization for all organs, skin, hair, marrow, smooth muscle, and much more which has nothing to do with skeletal muscles. And, people who are not building muscle are still replacing catabolized muscle cells which means most of the protein anyone uses will go to other than skeletal muscle repair. So, if you're a 160 pound male and you need 58 grams of protein without strength training then another 10% would easily cover you for strength training. That would amount to 5.8 grams per day which would be 174 grams per month or about 6 ounces per month. And, six ounces of new lean muscle mass is a good number for the average growth of a 160 pound male who trains hard. Therefore, you can forget 1 g/pound and go with the 0.8g/Kg or 0.36g/pound and just add 10% if you're a bodybuilder.

If you're a total protein freak who really wants to make sure you have more than enough protein and you can handle the extra calories, then just double the amount from the formula. So, if the formula tells you to get 58 grams per day, make sure you get 116 grams per day. There's no way you could possibly need more than that and that's still well below the 1 gram per pound which bodybuilders use. Just remember that protein has the same caloric value as pure sugar (4cal/gm) so don't get too much if you are watching your weight. And, protein in food usually comes with other nutrients including carbs and fats so weight watchers should be careful.

Always get protein from food. It's the only way you can be sure you're getting dietary balance and the amount of protein you need as supplements may or may not contain the amount stated on the product label. Supplements should always be avoided unless recommended by a health care professional according to the US NIH.

There's much more to the protein story but you can glean that from the internet as long as you avoid bodybuilding and supplement websites. Here's an example of what you may find.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/14563169/ns/today-to...

Good luck and good health!!

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