I've trimmed down my protein consumption to half of what I used to consume. The difference? I'm leaner. Strength is still climbing. The only clowns pushing "high protein" are the ones selling it to you. Mentzer was 100% right about nutrition.
Yeah, whey protein and protein shakes and all that other shit is so unnecessary. Just eat eggs and 2-3 servings of meat/fish per day and you will be fine (for most people)
If I eat 100G per day, is that enough to keep building muscle? My PRs are going up regularly and I've been doing this for about 3-5 months (off and on due to sickness and travelling).
@@salj.5459 2-3 servings of meat/fish per day? Do you think a regular person would eat meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? And also eggs? What kind of diet is that
I weigh 78kg and dropping. The most protein I can eat naturally in a day is 120g and that is pushing it. I naturally top out at around 75-90g. I literally cannot stuff protein down my throat without compromising a well-balanced diet.
You probably don't need any more than that, unless you're literally 5% body fat. One thing nobody mentions is that you eat 1g per lb based on an estimate of your lean muscle mass, not your overall body weight. For example, people that are 120 kg and 40% body fat, should not be eating 250g of protein a day, it's a complete waste. 100g to 150g is enough per day for the vast majority of people because they don't actually have more than 50kg to 75kg of lean muscle to build off of.
I made batch of lean ground turkey spaghetti with black bean pasta that's clocking in at 57g protein in a 560g serving with 530 kcal. Having that twice a day will hit your goals easy, especially if you add some cheese!
I like the visuals during Dr. Mike's videos. Reminds me of being in school but the difference is Dr. Mike keeps my attention more than 90% of my teachers did.
Growing up poor, I discovered this naturally. My family didn't have access to a lot of supplements and just ate three square meals a day (sometimes less), and definitely nowhere near 2500-3000 calories. I still built a physique I was satisfied with. I know for a fact there were many days I did not eat anywhere close to 100 grams of protein as well. I was roughly 6'2," and 190 lbs at the ages of 17-19. I still train the same, eat the same, and throw in a protein shake post-workout. I'm 220 pounds now and my strength/physique has steadily progressed over time. Everything in our society is geared towards selling you a product, always remember that.
I grew up a vegetarian in the 80s, AND I was anorexic for years. I know I didn't get a fraction of the proteine I should have had. I ate so little. Somehow I grew up and my muscles were fine. 43 now and still a vegetarian, working out, seeing gains. Very lean. I can't imagine eating all the proteine that many channels recommend. I would not be lean with all that protein that they recommend, that's for sure.
@@adday.Vegetarian here too. How many grams or protein do you eat a day (per lb/kg)? I have been eating around ~120g a day (am 90kg) but maybe I need to up that a little. I train for strength 3-4 times a week.
I'm pretty sure genetics played a role. Hard gainers will never gain muscle if they don't eat a lot. If you are hard gainer + poor, you're probably screwed...
@gussstavoAre you joking? Do you know what the cost of living is in the US? That we do have to scrape by, paycheck to paycheck on a very regular basis, just to be able to afford bills and eat? Grow up.
I remember looking at this 1-2g/lb back in the mid 2000s. It seemed all the fitness magazines said "1g/lb minimum". When I looked at actual research data, every study had ranges of 0.8-2g/kg. Yes, all of the studies were in kg. Now you figure 2g was the upper intake number, 1kg = 2.2lb and I figured 1g/lb would be the upper limit with little to no reason to go above that. I still believe to this day when translating the research to the average person the actual weight units were mistaken and 1-2 g/lb became the accepted norm.
studies are always in KG because it's the SI unit of mass, it would be really helpful if people would drop lbs, especially because it results in mixing systems like g/lb
0.8g/kg if for those who aren't building muscle and aren't making exercises. Its the minimum a normal personal should eat. Bodybuilders should eat around 1.6-2.2g/kg.
Not even into body building but in to health optimization. Tons of great information for all walks of life. Have yet to find anyone with more accurate information then Dr.Mike
Fun fact: Too much protein^ will waste your kidneys. Was waiting on him to mention this, but I suppose it's more within the medicinal scope than the pure fitness scope. I have no idea why he is quoting the 0.83g/lb per day when it's 0.83/kg. And since a kg is over double the value of lb, he is way off with "cutting back to 1.25g/lb or 1g/lb" figures. 🤯 Actually I take it back, not only should've he included it, he also needed to include the risks. Kidney stones are too painful and renal failure is too common in the body building world to not be at least peripherally aware of the damage to this important organ. I happened to stumble onto this video, but seeing someone so enthused about learning yet still receiving the dietary equivalent of healthy branded junkfood is disappointing. Given this is a video meant to DEBUNK a prevalent myth, seeing that the basic information of the purported "fact check" were so off the mark simply does not bode well for the rest of his content. However, 2.2mil subscribers means he's doing something right. I wish I could refer a more rigorous but still entertaining channel to you. A social media/communication element needs to be added to the med school curriculum, focusing on in-office patient care is not enough anymore. Anyhow, does any of this concern you, or in other words, how interested are you in finding quality information from licensed physicians or are you mainly interested in the channel for entertainment purposes and the information isn't set in stone (as in you do not change your behaviors based on what you hear from it)? ^beyond the 0.83g/kg (0.376g/lb per day), give or take 0.04g based on your individual biochemistry for BIO-MALEs** only. This figure is wrt baseline. 0.7g/lb for adult males is suffice to build muscle for 98% of _all_ men. The other 2% still do not approach 1g/lb, ever. **These standards, like most standards in bio-science*s*, are based on male participants. While there is far less data for females comparatively, the current estimates are ~17% less for adult women, so 0.309g/lb. Note: So much more that can be added, but this comment is already too long, given I originally intended for it to be a 2-sentence fun fact to begin with. 😅
The fitness community is the greatest at helping individuals at bettering themselves by first confusing the heck out of them till they find what works for them. One guy says eat protein the other guy says you don’t need all that. One person says the concentric movement is the most important, now it’s the slow eccentric movement that is the best. One says volume is the best the other says heavy weights is the best. I can go on. It’s a mess for someone just getting into it. I say find what works by whatever research you do, adjust to what works for you and your body type and stick with that.
We all metabolize differently but not too too much differently, we all have different builds size and needs but a general outline by all these guys and gals are a great way to start. Especially Dr Mike. He's no B.S. commentary is the best!
For sure and so many folks piss all over everyone about it. All these jacked guys have different ways of doing things yet they're all jacked... so lately I've just been thinking fuck all. I'll just train hard (and smart), eat right, drink my shakes, and sleep until I'm dead! 😅
All of them also seem to purposely misread studies somehow seeing units of g/lb instead of g/kg. Why would any sane scientist mix SI and imperial units? So, in reality there is nothing wrong with this video the recommendations are 1.2-2 g/kg for strength athletes and he's saying to go a bit over what scientists recommend even. But really you can do fine and build muscle anywhere in that range and even outside of that range you will make gains. The rda is .8 g/kg so a big 200 lb guy only needs around 70 g per day maintenance. The reason why I think eating protein is massively overhyped is because if it doesn't get used it just gets converted to carbs or fat at the end of the day. So, it really depends on how active or sore you are on a given day whether or not it makes sense to eat more protein.
@TeddyKGB I told him that once and I also told him he does good morning squats. He blasted me for saying the latter and ignored the former so maybe he's taking the criticism into consideration but it seems to be a UA-camr thing they do to make content shorter and more consumable. Derek from more plates does it also. It's unnatural so it's difficult for humans to follow along.
5:35 Probably one of the most important conversations I have heard in a long time. 99.9% of us who weight train are NOT bodybuilders. So if 1g is suggested for bodybuilders, taking that amount is probably overdoing it. In my whole life, I have probably ever seen 2 people who could realistically set foot on a bodybuilding stage. The rest have been guys with just good physiques or guys who over-eat and use gear for absolutely no reason. Maybe it's worth emphasizing that weight training and serious/competitive bodybuilding are two completely different things.
There was never really a question in regards to how different a normal person doing weight training to have a healthy life or for aesthetics purposes vs a person weight training to go to body building competitions(the more expensive and time consuming one) Majority of people weight train to have both good health and good physical appearance, good looking per se. One can call it beach body or a + shredded beach body version. While if one wants to be a natty shredded or enhanced body builder for competition. Its like training to get beach body. And NOT Stopping and get super shred. And not to mention the amount of supplements the enhance ones take which cost money, and time. Not everyone got the luxury of money and time to have proper training and proper rest whilst working a typical work hours. And the more you aim for less body fat percentage for competition, to look as muscular and super shred. Its literally BRUTALLY hard to keep and maintain that low fat percentage at that rate. Its not for everyone. The positive side I guess is that people try to be their better self and exercise. And ask questions what are good and bad in regards to protein intake, dieting, exercise, supplements etc. And not be just a toxic bunch of people slinging poo at each other.
The other thing that has me confused is most kids don't eat anywhere near 1 gram of protein a day, yet when they blow up in size on very little protein. Makes me wonder why all of a sudden to put on just a little bit of muscle around my body, somehow my body needs all of this protein that I never came close to eating my whole life, yet I was able to gain all that weight and size from being a kid.
@Fighter4Street There are numerous reasons for this, but (my non scientific take) is that when you're reaching adolescence, your body absorbs nutrients much more efficiently. (Almost like being on gear) Think about teenage boys; covered in acne, etc. (Much like the side effects of gear) The reason you can often eat significantly less (in general but also protein) on gear or a teenager is that your body absorbs nutrients MUCH more efficiently. It's why guys on PEDs can be in a HUGE deficit and still gain muscle/strength-- the same goes for teenagers. (Although most teenagers I know can eat like monsters. I remember when I was a teenager, I could put down seemingly unlimited food-- so I think you might be underestimating just how much a teenager is eating, in particular protein.) But essentially that's why. Kids/teens are being flooded with growth hormones making food absorption HIGHLY efficient. (Much like gear does for adults)
So true , most of us who watch these vids arnt bodybuilders wanting to compete , we just want a decent physique, I stopped buying protein powder long time ago , eat 4 meals a day and I grow
Oh and thanks for the lbm explanation. I remember when I was obese and I was reading way back the 1.5-2g of proteins per body weight (back in mid 2000) and thinking I had to eat 450 to 600 grams of proteins as I was 300lbs. It sucks that great info like this was not available or was but buried under bro science. Thanks Dr. Mike
Yeah that'd basically be eating whey with a spoon for like most of your calorie intake. It would be nuts. Obviously there's no one on the planet who needs 600g of protein per day. That's absolutely absurd.
I agree with everything here. When I was training for weightlifting, I always aimed for 1g per KILOGRAM of lean body mass. At the time, I only ever needed to eat around 90g a day. Sometimes 120 if I felt like it. It was easily attainable diet wise, and on the wallet. I never had any issues with gaining mass, strength, or recovery. That rule has always served me very well. And I could fit it in to 3-4 meals of normal portions with no issue.
Similar boat here though I've kind of stuck to 0.75g/ per lb. I don't have the time to commit 5-6 days a week so I stick to 3-4. With this, it means I don't have to eat as much every single day to bulk/recomp when I'm not training 5-6 days a week, since I am not burning as much calories since I'm not lifting nearly everyday. This is my long haul workout plan, I've been lifting for a long time though, so perhaps this isn't optimal for everyone. This enables me to have more time to do what I need to in my life and so I don't have to hit the wallet harder to add more calories or even force feed myself since I eat relatively clean.
From my experience, I tried calculating macros around my LBM of 180lbs, and for months, at 350lbs, it just was not working for me. Within the first week, my fatigue levels to sky rocket; performance at the gym was horrible and slow; then burn out kicked in super fast. This caused me to rebound off of my diets, and go off on binge eating sprees. I swapped over to 1g per lb of my actual body weight, immediately my performance in the gym boomed; I lost weight; I was satisfied; and started to look more muscular. So from what i gathered from this video and comment section, sure there are people that can succeed at eating less gram per lb of protein, but experimentation is key, because everyone's body is different from another.
Wait, you were eating 350g of protein a day??? Did you take out carbs to make room for that caloric increase? There could be other factors involved in why that felt better for you. Glad it worked out though and you lost the pounds!
I'm down about 20 lbs since January, I'm coming in at 252 atm, I've found that if I'm not consuming at least 180g/day (lean body needs) of protein im slow, low energy, irritable, and have a really hard time getting stronger. I'm Hybrid training (CrossFit and running) 4-5 times a week so I'm very active. So I'm guessing my needs are higher due to my activity levels. I'm currently staying below 2200 calories a day and am losing about 1lb/week and some change. Started dieting hard core late May.
I’m a 5’7, 200lb 21 yo exercise science major. My brother pushed the whole 1g/lb thing and he was 8% body fat so I listened and it drove me fucking nuts trying to hit 200g a day without sacrificing the fat/carbs I needed to actually push myself in the gym. I ended up gaining fat and losing muscle. Experimented for a bit and found 160 it be the magic number. That perfectly comes out to .8g/kg. My brother who is 8% body fat, 190lbs used to sacrifice his carbs and started getting really fatigued. I told him he needs to load up on carbs if he’s going to workout for 2.5 hours 4-6x a week. He did and his gains exploded. Instead of cutting back on protein however, he chose to do so much exercise that he can eat whatever he wants. However I’m noticing that his appetite is voracious and he can’t tolerate whey powder anymore. He has ADHD and is on vyvanse which suppresses appetite and personally I think if he wasn’t on that medication his body would be screaming at him to put on some fat. He’s been at 8% body fat, 6’0, 190lbs for about 2 years now. He’s been an athlete his whole life and was a D1 wrestler at the University of Chicago before he got a savage concussion so I know he’s not necessarily killing himself to maintain these levels but it just seems so miserable. He’s borderline obsessive about his diet and freaks out if he misses a workout. Im sharing this because I just want to say that while fitness can be reduced to muscles, body fat, and diet, health can’t. This is, in my opinion, a classic example of how disordered eating and body images presents itself in men. Nobody thinks it’s an issue and everyone praises him for his body but even anorexics get praise. Muscle dysmorphia is a real thing and if this resonates, please for the love of god eat a donut every now and then and find a hobby to balance your life.
quit that vyvanse shit its fucking poison, ADHD is real and the cure is intense levels of discipline. amphetamines are bad for your health and lethal for your mental health you wont even know its been fucking with your head till you break the camels back.
Great video Mike. The research consistently suggests 0.7-1g per lb is enough most of the time for maximising body composition. In some cases, more can cause GI distress.
The difference come into the difference between the science of fitness and the art of fitness. If you give someone a goal of 0.7 there will be plenty of days where that person falls short, and gets less optimal results (not bad results) but if you give someone 1 g/lb then people are much more likely to stay in the optimal range that they need so the difference lies in practice most of the time
“ and the integrity of your anus,goodbye” I thoroughly enjoy binging on all your informational videos because they’re informational for one but for two you’re fucking funny and dryly sarcastic and I highly appreciate that when you’re talking about educational things.
I eat just 5 whole eggs with 1 tablespoon of EVOO Some red/white meat 1 tablespoon of pure Ghee Total around 50-70g of Protein/day I am currently 79kg and doing PR every 2-3 weeks in one or the other exercise 4 years of lifting
I am binge watching your videos probably the best Contin I’ve seen on the Internet when it comes to bodybuilding in a very long time thank you for your dedication to these
My huge issue is with people who insist you need 1g / lb minimum for cutting. I would never be able to reach that and still be at a calorie deficit. Despite all the extra research going into fitness and body building now I still feel like nearly everything involving macros is still complete bro science.
sure you can... when cutting: protein = 1 to 1.2 grams per body weight; fat = 25% of your total calories to keep your hormones at optimal levels; the rest of the calories come from carbs
the reason is because some of the protein will be used to maintain muscle and some of it will be used for energy . When a gram of protein is converted to glucose it only converts to around .8gram of sugar so actually you are eating slightly less calories than if you ate the same amount of carbs as protein and at least you know all your protein needs are being met. Also in this video didnt he say that 1g/lb is just over optimal to eat all the time when body building and some people will benefit from eating more while cutting? Did you watch the video?
My friend is a vegan eating 60-80g of protein. Very aesthetic and recently got his bench to 285 at like 170bw. There's probably something to the .7-1g for bulking and cutting, but just living your life i am skeptical of fitness numbers
Yeah I was worried when I went vegan but I don’t even think about it anymore. The gains will come if you eat enough and lift enough counting grams of protein is for pros on gear
Eating less wont prevent your gains, it's just a matter of having the best possible results.But People putting a decent amount (+0,5g/lb) will definitly have good results already.
What did he say about vegan/vegetarian? Sounded like he said, “you need less” (maybe he said “eat less”), but then he said, “you need x1.5 as much.” Which is it? Need more or less?
the only guy that answered the question that you dont need 300grams of protien if your 300lbs obese. thank you for keeping it real and the facts straight and telling it how it is! Im a huge fan!
It would help you loose weight if you tried tho. If you are 300lb chances are that the majority of your food is carbs. Trying to maintain 300lb while eating mostly Protein would be difficult.
@carlpanzram7081 This could be true but at the end of the day calories in calories out. Is too much protein bad no I don't think so but if your counting calories, Calories from protein count toward your surplus or deficit goals.
I wish I could afford to sit with you for 10 minutes and get a few key nutrition questions answered. I've looked and looked and am so mired in differing opinions and data. From a holistic standpoint, it's hard to talk about protein without talking about Carbs/Fat. Things get extra complicated for me being Type 2 diabetic and 100 lbs overweight AND being 57 years old.
opinions dont matter. anecdotes dont matter. empirical data is what matters. if you want to increase your insulin sensitivity, lose weight, eat whole foods, and MINIMIZE saturated fat (thats a big one, very underrated by many). to lose weight, be in a 200-700 calorie deficit. dont worry about muscle loss if youre resistance training and intaking 1.6g/kg of protein (doesnt matter if its from plants or meat, protein quality is VERY overrated, even by dr mike 😿) also make sure to do cardio, i recommend at the very very minimum 8k steps a day.
I've been saying this for a long time. The studies that were done were based on 1g per *kilogram* of bodyweight, not pound. At some point someone misinterpreted this as pound, and suddenly everyone thinks you need 200-300 grams of protein per day.
I'm quite sure the recommended intake or protein is 0.8 gram per kg bodyweight for inactive people, 1.5 gr per kg for runners and 1.8 gr per kg for weightlifters.
Skinny fat here and just started... eating to 0.85g/lb is extremely difficult for me since my appetite is so small... so glad to hear that I don't need to go 1g/lb....
For clients who just want to improve vice make the most gains in the quickest time: I have them just eat more protein and they'll start building muscle. If they're eating .5g per pound, I step them up to .7 or .75-- it's not maximal but it'll generate progress and can be stepped up if needed.
Love ya dr. mike! 5:24 can you clarify!? For vegetarians vegans you need less, 1.5 as much? I am not sure what you mean. I have always struggled with getting enough protein on fat loss diets. Vegetarians vegan, can get away with .5 g per lb?
@@apathak34 I heave heard other you tubers say the vegans need more protein because … veggies have less of some important types like protein like … luecine. (I think that was it)
For people that find protein expensive, cans of Mackerel and sardines can be found for $1-2 for half a pound net. That's 96 grams of protein for say $1.5. You can find them in chinese grocery shops. The brands like Geisha, Gulong, Marshall's are usually around that price. So it you eat 2 cans a day that's near 200 grams protein for $3. At that price you can even afford some rice and beans.
@@SAFFRONINFERNOand why is that? A large majority of them, sure. But Sardines and Mackerel?? Phenomenally healthy. Especially if they are canned in say, extra virgin olive oil, adds even more good fats in addition to the Omega 3's already in the fish. So what is it?? The BPA?? Like, as in the BPA you don't have to expose yourself too by being a conscious consumer/shopper? Or is it the sodium? As in the the crucial electrolyte that a vast majority of people become deficient in once they start "eating clean and cooking at home" as they end up adding no salt since they've been scared by all the garbage fast food that IS way too high in sodium. And sodium deficiency & electrolyte balance is NOT something I suggest you or anyone else take lightly. Nearly killed me.
Most people forget that protiens carry calories too. If you are trying to get leaner, then you might need to cut some of the protien to ensure you are in a hypocaloric state. You need to maintain a proportion of carbs and fat as well, it's not that you only cut from carbs and fats. You need fats for hormone function and carbs to fuel your workout. It really depends on specific individual and hence needs to be customized, which is why trainers and nutritionists have a job.
When I was bulking last year, from about 140 in January up to 185 this spring, I was eating probably 4k+ calories a day. I was gaining a ton of weight, and honestly, my protein was only probably in the 1-1.25g/lb range, but I had such an active lifestyle I basically had no choice but to chow on calories. So, carbs became my go to (I had this meal with rice, sausage, cheese, and a tortilla that totalled probably 1200+ calories and it was basically a light lunch) Even now on a cut/recomp, headed down to 170, I'm looking at between 140-180 grams of protein a day, and somewhere around 2300 daily calories. Never realized how much I ate until I stooped down to the recommended range...
I get what the research says. But me eating 1g/lbs of body weight on my diet is actually allowing me to lose fat and still make strength gains, I'm natural. First stage of my diet I lost strength, now in the later stages with increased protein intake it's been amazing
I'd really enjoy a video detailing how and how much carbs and fats contribute to anabolism along with the right amount of protein, this one on protein is great!
@@taytayqueen70248ounces of chicken is 70grams of protein and 246 calories… with tons of calories to spare you have 70% of your protein intake in a small portion of chicken
@@taytayqueen7024 102 g of protein is 408 calories. Let say you're, 4'11, 50 years old, and live a sedentary life. Your BMR would be 988 calories/day. Your recommended calorie intake (as a sedentary person) would be about 1186 calories. This means that protein would only be about 34% of your daily calorie intake. This calculation is based on a sedentary 50 year old. You're probably not 50 and probably not sedentary.... 1g of protein per pound would certainly not make you "fat af." If you already have a balanced diet this should not be difficult in the slightest. If you're hitting your maintenance by eating ding dongs and ice cream, I could see eating high protein being a problem.
I'd never come across the gram per pound idea until i came across your channel. About a year or so ago i started taking health a little bit more seriously and just upped the protein intake. I don't really keep count, but i just throw eggs in where i wouldn't have before, and started doing protein shakes and things. My muscle and strength began increasing immediately and hasnt really stopped. I don't go to the gym, i just do physical labour. It started out as an attempt to cope with the demands on my body and it changed my life.
Also soooo many people take these "optimal muscle growth recommendations" to mean like you wont grow muscle if you aren't hitting that target or like its going to be a dramatic difference, I think it has to be emphasized that its just the optimal range. I have been lifting for 9 years eating all different amounts of protein and never once have I discovered that a tangible problem was fixed by increasing my protein, granted ive never ate under 0.5 or so consistently. My diet problems have been only related to not getting enough carbs/fat/calories
Love this guy His delivery is stellar always at all times I would love to see a realistic cartoon simulator version of his sit down topic analysis info . That would be phenomenal
I started at 1g protein per lb. Saw decent gains but I had nothing to compare it too. After reading/researching online, I cut it to .50 to .75 per lb and up my calories 50%. My body responded instantly. Gym pumps got insane, felt stronger in the gym and felt like those "better" days in the gym were more frequent.
If your financial constrained you can purchase Protien Powder on your EBT/Food stamps. Just as long as it says Nutritional Facts on the back and not Supplement.
You mentioned around 5:25 needling less on a vegetarian diet, and it seemed like the there was a different guild line for protein intake. Can you clarify less relative to what? Also can you elaborate on why it might be different? Is the issue protein quality? I got a little lost there.
Me too, because of complete amino acid issue. So veggers get less, and then even more less. I try hard to eat completes but my options are limited and I can only eat so much eggs, dairy, soy and wheat gluten. Things like nutritional yeast and fish food are only a couple of grams.
@@kellyrhoads1067soy is a complete protein so eating soy or other completes you won‘t need to up the intake since the benefits are the same as non-vegan protein (research backs that up)
This is one of the channels that gave me the courage to start my UA-cam channel 6 months ago about self development. Now I have 461 subs and > 100 hours of watch time. I know it’s not comparable with others but I’m still proud I started because I’ve been learning so many lessons that I could haven’t learned without getting started in the 1st place.
@@ashleyjklein9997 Whoever you are, I don't know you personally but I can say that you're one of the non-judgmental and open-minded people who is not fixated on tangible or external factors in order to learn from someone like me. Just because someone doesn't have a piece of paper as a credential, doesn't mean that person is not entitled to share personal experiences with the hope & intention to inspire others. Keep up with whatever it is that you're doing to improve mankind or improving your life even to a slight degree each day. This is just one part of a bigger puzzle for creating my UA-cam channel about holistic health. I literally could have died back when I was 14 years old due to major depression but here I am right now replying to you, a UA-camr, who's full of fulfillment and dedication to help others to be a better version of themselves. I ain't better than anyone else but my old self. That's all that really makes this UA-cam thing more meaningful and enjoyable. Thanks so much for your support! I am hoping that you can join me with this endless personal development journey! :)
@@ashleyjklein9997 Whoever you are, I don't know you personally but I can say that you're one of the non-judgmental and open-minded people who is not fixated on tangible or external factors in order to learn from someone like me. Just because someone doesn't have a piece of paper as a credential, doesn't mean that person is not entitled to share personal experiences with the hope & intention to inspire others. Keep up with whatever it is that you're doing to improve mankind or improving your life even to a slight degree each day. This is just one part of a bigger puzzle for creating my UA-cam channel about holistic health. I literally could have died back when I was 14 years old due to major depression but here I am right now replying to you, a UA-camr, who's full of fulfillment and dedication to help others to be a better version of themselves. I ain't better than anyone else but my old self. That's all that really makes this UA-cam thing more meaningful and enjoyable. Thanks so much for your support! I am hoping that you can join me with this endless personal development journey! :)
Ah if only he had seen the articles reviewed by Eric Trexler that directly compared vegan and non-vegan diets in a hypertrophy context showing that both attained the same results with 1.6 per KG!!
Good info here. I personally like 0.7-1gm per lb. of lean body mass. Over the years I've tried a lot of different levels (without any notable difference in the ability to gain or retain lean tissue, despite measuring) and in my personal experience the 1gm per pound of body weight recommendation tends to crowd out other macro nutrients that could help with dietary adherence like fat and carbs especially in low calorie diets. Also, I wish fiber got talked about more by the fitness industry because just sprinkling in 10gm per 1,000 calories in the diet tends to really keep a diet from skewing too processed.
I completely agree. For me to hit 1g/pound it would warrant me really changing the way I eat and that’s just not happening. I eat a whole food healthy diet and usually get between 0.65-0.85. A lot of rice, pasta, whole grain cereals, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables peanut butter, eggs, chicken, yogurt, etc. It hasn’t stopped me from gaining a lot of muscle as I’ve never bought the whole 1g/pound business. At most I get 0.85, usually around 0.7. That’s eating around 2800-3000 calories. I just prefer having a healthy balance between fats, carbs, and protein.
Good post! It was often overlooked in the past. Especially if you diet down at 2000-2500 and 800-1200 calories has to come from protein! For fiber, I take a psyllium husk supplement (real fiber, not a powder) to make sure I'm always above 30g per day.
@@Soccasteve and I agree with this. Pretty much my exact diet. Even 1 g/lb is a legit hustle which I've never bothered with so I can't imagine anyone who isn't obsessed with bodybuilding or a strength sport go over it.
As Menno among others summarized the scientific data, 0.72g/lb (1.6g/kg) is the upper limit. Anything above that is wasted protein, in the sense that it gives no benefit for muscle protein synthesis. (The article on Menno's website is called "The myth of 1 g/lb: Optimal protein intake for bodybuilders".) That being the upper limit our body can use means we can make gains even with a bit lower than that, like 0.6g/lb. It should be also noted that 0.8g/kg (0.36g/lb) is the medically recommended (not minimal, recommended) amount of protein, that's the recommended amount for pure maintenance, when there is no growth or recovery happening. When there is such things happening, more is recommended eg 1g-1.2g/kg is the medically recommended amount for kids bc they are growing.
Tf are you talking about? You can build muscle even eating protein as low as 0.8g per KILOGRAM BODYWEIGHT. Is it optimal? No. Can you build muscle? Definitely yes. Max protein accretion for the average gym goer is probably around as low as 1g per kilogram bodyweight. Calorie balance matters a lot more than protein intake!
Dr. Mike’s commented on that before, and essentially he agreed that 1.6 g/kg is plenty _on average_, but noted there does seem to be some individual variation. His recommendation of 1g/lb or 2g/kg is meant as more of a safe harbor; perhaps it is more than you need, but it almost certainly isn’t too little.
@@Magic_beans_ Muscle can be built from as little as ~0.8g protein per KILOGRAM BODYWEIGHT. Positive nitrogen balance = muscle gain potential. 1kg muscle = 200g protein. Facts.
I've been lifting for 10 years. After much trial and error, I have discovered that 0.8g/lb gets me just as much gains as 1.5g/lb. I stay around the 120-140g protein per day.
The thing is, .7-.75 grams per pound seems to be my personal sweet spot most of the time. I train enough to get slow but sure results but certainly not heavily or hardcore. When I have tried doing close to 1 gram per pound on a regular basis I end up feeling constipated. If I trained hardcore (still naturally, though) I'd probably need that 1 gram per pound. Granted, I'm currently focusing more on my chest and shoulder strength gains and not a lot on muscle size growth, so when I do end up shifting back to size growth I might need to take it up a bit. While I'm on the topic, I've noticed a tendency that some have where they like to shame people for not wanting to have stomach/digestive issues when they work out...I don't get the sentiment. Some of us want to still feel as good as possible while also slowly but surely pushing upward. Nothing wrong at all with wanting the best of both worlds...certainly doesn't make someone worthy of being picked on.
100% the same here. 1 gram per pound is way too much for me, even if I'm working every muscle regularly. I even added enzyme and fiber supplements and it made no difference, so I stick to around 170-180 grams at a 200 lb body weight
This gots spot on for my body using peds for 10 yrs. Have tried high protein diests and one shake per day with only regular whole food plus higher carbs/cals. Gained much more with the latter in muscle
For me i've found the sweet spot is infact between 0.8 and 1g. I don't always respond beneficially of 1g and Im not sure if its because other things are going on at that time but i found 0.8 to be the sweet spot. Any less and I get shit results from the gym and have lost muscle in the past. i agree 1g is not for everyone, the general data seems to show 0.5-1.2 being most people so its important to see what your body responds to
I haven't been eating enough protein and have been trying to get to a gram/lb. I'm absolutely dying adjusting to the new diet. Take it from me, the earlier the better when it comes to getting your nutrition right. your body will thank you.
Thanks for mentioning vegans! I’m a mountain biker and when I’m riding regularly I am having to drink protein shakes to get to the “required” amount of protein. I love your science backed advice. Anywhere you can point me for vegan specific stuff, or could you do a video about vegan athletes?
@@convid1941I can tell by your profile pic and this comment that your head is full of rocks. If you just took one second to Google vegan athletes you would find a ton. I know you're good at doing your own research 🤡.
Another thing to consider with protein intake is that all these protein powders are poorly absorbed by the body and most of it runs right through you. Don't waste your money on powder buy real food like meat and eggs.
Hey, Dr Mike) Huge fan of your channel, though now because of war in my country of Ukraine there is no time for bodybuilding. And maybe you can help with one question: Critical micro and macro daily dozes. I mean, suggestions for daily protein/carbs/fat intake for civilians. People are trying to save as much money as possible and getting 'pump' if obviously not on the plate. But what is good to keep on the plate? I can go on and on how good to know it to plan food supplies, and so on.
Hey man, I'm terribly sorry for what's going on. I hope the war ends soon and causes as little damage as possible. I also hope Putin is not alive for any longer than... well, ASAP. On the food front, I would eat all of the perishable food as soon as possible and save as much of the food that lasts longer (canned food, etc.). I would eat something like 50-75g of protein per day minimum for the average person, and the rest of the food I would ration out to get as close to maintenance calories as possible. I would also eat a bit more food in the evening before sleep (or whenever you can get some sleep) so that you can sleep a bit better and be more rested and sane. З найкращими побажаннями, брат. - Dr. Mike
@@canadianboymike8747 Swole nah, changed priorities a bit, even though, Ukrainians have to flex with "iron gunz") Anyway. I found myself in a bit funny situation - I know daily intake for optimal muscle growth, and periods and so on, in other words I know how to eat at peaceful times and I have no f*cking clue how to eat when food is getting scares and so on. Kinda what is the "optimal minimum". And yeah, here goes my 30 pounds of gains (now I'm at 159 pounds, so that's for that) Though, the worst part for me of being unable to go to the gym, because I have spine related issues and only when I do a heavy back workout I feel amazing, meaning having no pain pr discomfort in the back. Kinda like that)
@@RenaissancePeriodization Дядя Коля, ну тебе с твоим чувством юмора только к нам в президенты))) Спасибо за ответ) І миру в серці та домі❤ peace and love✌
High protein intakes do not affect kidney or liver health, no discussion needed! (Not being facetious, there's just no reason or literature to believe there would be a problem there, thank you for your question). - Dr. Mike
As someone with CKD who follows the advice of my nephrologist, i have to disagree: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5962279/ High protein intake may lead to increased intraglomerular pressure and glomerular hyperfiltration. This can cause damage to glomerular structure leading to or aggravating chronic kidney disease (CKD). Its common knowledge among ppl w CKD that a low protein diet is a must. If you are blessed with normal kidney function, then this probably doesn't apply to you
@@RenaissancePeriodization I really wanna believe you man... Just had my 3rd kidney stone (its genetic, my father had them) - But either way my brother (Neurologist) suggested I should really cut back on the protein for kidney health. Im 172 pounds about 19% BF and I love lifting and gaining but fuck are kidney stones awful. Its a bit depressing but I've now been eating .8 grams per pound on my lean bulk and I'm hoping this will let me keep growing. Any thoughts from you would be greatly appreciate Mike, I wanna find some compromise here between my kidney stones and bodybuilding journey.
I got to the best shape of my life eating primarily carbs, and moderate amounts of protein like 0.6-0.7g/lb and fat. Doesn't work for everyone but worked great for me
The amount of Protein and Supplements that most of these Gym Bros take in the 21st century is nothing like what our ancestors ate. Heck, eating Meat was a luxury before industrial age and mass manufacturing, since feeding, raising, domesticating farm animals required a lot of time, money, and effort. Most People ate a high dairy and grain diet, so things like bread, butter, milk, cheese, lots of eggs, vegetables, fruits, and moderate to little meat twice or three times a week. Eating meat daily was for the aristocrats. Nowadays, we can eat meat everyday, hence we are already taking so much protein which our ancestors never did. And, our lifestyles have become far more sedentary, while our ancestors were fairly physically active. The only diet and lifestyle you need is a diet that has low glycemic index, and daily physical activity that has cardio and weightlifting in it.
The protein debate that will never end lol. Always a fun topic when it comes up. In my case I weight 175lbs at roughly 13% bf so that puts my lean muscle mass in the 153lb range. Currently I'm getting around 225g of protein per day so thats closer to 1.5g per lb of lean muscle mass. Sure its higher than what studies show but it works for me. I notice quickly when carbs are too high that I start getting fluffy so unless I want to get very fluffy I dont ramp the carbs way up lol. Today's macros for example come to 238p, 317c and 93f at 3k calories. Rest day today so usually ill slightly lower carbs just from inactivity. Sometimes ill play with the macros a bit but have been doing it this way for a while and seems to work well so I'm sticking with it.
I think you’re safer eating less than more. Extraneous protein is damaging to kidney function. I think if you continue this, at the later stages of your life you’ll see GFR go down and creatinine increase. Worst case scenario you start dialysis, it’s just not great for your health eating that much protein.
Thanks Dr. Mike! You always say it's 1g/lb of high quality protein. Does that mean the 10g protein in my oats shouldn't get counted since it's not high-quality?
It does count. It only becomes problematic if a big portion of your protein is coming from low quality sources. Thats one of the reasons 1g/lb is considered high end overkill. Most people eating that much protein are getting ample high quality protein anyways.
@@RenaissancePeriodization so, what's the minimum amount of high quality protein to be consumed? Like 0.5g per pound? a number on that would be nice, i usually try to get at least 0.8 from high quality sources, adding up to a bit over 1g per pound considering protein from all other food groups
@@Nyrkle bro just eat your protein, unless you're vegetarian you don't need to worry about it. Focus on progressive overload instead of how many g of high quality protein in a day.
There's nothing bad about extra protein unless you are in stage 5 CKD in which case you should be fasting, not eating. It also makes you much less hungry for junk food.
Or less hungry for good food. Depends on natural hunger levels and whether bulk or cut. If I go to 2 grams/lb then I'll be loosing weight cause I'm not getting enough carbs
@@noah5291 wrong. The mtor boogie man from protein is a red herring. The effects of mtor from exercise are FAR higher than protein- and nobody is vilifying that.
I have found trying many different amounts that the old .8g per pound of lean body mass is more than enough if I am eating enough fat and especially enough carbs. In fact, I have found increasing the carbs a bit did more for muscle growth than trying to increase the protein.
I completely agree. I rarely get more than 0.85. I’m usually between 0.65 and 0.85 and I’ve built muscle just fine. In order to get 1g/pound you really have to prioritize meat and other animal products and I just enjoy eating foods with more carbs.
@@SoccasteveYoure giving me hope bro. I just had another fucking kidney stone and I can't keep doing the 1g per pound. I've switched to .8G per pound and I was really worried about my gainz, thanks for your perspective
As someone who is trying to lose fat at 140 lbs, I usually fast by eating only one meal a day. So to consume essentially over 100g of protein in one large meal seems overbearing. I use a protein powder to help, but it's still not enough.
The research is 0.7-1g of LEAN body mass, not total body weight. So for the guy who said he was broke and if .7g/lb is OK -- yup, that's completely fine.
For the last 20 years I've been holding at 175 lbs, consuming 40-60 grams of protein a day. Whenever I up the protein for an athletic event, (maxing out at 100 g. a day) I get stomach aches, & have to go right back down to normal. *I've been a vegetarian since '86.
I eat 150g protein a day, the vast majority of it from meat and dairy, and have zero issues with digestion. Your gut flora must likely adapts to your diet after a few weeks and thus as long as you're consistent you should be fine with what you're eating
What I learned with my Body so far is, I overestimated my protein requirement. I used to aim 1g per lb of bodyweight. However most of my bodyweight is fat and water. Stop tracking my meals and just ate meals with protein in it. I look leaner now not tracking than when I was tracking and overthinking
Just stumbled upon this channel and delighted to hear someone speak truth. The protein myth is such a raging debate. This over the top protein intake (think 300g+, relatively), will ultimately waste you money and time on the toilet.
I'm 5'7 205lbs been eating 1400 calories a day and 130-150g of protein a day. I also workout 5 times a week. Should I increase or decrease my calorie/protein intake?
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🌐 *Introduction and Protein Myth Overview* - Dr. Mike introduces the myth of "extra protein is always better." - Claims about the varying levels of protein intake and the misconception around enhanced individuals. - Highlights the discussion on data related to natural bodybuilders and their protein needs. 01:20 🍖 *Examining Protein Intake for Naturals* - Analyzes data indicating that a gram of protein per pound per day is often excessive for naturals. - Discusses the marginal benefits of slightly higher protein intake (1.25 grams per pound) in extreme cases. - Mentions anti-hunger effects of protein and the limited impact of excessively high protein levels on appetite. 02:58 💉 *Protein Needs for Enhanced Individuals* - Explores the role of anabolic steroids in increasing feed efficiency and potentially reducing protein requirements. - Questions the common belief that enhanced individuals need significantly more protein. - Emphasizes the importance of calorie intake, especially from carbs, in the context of enhanced bodybuilding. 03:53 🤔 *Grains of Truth and Individual Variations* - Acknowledges some grains of truth in the myth, such as the potential benefits of 1.25 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound for specific protocols. - Discusses individual variations in protein needs and the possibility of some people benefiting from more or less protein. - Highlights the importance of covering bases without compromising other essential macronutrients. 05:21 🥩 *Best Practices and Take-Home Message* - Recommends a general protein intake of around a gram per pound per day for most cases, including vegans and vegetarians. - Addresses the financial and practical aspects of protein consumption, advising against unnecessary extremes. - Stresses the significance of focusing on career and financial growth for those facing financial constraints in bodybuilding. 06:46 📊 *Adjusting Protein Intake Based on Body Composition* - Discusses adjusting protein intake based on body composition, especially for individuals with over 20% body fat. - Advises scaling protein to lean body mass and offers a practical range for protein consumption. - Encourages a personal experiment for those considering higher protein levels, suggesting a trial period and monitoring results. Made with HARPA AI
I’m a natural and progress only through callisthenics. 70kg and I manage fine on 1.5g per Kg of b/w. Plus it’s easy to manage my diet as 3 x 30g meals, plus a protein drink or fortified snacks throughout.
As a MD/PhD candidate the science you explain on your channel is the absolute best on UA-cam! Everything backed by data and explanation of the mechanism of action. Big fan!
I’ve learned more about training watching this for a month than I have watching other channels for the last 4 years
Damn dude, sucks that it took you 4 yrs to find something better
@@InvisibleHotdog Don’t worry, I wasn’t following all the poor advice. I’d have all my joints replaced and failing organs right now if I did.
@@ax3792 make sure to leave "reps in reserve" lol don't take everything he says seriously
There are some really good channels like Jeff Nippard, Biolayne, Geoffrey Verity Schofield, etc dude. Give them also a try.
Just follow Liverking and all your natty problems will go away.
I've trimmed down my protein consumption to half of what I used to consume. The difference? I'm leaner. Strength is still climbing. The only clowns pushing "high protein" are the ones selling it to you. Mentzer was 100% right about nutrition.
Yeah, whey protein and protein shakes and all that other shit is so unnecessary. Just eat eggs and 2-3 servings of meat/fish per day and you will be fine (for most people)
@@salj.5459 protein shakes are great on cuts and dropping weight. Otherwise I don't use it.
If I eat 100G per day, is that enough to keep building muscle? My PRs are going up regularly and I've been doing this for about 3-5 months (off and on due to sickness and travelling).
@@jacobgiocondo456 If it's working well why change anything?
@@salj.5459 2-3 servings of meat/fish per day? Do you think a regular person would eat meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? And also eggs? What kind of diet is that
I weigh 78kg and dropping. The most protein I can eat naturally in a day is 120g and that is pushing it. I naturally top out at around 75-90g. I literally cannot stuff protein down my throat without compromising a well-balanced diet.
You probably don't need any more than that, unless you're literally 5% body fat. One thing nobody mentions is that you eat 1g per lb based on an estimate of your lean muscle mass, not your overall body weight. For example, people that are 120 kg and 40% body fat, should not be eating 250g of protein a day, it's a complete waste. 100g to 150g is enough per day for the vast majority of people because they don't actually have more than 50kg to 75kg of lean muscle to build off of.
What about gelatin in drinks? Or glycine?
I made batch of lean ground turkey spaghetti with black bean pasta that's clocking in at 57g protein in a 560g serving with 530 kcal. Having that twice a day will hit your goals easy, especially if you add some cheese!
50-75kg of lean muscle mass is an absolute ton of muscle btw.@@nichtsistkostenlos6565
@@nichtsistkostenlos6565thanks for the info bro.
I like the visuals during Dr. Mike's videos. Reminds me of being in school but the difference is Dr. Mike keeps my attention more than 90% of my teachers did.
Growing up poor, I discovered this naturally. My family didn't have access to a lot of supplements and just ate three square meals a day (sometimes less), and definitely nowhere near 2500-3000 calories. I still built a physique I was satisfied with. I know for a fact there were many days I did not eat anywhere close to 100 grams of protein as well. I was roughly 6'2," and 190 lbs at the ages of 17-19. I still train the same, eat the same, and throw in a protein shake post-workout. I'm 220 pounds now and my strength/physique has steadily progressed over time. Everything in our society is geared towards selling you a product, always remember that.
I grew up a vegetarian in the 80s, AND I was anorexic for years. I know I didn't get a fraction of the proteine I should have had. I ate so little. Somehow I grew up and my muscles were fine. 43 now and still a vegetarian, working out, seeing gains. Very lean. I can't imagine eating all the proteine that many channels recommend. I would not be lean with all that protein that they recommend, that's for sure.
@@adday.Vegetarian here too. How many grams or protein do you eat a day (per lb/kg)? I have been eating around ~120g a day (am 90kg) but maybe I need to up that a little. I train for strength 3-4 times a week.
I'm pretty sure genetics played a role. Hard gainers will never gain muscle if they don't eat a lot. If you are hard gainer + poor, you're probably screwed...
@gussstavo I guess it's all relative but still ignorant.
@gussstavoAre you joking? Do you know what the cost of living is in the US? That we do have to scrape by, paycheck to paycheck on a very regular basis, just to be able to afford bills and eat? Grow up.
I remember looking at this 1-2g/lb back in the mid 2000s. It seemed all the fitness magazines said "1g/lb minimum". When I looked at actual research data, every study had ranges of 0.8-2g/kg. Yes, all of the studies were in kg. Now you figure 2g was the upper intake number, 1kg = 2.2lb and I figured 1g/lb would be the upper limit with little to no reason to go above that. I still believe to this day when translating the research to the average person the actual weight units were mistaken and 1-2 g/lb became the accepted norm.
and the muscle mags had protein to sell
If your cutting I'll up the protein a bit more. Maybe 1.2g- 1.3g per lb of bodyweight.
This is a good point.
studies are always in KG because it's the SI unit of mass, it would be really helpful if people would drop lbs, especially because it results in mixing systems like g/lb
0.8g/kg if for those who aren't building muscle and aren't making exercises. Its the minimum a normal personal should eat. Bodybuilders should eat around 1.6-2.2g/kg.
This is basically my favorite fitness series on UA-cam. Thanks for what you do.
Jesus loves you
@@drakeaamold7577 So does Juan, Carlos & Pepe 🙂
Imagine looking up to a gearhead lol
@@bernardoguerrero9368 You're just a wrestler with an overhand!
@@bernardoguerrero9368who do you look up to? Your mommy?
Not even into body building but in to health optimization. Tons of great information for all walks of life. Have yet to find anyone with more accurate information then Dr.Mike
Danny Roddy?
Fun fact: Too much protein^ will waste your kidneys. Was waiting on him to mention this, but I suppose it's more within the medicinal scope than the pure fitness scope. I have no idea why he is quoting the 0.83g/lb per day when it's 0.83/kg. And since a kg is over double the value of lb, he is way off with "cutting back to 1.25g/lb or 1g/lb" figures. 🤯
Actually I take it back, not only should've he included it, he also needed to include the risks. Kidney stones are too painful and renal failure is too common in the body building world to not be at least peripherally aware of the damage to this important organ.
I happened to stumble onto this video, but seeing someone so enthused about learning yet still receiving the dietary equivalent of healthy branded junkfood is disappointing. Given this is a video meant to DEBUNK a prevalent myth, seeing that the basic information of the purported "fact check" were so off the mark simply does not bode well for the rest of his content.
However, 2.2mil subscribers means he's doing something right. I wish I could refer a more rigorous but still entertaining channel to you. A social media/communication element needs to be added to the med school curriculum, focusing on in-office patient care is not enough anymore. Anyhow, does any of this concern you, or in other words, how interested are you in finding quality information from licensed physicians or are you mainly interested in the channel for entertainment purposes and the information isn't set in stone (as in you do not change your behaviors based on what you hear from it)?
^beyond the 0.83g/kg (0.376g/lb per day), give or take 0.04g based on your individual biochemistry for BIO-MALEs** only. This figure is wrt baseline. 0.7g/lb for adult males is suffice to build muscle for 98% of _all_ men. The other 2% still do not approach 1g/lb, ever.
**These standards, like most standards in bio-science*s*, are based on male participants. While there is far less data for females
comparatively, the current estimates are ~17% less for adult women, so 0.309g/lb.
Note: So much more that can be added, but this comment is already too long, given I originally intended for it to be a 2-sentence fun fact to begin with. 😅
The fitness community is the greatest at helping individuals at bettering themselves by first confusing the heck out of them till they find what works for them.
One guy says eat protein the other guy says you don’t need all that. One person says the concentric movement is the most important, now it’s the slow eccentric movement that is the best. One says volume is the best the other says heavy weights is the best. I can go on.
It’s a mess for someone just getting into it. I say find what works by whatever research you do, adjust to what works for you and your body type and stick with that.
We all metabolize differently but not too too much differently, we all have different builds size and needs but a general outline by all these guys and gals are a great way to start. Especially Dr Mike. He's no B.S. commentary is the best!
For sure and so many folks piss all over everyone about it. All these jacked guys have different ways of doing things yet they're all jacked... so lately I've just been thinking fuck all. I'll just train hard (and smart), eat right, drink my shakes, and sleep until I'm dead! 😅
All of them also seem to purposely misread studies somehow seeing units of g/lb instead of g/kg. Why would any sane scientist mix SI and imperial units? So, in reality there is nothing wrong with this video the recommendations are 1.2-2 g/kg for strength athletes and he's saying to go a bit over what scientists recommend even. But really you can do fine and build muscle anywhere in that range and even outside of that range you will make gains. The rda is .8 g/kg so a big 200 lb guy only needs around 70 g per day maintenance. The reason why I think eating protein is massively overhyped is because if it doesn't get used it just gets converted to carbs or fat at the end of the day. So, it really depends on how active or sore you are on a given day whether or not it makes sense to eat more protein.
@@Cancellator5000 proteins don't turn into fats or carbs.
@@rizzgy7486 Yes they do. Look it up. There is no protein storage in your body.
its not a myth, i figured out a lot of proteins improve my farts. no one can stand the smell of my farts anymore.
Are your farts pungent?? I recently increased protein consumption and my farts are more strong than before
Yes@@edeypodey2224
There are some proteins that will make my farts clear out the room.
Fart hypertrophy is best
Same is the case with me
Thanks for doing this series, Doc. It's like Norton's What The Fitness but lower blood pressure.
and no edits, his videos are so fucking annoying, theres a cut every 5 words
@@stdavis22 agreed.. layne speaks with a lot of pauses but the editor goes overboard
Norton has good info but he's annoying af.
Love Norton but so true. Ha!
@TeddyKGB I told him that once and I also told him he does good morning squats. He blasted me for saying the latter and ignored the former so maybe he's taking the criticism into consideration but it seems to be a UA-camr thing they do to make content shorter and more consumable. Derek from more plates does it also. It's unnatural so it's difficult for humans to follow along.
5:35 Probably one of the most important conversations I have heard in a long time. 99.9% of us who weight train are NOT bodybuilders. So if 1g is suggested for bodybuilders, taking that amount is probably overdoing it.
In my whole life, I have probably ever seen 2 people who could realistically set foot on a bodybuilding stage. The rest have been guys with just good physiques or guys who over-eat and use gear for absolutely no reason.
Maybe it's worth emphasizing that weight training and serious/competitive bodybuilding are two completely different things.
There was never really a question in regards to how different a normal person doing weight training to have a healthy life or for aesthetics purposes vs a person weight training to go to body building competitions(the more expensive and time consuming one)
Majority of people weight train to have both good health and good physical appearance, good looking per se. One can call it beach body or a + shredded beach body version.
While if one wants to be a natty shredded or enhanced body builder for competition.
Its like training to get beach body. And NOT Stopping and get super shred. And not to mention the amount of supplements the enhance ones take which cost money, and time.
Not everyone got the luxury of money and time to have proper training and proper rest whilst working a typical work hours.
And the more you aim for less body fat percentage for competition, to look as muscular and super shred. Its literally BRUTALLY hard to keep and maintain that low fat percentage at that rate.
Its not for everyone.
The positive side I guess is that people try to be their better self and exercise. And ask questions what are good and bad in regards to protein intake, dieting, exercise, supplements etc.
And not be just a toxic bunch of people slinging poo at each other.
The other thing that has me confused is most kids don't eat anywhere near 1 gram of protein a day, yet when they blow up in size on very little protein.
Makes me wonder why all of a sudden to put on just a little bit of muscle around my body, somehow my body needs all of this protein that I never came close to eating my whole life, yet I was able to gain all that weight and size from being a kid.
You tell me people use gear for no reason hmm
@Fighter4Street There are numerous reasons for this, but (my non scientific take) is that when you're reaching adolescence, your body absorbs nutrients much more efficiently. (Almost like being on gear)
Think about teenage boys; covered in acne, etc. (Much like the side effects of gear) The reason you can often eat significantly less (in general but also protein) on gear or a teenager is that your body absorbs nutrients MUCH more efficiently.
It's why guys on PEDs can be in a HUGE deficit and still gain muscle/strength-- the same goes for teenagers. (Although most teenagers I know can eat like monsters. I remember when I was a teenager, I could put down seemingly unlimited food-- so I think you might be underestimating just how much a teenager is eating, in particular protein.)
But essentially that's why. Kids/teens are being flooded with growth hormones making food absorption HIGHLY efficient. (Much like gear does for adults)
So true , most of us who watch these vids arnt bodybuilders wanting to compete , we just want a decent physique, I stopped buying protein powder long time ago , eat 4 meals a day and I grow
Oh and thanks for the lbm explanation. I remember when I was obese and I was reading way back the 1.5-2g of proteins per body weight (back in mid 2000) and thinking I had to eat 450 to 600 grams of proteins as I was 300lbs. It sucks that great info like this was not available or was but buried under bro science. Thanks Dr. Mike
How tf were you eating 600g of protein lmao
@@fake-PSL I never said I could or I did, I was just baffled when I saw the number and thought it didn't made sense.
Yeah that'd basically be eating whey with a spoon for like most of your calorie intake. It would be nuts. Obviously there's no one on the planet who needs 600g of protein per day. That's absolutely absurd.
Yeah many studies mention 1.5-2g per body weight in kilograms not pounds.
It's supposed to be 0.8 grams per pound of muscle mass, but that often gets ignored
I agree with everything here. When I was training for weightlifting, I always aimed for 1g per KILOGRAM of lean body mass. At the time, I only ever needed to eat around 90g a day. Sometimes 120 if I felt like it. It was easily attainable diet wise, and on the wallet. I never had any issues with gaining mass, strength, or recovery. That rule has always served me very well. And I could fit it in to 3-4 meals of normal portions with no issue.
As a beginner skinny fat, I gained a ton of LBM in 6months using something like that (1g/kg), went from total BW 70kg to 81kg
Similar boat here though I've kind of stuck to 0.75g/ per lb. I don't have the time to commit 5-6 days a week so I stick to 3-4. With this, it means I don't have to eat as much every single day to bulk/recomp when I'm not training 5-6 days a week, since I am not burning as much calories since I'm not lifting nearly everyday. This is my long haul workout plan, I've been lifting for a long time though, so perhaps this isn't optimal for everyone.
This enables me to have more time to do what I need to in my life and so I don't have to hit the wallet harder to add more calories or even force feed myself since I eat relatively clean.
Can get that in two meals lol
@yourmoviefix were you on gear
Nice. Did you make good gains? I feel like thats what im eating too, and refuse to go higher since it seems insane
From my experience, I tried calculating macros around my LBM of 180lbs, and for months, at 350lbs, it just was not working for me. Within the first week, my fatigue levels to sky rocket; performance at the gym was horrible and slow; then burn out kicked in super fast. This caused me to rebound off of my diets, and go off on binge eating sprees. I swapped over to 1g per lb of my actual body weight, immediately my performance in the gym boomed; I lost weight; I was satisfied; and started to look more muscular. So from what i gathered from this video and comment section, sure there are people that can succeed at eating less gram per lb of protein, but experimentation is key, because everyone's body is different from another.
Wait, you were eating 350g of protein a day??? Did you take out carbs to make room for that caloric increase? There could be other factors involved in why that felt better for you. Glad it worked out though and you lost the pounds!
@@joeschmoe2697yeah they left out a lot in his statement but we are definitely happy it worked out for them
@@joeschmoe2697same thing t I was wondering that is a fucking crazy feat to consistently eat 350g of protein a day
I'm down about 20 lbs since January, I'm coming in at 252 atm, I've found that if I'm not consuming at least 180g/day (lean body needs) of protein im slow, low energy, irritable, and have a really hard time getting stronger. I'm Hybrid training (CrossFit and running) 4-5 times a week so I'm very active. So I'm guessing my needs are higher due to my activity levels. I'm currently staying below 2200 calories a day and am losing about 1lb/week and some change. Started dieting hard core late May.
I’m a 5’7, 200lb 21 yo exercise science major. My brother pushed the whole 1g/lb thing and he was 8% body fat so I listened and it drove me fucking nuts trying to hit 200g a day without sacrificing the fat/carbs I needed to actually push myself in the gym. I ended up gaining fat and losing muscle. Experimented for a bit and found 160 it be the magic number. That perfectly comes out to .8g/kg. My brother who is 8% body fat, 190lbs used to sacrifice his carbs and started getting really fatigued. I told him he needs to load up on carbs if he’s going to workout for 2.5 hours 4-6x a week. He did and his gains exploded. Instead of cutting back on protein however, he chose to do so much exercise that he can eat whatever he wants. However I’m noticing that his appetite is voracious and he can’t tolerate whey powder anymore. He has ADHD and is on vyvanse which suppresses appetite and personally I think if he wasn’t on that medication his body would be screaming at him to put on some fat. He’s been at 8% body fat, 6’0, 190lbs for about 2 years now. He’s been an athlete his whole life and was a D1 wrestler at the University of Chicago before he got a savage concussion so I know he’s not necessarily killing himself to maintain these levels but it just seems so miserable. He’s borderline obsessive about his diet and freaks out if he misses a workout. Im sharing this because I just want to say that while fitness can be reduced to muscles, body fat, and diet, health can’t. This is, in my opinion, a classic example of how disordered eating and body images presents itself in men. Nobody thinks it’s an issue and everyone praises him for his body but even anorexics get praise. Muscle dysmorphia is a real thing and if this resonates, please for the love of god eat a donut every now and then and find a hobby to balance your life.
Thank you for this insight, I've been down a similar path before...
You mean .8g/lb, correct? .8g/kg is the bare minimum RDA for inactive people.
Yes, this type of disordered eating is called orthorexia nervosa. Thank you for bringing attention to it. I wish you the best in helping your brother.
@@FlemetAeton .8g/lb 1.6g/kg
quit that vyvanse shit its fucking poison, ADHD is real and the cure is intense levels of discipline.
amphetamines are bad for your health and lethal for your mental health you wont even know its been fucking with your head till you break the camels back.
Great video Mike. The research consistently suggests 0.7-1g per lb is enough most of the time for maximising body composition. In some cases, more can cause GI distress.
Good thing i was too broke to afford more protein, i consume .7 grams of protein since I started and I’m still growing after 2 years
@@Salim_shahidy its more than enough for most 💪
Per lb of LBM or total Weight?
The difference come into the difference between the science of fitness and the art of fitness. If you give someone a goal of 0.7 there will be plenty of days where that person falls short, and gets less optimal results (not bad results) but if you give someone 1 g/lb then people are much more likely to stay in the optimal range that they need so the difference lies in practice most of the time
Can you help me understand why vegans would need less protein per pound?
“ and the integrity of your anus,goodbye”
I thoroughly enjoy binging on all your informational videos because they’re informational for one but for two you’re fucking funny and dryly sarcastic and I highly appreciate that when you’re talking about educational things.
I eat just 5 whole eggs with 1 tablespoon of EVOO
Some red/white meat
1 tablespoon of pure Ghee
Total around 50-70g of Protein/day
I am currently 79kg and doing PR every 2-3 weeks in one or the other exercise
4 years of lifting
I am binge watching your videos probably the best Contin I’ve seen on the Internet when it comes to bodybuilding in a very long time thank you for your dedication to these
My huge issue is with people who insist you need 1g / lb minimum for cutting. I would never be able to reach that and still be at a calorie deficit. Despite all the extra research going into fitness and body building now I still feel like nearly everything involving macros is still complete bro science.
sure you can... when cutting: protein = 1 to 1.2 grams per body weight; fat = 25% of your total calories to keep your hormones at optimal levels; the rest of the calories come from carbs
the reason is because some of the protein will be used to maintain muscle and some of it will be used for energy . When a gram of protein is converted to glucose it only converts to around .8gram of sugar so actually you are eating slightly less calories than if you ate the same amount of carbs as protein and at least you know all your protein needs are being met. Also in this video didnt he say that 1g/lb is just over optimal to eat all the time when body building and some people will benefit from eating more while cutting? Did you watch the video?
ok now do it with food @@NJN23
@@danan9061body only use protein for energy as a last result all ways goes to carbs and fat stores first.
Yes you can.
My friend is a vegan eating 60-80g of protein. Very aesthetic and recently got his bench to 285 at like 170bw. There's probably something to the .7-1g for bulking and cutting, but just living your life i am skeptical of fitness numbers
Yeah I was worried when I went vegan but I don’t even think about it anymore. The gains will come if you eat enough and lift enough counting grams of protein is for pros on gear
your friend probably farts deadly clouds of bioterrorism. vegans are the nastiest
Eating less wont prevent your gains, it's just a matter of having the best possible results.But People putting a decent amount (+0,5g/lb) will definitly have good results already.
In the video he said if you’re vegan you need less, then he said 1.5x as much? Does anyone know what Dr. Mike meant by that and what he’s citing?
Also don’t forget to add into the fact that your friend may have insane genetics 🔥
I love the Gym Bro character! Please do an entire workout “advice” vid as gymbro Mike on April fools. I think it would be hilarious.
What did he say about vegan/vegetarian? Sounded like he said, “you need less” (maybe he said “eat less”), but then he said, “you need x1.5 as much.”
Which is it? Need more or less?
More the protein quality is lower for plant based protein
the only guy that answered the question that you dont need 300grams of protien if your 300lbs obese. thank you for keeping it real and the facts straight and telling it how it is! Im a huge fan!
It would help you loose weight if you tried tho.
If you are 300lb chances are that the majority of your food is carbs. Trying to maintain 300lb while eating mostly Protein would be difficult.
@carlpanzram7081 This could be true but at the end of the day calories in calories out. Is too much protein bad no I don't think so but if your counting calories, Calories from protein count toward your surplus or deficit goals.
When did he mention obesity? Couldn't find it.
Thank you for addressing the LBM point! That helps tremendously.
I always love Dr Mike's bro voice! I feel like he'd be a killer voice actor.
I wish I could afford to sit with you for 10 minutes and get a few key nutrition questions answered. I've looked and looked and am so mired in differing opinions and data. From a holistic standpoint, it's hard to talk about protein without talking about Carbs/Fat. Things get extra complicated for me being Type 2 diabetic and 100 lbs overweight AND being 57 years old.
opinions dont matter. anecdotes dont matter. empirical data is what matters. if you want to increase your insulin sensitivity, lose weight, eat whole foods, and MINIMIZE saturated fat (thats a big one, very underrated by many). to lose weight, be in a 200-700 calorie deficit. dont worry about muscle loss if youre resistance training and intaking 1.6g/kg of protein (doesnt matter if its from plants or meat, protein quality is VERY overrated, even by dr mike 😿) also make sure to do cardio, i recommend at the very very minimum 8k steps a day.
I've been saying this for a long time. The studies that were done were based on 1g per *kilogram* of bodyweight, not pound. At some point someone misinterpreted this as pound, and suddenly everyone thinks you need 200-300 grams of protein per day.
What? Source? I'm interested in reading about this please.
I'm quite sure the recommended intake or protein is 0.8 gram per kg bodyweight for inactive people, 1.5 gr per kg for runners and 1.8 gr per kg for weightlifters.
@@Bmaster30 Thanks, that does seem like a pretty reasonable value even at the highest 1.8 gr per kg.
That sounds like a ridiculous take. Do you have sources?
This seems way off....with this ideology I'd only need 59.2g protein at 235lbs😂
Skinny fat here and just started... eating to 0.85g/lb is extremely difficult for me since my appetite is so small... so glad to hear that I don't need to go 1g/lb....
For clients who just want to improve vice make the most gains in the quickest time: I have them just eat more protein and they'll start building muscle. If they're eating .5g per pound, I step them up to .7 or .75-- it's not maximal but it'll generate progress and can be stepped up if needed.
Love ya dr. mike! 5:24 can you clarify!? For vegetarians vegans you need less, 1.5 as much? I am not sure what you mean. I have always struggled with getting enough protein on fat loss diets. Vegetarians vegan, can get away with .5 g per lb?
As a vegetarian, I was confused by this as well.
I think he meant vegans need more
@@apathak34 I heave heard other you tubers say the vegans need more protein because … veggies have less of some important types like protein like … luecine. (I think that was it)
@@EndlessAlchemy I’m sure that Dr Mike unintentionally & incorrectly said less instead of more.
he definitely meant you need more.
For people that find protein expensive, cans of Mackerel and sardines can be found for $1-2 for half a pound net. That's 96 grams of protein for say $1.5. You can find them in chinese grocery shops. The brands like Geisha, Gulong, Marshall's are usually around that price. So it you eat 2 cans a day that's near 200 grams protein for $3. At that price you can even afford some rice and beans.
I’ll keep that in mind as I love seafood and sardines
Stay away from CANNED foods
@@SAFFRONINFERNOand why is that? A large majority of them, sure. But Sardines and Mackerel?? Phenomenally healthy. Especially if they are canned in say, extra virgin olive oil, adds even more good fats in addition to the Omega 3's already in the fish. So what is it?? The BPA?? Like, as in the BPA you don't have to expose yourself too by being a conscious consumer/shopper? Or is it the sodium? As in the the crucial electrolyte that a vast majority of people become deficient in once they start "eating clean and cooking at home" as they end up adding no salt since they've been scared by all the garbage fast food that IS way too high in sodium. And sodium deficiency & electrolyte balance is NOT something I suggest you or anyone else take lightly. Nearly killed me.
@@SAFFRONINFERNOsurely 1 can each week won't be that bad, right? People be eating all kinds of processed foods these days
@@MoFootballForU Yeah I guess so
Most people forget that protiens carry calories too. If you are trying to get leaner, then you might need to cut some of the protien to ensure you are in a hypocaloric state. You need to maintain a proportion of carbs and fat as well, it's not that you only cut from carbs and fats. You need fats for hormone function and carbs to fuel your workout. It really depends on specific individual and hence needs to be customized, which is why trainers and nutritionists have a job.
When I was bulking last year, from about 140 in January up to 185 this spring, I was eating probably 4k+ calories a day. I was gaining a ton of weight, and honestly, my protein was only probably in the 1-1.25g/lb range, but I had such an active lifestyle I basically had no choice but to chow on calories. So, carbs became my go to (I had this meal with rice, sausage, cheese, and a tortilla that totalled probably 1200+ calories and it was basically a light lunch)
Even now on a cut/recomp, headed down to 170, I'm looking at between 140-180 grams of protein a day, and somewhere around 2300 daily calories.
Never realized how much I ate until I stooped down to the recommended range...
This is why calorie counting is important. Or at the very least portion sizes.
Hahahahahahaha. 45 lbs in just a few months?? Bullsh!t or you just became a fat slob.
God bless you, Mike et al., you are putting out such high-quality information. ❤️
man said mike et al lmao
@@videoupload1253 dissertation quality content deserves dissertation quality praise hahaha
This is how I'm gonna refer to the group of Mike, Charly, and Jared moving forward.
Haha our pleasure! - Dr. Mike
PhD PTSD spotted
I get what the research says. But me eating 1g/lbs of body weight on my diet is actually allowing me to lose fat and still make strength gains, I'm natural.
First stage of my diet I lost strength, now in the later stages with increased protein intake it's been amazing
I'd really enjoy a video detailing how and how much carbs and fats contribute to anabolism along with the right amount of protein, this one on protein is great!
1g per lb always sounded absurd to me
I’m 102 pounds at 4’11. If I ate a g per pound I would get fat af. No way my calorie maintanence calories would allow that
ye it's fk a lot i'm 6'6 with 220lbs...that's a lot of protein
@@taytayqueen7024It would be 408 calories of protein. It’s doable. I’m not saying it’s required or anything but it’s doable without getting fat.
@@taytayqueen70248ounces of chicken is 70grams of protein and 246 calories… with tons of calories to spare you have 70% of your protein intake in a small portion of chicken
@@taytayqueen7024 102 g of protein is 408 calories. Let say you're, 4'11, 50 years old, and live a sedentary life. Your BMR would be 988 calories/day. Your recommended calorie intake (as a sedentary person) would be about 1186 calories. This means that protein would only be about 34% of your daily calorie intake. This calculation is based on a sedentary 50 year old. You're probably not 50 and probably not sedentary.... 1g of protein per pound would certainly not make you "fat af." If you already have a balanced diet this should not be difficult in the slightest. If you're hitting your maintenance by eating ding dongs and ice cream, I could see eating high protein being a problem.
I'd never come across the gram per pound idea until i came across your channel.
About a year or so ago i started taking health a little bit more seriously and just upped the protein intake.
I don't really keep count, but i just throw eggs in where i wouldn't have before, and started doing protein shakes and things.
My muscle and strength began increasing immediately and hasnt really stopped.
I don't go to the gym, i just do physical labour.
It started out as an attempt to cope with the demands on my body and it changed my life.
0.8-1g / lb per day is fine for me. I get indigestion if I overeat protein.
Thank you for putting this out. This industry myth bothers me so much.
way too much protein
Also soooo many people take these "optimal muscle growth recommendations" to mean like you wont grow muscle if you aren't hitting that target or like its going to be a dramatic difference, I think it has to be emphasized that its just the optimal range. I have been lifting for 9 years eating all different amounts of protein and never once have I discovered that a tangible problem was fixed by increasing my protein, granted ive never ate under 0.5 or so consistently. My diet problems have been only related to not getting enough carbs/fat/calories
Love this guy
His delivery is stellar always at all times
I would love to see a realistic cartoon simulator version of his sit down topic analysis info . That would be phenomenal
No, he garbles his words at 5:24. I have no idea what he means.
@@markv1274 “If your vegan or vegetarian “
I started at 1g protein per lb. Saw decent gains but I had nothing to compare it too. After reading/researching online, I cut it to .50 to .75 per lb and up my calories 50%. My body responded instantly. Gym pumps got insane, felt stronger in the gym and felt like those "better" days in the gym were more frequent.
6lbs muscle in 1.5 months lol nope, that's fat or water retention
You upped your carbs for more glycogen storage for better lifts lol had nothing to do with protein
Keep putting out the good content man. Extremely helpful!
Agreed 💯%
I love how this guy concisely and succinctly outlines his advice just for a million scrubs to throw their 2 cents in the comments to obfuscate it all!
If your financial constrained you can purchase Protien Powder on your EBT/Food stamps. Just as long as it says Nutritional Facts on the back and not Supplement.
Deadasssss?
@@MrWilbur63 Yes. Cvs, RiteAid, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Target, most grocery stores accept. GNC doesn't accept EBT
You mentioned around 5:25 needling less on a vegetarian diet, and it seemed like the there was a different guild line for protein intake. Can you clarify less relative to what? Also can you elaborate on why it might be different? Is the issue protein quality? I got a little lost there.
Me too, because of complete amino acid issue. So veggers get less, and then even more less. I try hard to eat completes but my options are limited and I can only eat so much eggs, dairy, soy and wheat gluten. Things like nutritional yeast and fish food are only a couple of grams.
@@kellyrhoads1067soy is a complete protein so eating soy or other completes you won‘t need to up the intake since the benefits are the same as non-vegan protein (research backs that up)
This is one of the channels that gave me the courage to start my UA-cam channel 6 months ago about self development. Now I have 461 subs and > 100 hours of watch time. I know it’s not comparable with others but I’m still proud I started because I’ve been learning so many lessons that I could haven’t learned without getting started in the 1st place.
Congratulations, man. Hope you channel grows even more 🎉
@@ashleyjklein9997 Whoever you are, I don't know you personally but I can say that you're one of the non-judgmental and open-minded people who is not fixated on tangible or external factors in order to learn from someone like me. Just because someone doesn't have a piece of paper as a credential, doesn't mean that person is not entitled to share personal experiences with the hope & intention to inspire others. Keep up with whatever it is that you're doing to improve mankind or improving your life even to a slight degree each day. This is just one part of a bigger puzzle for creating my UA-cam channel about holistic health. I literally could have died back when I was 14 years old due to major depression but here I am right now replying to you, a UA-camr, who's full of fulfillment and dedication to help others to be a better version of themselves. I ain't better than anyone else but my old self. That's all that really makes this UA-cam thing more meaningful and enjoyable. Thanks so much for your support! I am hoping that you can join me with this endless personal development journey! :)
@@ashleyjklein9997 Whoever you are, I don't know you personally but I can say that you're one of the non-judgmental and open-minded people who is not fixated on tangible or external factors in order to learn from someone like me. Just because someone doesn't have a piece of paper as a credential, doesn't mean that person is not entitled to share personal experiences with the hope & intention to inspire others. Keep up with whatever it is that you're doing to improve mankind or improving your life even to a slight degree each day. This is just one part of a bigger puzzle for creating my UA-cam channel about holistic health. I literally could have died back when I was 14 years old due to major depression but here I am right now replying to you, a UA-camr, who's full of fulfillment and dedication to help others to be a better version of themselves. I ain't better than anyone else but my old self. That's all that really makes this UA-cam thing more meaningful and enjoyable. Thanks so much for your support! I am hoping that you can join me with this endless personal development journey! :)
When you say “Btw if you’re vegan or vegetarian, you need less, probably 1 1/2 times as much”, are you saying more or less then 1gram per lb?
Yes, that part confused me too, hope there is an answer
He definitely means more. He did a recent video on gaining muscle while vegan and suggested 1.25-1.5g/lb bodyweight.
Ah if only he had seen the articles reviewed by Eric Trexler that directly compared vegan and non-vegan diets in a hypertrophy context showing that both attained the same results with 1.6 per KG!!
Good info here. I personally like 0.7-1gm per lb. of lean body mass. Over the years I've tried a lot of different levels (without any notable difference in the ability to gain or retain lean tissue, despite measuring) and in my personal experience the 1gm per pound of body weight recommendation tends to crowd out other macro nutrients that could help with dietary adherence like fat and carbs especially in low calorie diets. Also, I wish fiber got talked about more by the fitness industry because just sprinkling in 10gm per 1,000 calories in the diet tends to really keep a diet from skewing too processed.
I completely agree. For me to hit 1g/pound it would warrant me really changing the way I eat and that’s just not happening. I eat a whole food healthy diet and usually get between 0.65-0.85. A lot of rice, pasta, whole grain cereals, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables peanut butter, eggs, chicken, yogurt, etc. It hasn’t stopped me from gaining a lot of muscle as I’ve never bought the whole 1g/pound business. At most I get 0.85, usually around 0.7. That’s eating around 2800-3000 calories. I just prefer having a healthy balance between fats, carbs, and protein.
Good post! It was often overlooked in the past. Especially if you diet down at 2000-2500 and 800-1200 calories has to come from protein!
For fiber, I take a psyllium husk supplement (real fiber, not a powder) to make sure I'm always above 30g per day.
@@Soccasteve and I agree with this. Pretty much my exact diet. Even 1 g/lb is a legit hustle which I've never bothered with so I can't imagine anyone who isn't obsessed with bodybuilding or a strength sport go over it.
Yeah, 7.2-8.9 for me.
As Menno among others summarized the scientific data, 0.72g/lb (1.6g/kg) is the upper limit. Anything above that is wasted protein, in the sense that it gives no benefit for muscle protein synthesis. (The article on Menno's website is called "The myth of 1 g/lb: Optimal protein intake for bodybuilders".)
That being the upper limit our body can use means we can make gains even with a bit lower than that, like 0.6g/lb. It should be also noted that 0.8g/kg (0.36g/lb) is the medically recommended (not minimal, recommended) amount of protein, that's the recommended amount for pure maintenance, when there is no growth or recovery happening. When there is such things happening, more is recommended eg 1g-1.2g/kg is the medically recommended amount for kids bc they are growing.
Thank you, also that value is 1.6g/kg of LBM
Good comment
Tf are you talking about? You can build muscle even eating protein as low as 0.8g per KILOGRAM BODYWEIGHT. Is it optimal? No. Can you build muscle? Definitely yes. Max protein accretion for the average gym goer is probably around as low as 1g per kilogram bodyweight. Calorie balance matters a lot more than protein intake!
Dr. Mike’s commented on that before, and essentially he agreed that 1.6 g/kg is plenty _on average_, but noted there does seem to be some individual variation. His recommendation of 1g/lb or 2g/kg is meant as more of a safe harbor; perhaps it is more than you need, but it almost certainly isn’t too little.
@@Magic_beans_ Muscle can be built from as little as ~0.8g protein per KILOGRAM BODYWEIGHT. Positive nitrogen balance = muscle gain potential. 1kg muscle = 200g protein. Facts.
I've been lifting for 10 years. After much trial and error, I have discovered that 0.8g/lb gets me just as much gains as 1.5g/lb. I stay around the 120-140g protein per day.
Finally someone in the industry is addressing this!
The thing is, .7-.75 grams per pound seems to be my personal sweet spot most of the time. I train enough to get slow but sure results but certainly not heavily or hardcore. When I have tried doing close to 1 gram per pound on a regular basis I end up feeling constipated. If I trained hardcore (still naturally, though) I'd probably need that 1 gram per pound.
Granted, I'm currently focusing more on my chest and shoulder strength gains and not a lot on muscle size growth, so when I do end up shifting back to size growth I might need to take it up a bit. While I'm on the topic, I've noticed a tendency that some have where they like to shame people for not wanting to have stomach/digestive issues when they work out...I don't get the sentiment.
Some of us want to still feel as good as possible while also slowly but surely pushing upward. Nothing wrong at all with wanting the best of both worlds...certainly doesn't make someone worthy of being picked on.
100% the same here. 1 gram per pound is way too much for me, even if I'm working every muscle regularly. I even added enzyme and fiber supplements and it made no difference, so I stick to around 170-180 grams at a 200 lb body weight
@@Dtyler171 which is probably still too much. Its 1 gram for lean tissue. not total body weight.
Your kidneys will pay for all that protein
Yeah .7 feels good for me. Any more than that wrecks my gut and makes me feel like garbage.
Hey, question. What if all I do is upper body, I still need .7 grams of protein per pound?
This gots spot on for my body using peds for 10 yrs. Have tried high protein diests and one shake per day with only regular whole food plus higher carbs/cals. Gained much more with the latter in muscle
For me i've found the sweet spot is infact between 0.8 and 1g. I don't always respond beneficially of 1g and Im not sure if its because other things are going on at that time but i found 0.8 to be the sweet spot. Any less and I get shit results from the gym and have lost muscle in the past. i agree 1g is not for everyone, the general data seems to show 0.5-1.2 being most people so its important to see what your body responds to
You must have shit genetics to not get results from..6 or less.
I really appreciate you distinguishing the natty and the not natty!
Your sense of humor is 🙌🤣👌🔥🔥🔥
I haven't been eating enough protein and have been trying to get to a gram/lb. I'm absolutely dying adjusting to the new diet. Take it from me, the earlier the better when it comes to getting your nutrition right. your body will thank you.
🤣🤣 “you earned it by the stick of the needle🤣🤣. Dr Fun!
Thanks for mentioning vegans! I’m a mountain biker and when I’m riding regularly I am having to drink protein shakes to get to the “required” amount of protein.
I love your science backed advice. Anywhere you can point me for vegan specific stuff, or could you do a video about vegan athletes?
Vegan athlete lmfao
@@convid1941I can tell by your profile pic and this comment that your head is full of rocks. If you just took one second to Google vegan athletes you would find a ton. I know you're good at doing your own research 🤡.
bro when he mentioned vegan people i was confused did he say you need less if you're vegan?
@@convid1941you don’t get out much I guess.
0.7 to 0.8 per lb is achievable and enough to the average person grow muscles and be lean. Over that is for competitors and profissional sportsmen.
Another thing to consider with protein intake is that all these protein powders are poorly absorbed by the body and most of it runs right through you. Don't waste your money on powder buy real food like meat and eggs.
Hey, Dr Mike)
Huge fan of your channel, though now because of war in my country of Ukraine there is no time for bodybuilding.
And maybe you can help with one question:
Critical micro and macro daily dozes.
I mean, suggestions for daily protein/carbs/fat intake for civilians.
People are trying to save as much money as possible and getting 'pump' if obviously not on the plate. But what is good to keep on the plate?
I can go on and on how good to know it to plan food supplies, and so on.
Dude! You are dedicated!! Your country is war torn and you’re still trying to get swole!! Answer this man’s question 🙏
just submit to russia so u can get back in the gym, priorities bruh
Hey man, I'm terribly sorry for what's going on. I hope the war ends soon and causes as little damage as possible. I also hope Putin is not alive for any longer than... well, ASAP. On the food front, I would eat all of the perishable food as soon as possible and save as much of the food that lasts longer (canned food, etc.). I would eat something like 50-75g of protein per day minimum for the average person, and the rest of the food I would ration out to get as close to maintenance calories as possible. I would also eat a bit more food in the evening before sleep (or whenever you can get some sleep) so that you can sleep a bit better and be more rested and sane. З найкращими побажаннями, брат. - Dr. Mike
@@canadianboymike8747 Swole nah, changed priorities a bit, even though, Ukrainians have to flex with "iron gunz")
Anyway. I found myself in a bit funny situation - I know daily intake for optimal muscle growth, and periods and so on, in other words I know how to eat at peaceful times and I have no f*cking clue how to eat when food is getting scares and so on. Kinda what is the "optimal minimum".
And yeah, here goes my 30 pounds of gains (now I'm at 159 pounds, so that's for that)
Though, the worst part for me of being unable to go to the gym, because I have spine related issues and only when I do a heavy back workout I feel amazing, meaning having no pain pr discomfort in the back.
Kinda like that)
@@RenaissancePeriodization Дядя Коля, ну тебе с твоим чувством юмора только к нам в президенты)))
Спасибо за ответ)
І миру в серці та домі❤
peace and love✌
Would like to hear a discuss of kidney and liver health while intaking high amounts of protein.
High protein intakes do not affect kidney or liver health, no discussion needed! (Not being facetious, there's just no reason or literature to believe there would be a problem there, thank you for your question). - Dr. Mike
@@RenaissancePeriodization What about bone density or osteoporosis?
As someone with CKD who follows the advice of my nephrologist, i have to disagree:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5962279/
High protein intake may lead to increased intraglomerular pressure and glomerular hyperfiltration. This can cause damage to glomerular structure leading to or aggravating chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Its common knowledge among ppl w CKD that a low protein diet is a must. If you are blessed with normal kidney function, then this probably doesn't apply to you
@@RenaissancePeriodization I really wanna believe you man... Just had my 3rd kidney stone (its genetic, my father had them) - But either way my brother (Neurologist) suggested I should really cut back on the protein for kidney health. Im 172 pounds about 19% BF and I love lifting and gaining but fuck are kidney stones awful. Its a bit depressing but I've now been eating .8 grams per pound on my lean bulk and I'm hoping this will let me keep growing. Any thoughts from you would be greatly appreciate Mike, I wanna find some compromise here between my kidney stones and bodybuilding journey.
My doctor told me that kidneys don't get damaged unless you go really high on your protein like 4 g per pound of body weight.
I got to the best shape of my life eating primarily carbs, and moderate amounts of protein like 0.6-0.7g/lb and fat. Doesn't work for everyone but worked great for me
Worked for me also, I gained more muscle without protein shakes
The amount of Protein and Supplements that most of these Gym Bros take in the 21st century is nothing like what our ancestors ate.
Heck, eating Meat was a luxury before industrial age and mass manufacturing, since feeding, raising, domesticating farm animals required a lot of time, money, and effort. Most People ate a high dairy and grain diet, so things like bread, butter, milk, cheese, lots of eggs, vegetables, fruits, and moderate to little meat twice or three times a week. Eating meat daily was for the aristocrats.
Nowadays, we can eat meat everyday, hence we are already taking so much protein which our ancestors never did. And, our lifestyles have become far more sedentary, while our ancestors were fairly physically active.
The only diet and lifestyle you need is a diet that has low glycemic index, and daily physical activity that has cardio and weightlifting in it.
This dude is the clearest training expert I have ever heard
The protein debate that will never end lol. Always a fun topic when it comes up. In my case I weight 175lbs at roughly 13% bf so that puts my lean muscle mass in the 153lb range. Currently I'm getting around 225g of protein per day so thats closer to 1.5g per lb of lean muscle mass. Sure its higher than what studies show but it works for me. I notice quickly when carbs are too high that I start getting fluffy so unless I want to get very fluffy I dont ramp the carbs way up lol. Today's macros for example come to 238p, 317c and 93f at 3k calories. Rest day today so usually ill slightly lower carbs just from inactivity. Sometimes ill play with the macros a bit but have been doing it this way for a while and seems to work well so I'm sticking with it.
Your maintenance cals at 175 are 3,000?
I think you’re safer eating less than more. Extraneous protein is damaging to kidney function. I think if you continue this, at the later stages of your life you’ll see GFR go down and creatinine increase. Worst case scenario you start dialysis, it’s just not great for your health eating that much protein.
@@anthonycarreira8045 His maintenance calories at 175 should be about 2500-2600 lol
153lbs lean muscle mass? So your skeleton weighs nothing?
"I'm not gonna get in your whey." --Dr. Mike, 4:16
He's lying. Watch out for him.
Thanks Dr. Mike! You always say it's 1g/lb of high quality protein. Does that mean the 10g protein in my oats shouldn't get counted since it's not high-quality?
It does count. It only becomes problematic if a big portion of your protein is coming from low quality sources. Thats one of the reasons 1g/lb is considered high end overkill. Most people eating that much protein are getting ample high quality protein anyways.
@@TheGreektrojan spot on
@@TheGreektrojan boom. - Dr. Mike
@@RenaissancePeriodization so, what's the minimum amount of high quality protein to be consumed? Like 0.5g per pound? a number on that would be nice, i usually try to get at least 0.8 from high quality sources, adding up to a bit over 1g per pound considering protein from all other food groups
@@Nyrkle bro just eat your protein, unless you're vegetarian you don't need to worry about it. Focus on progressive overload instead of how many g of high quality protein in a day.
I freaking love this guy.
The closing line was amazing
There's nothing bad about extra protein unless you are in stage 5 CKD in which case you should be fasting, not eating. It also makes you much less hungry for junk food.
Or less hungry for good food. Depends on natural hunger levels and whether bulk or cut. If I go to 2 grams/lb then I'll be loosing weight cause I'm not getting enough carbs
Wrong. Eating more protein = significantly quicker aging. It's a fact
@@noah5291 wrong. The mtor boogie man from protein is a red herring. The effects of mtor from exercise are FAR higher than protein- and nobody is vilifying that.
mtor is either on or off. Amount you eat doesn't matter much, if any
@@noah5291 no it’s not lol
everyone needs to start talking in kg's instead of lbs lol
We good of that redcoat
how much grams per kg if at 120kg body weight?
@@acerudy5815 I studied sports Sience in Europe and we learned 1g/kg BW to cover the bases. If active in weight lifting, 1.2-1.5g/kg BW.
No
Sorry we aren’t poor 😂
I have found trying many different amounts that the old .8g per pound of lean body mass is more than enough if I am eating enough fat and especially enough carbs. In fact, I have found increasing the carbs a bit did more for muscle growth than trying to increase the protein.
I completely agree. I rarely get more than 0.85. I’m usually between 0.65 and 0.85 and I’ve built muscle just fine. In order to get 1g/pound you really have to prioritize meat and other animal products and I just enjoy eating foods with more carbs.
@@SoccasteveYoure giving me hope bro. I just had another fucking kidney stone and I can't keep doing the 1g per pound. I've switched to .8G per pound and I was really worried about my gainz, thanks for your perspective
As someone who is trying to lose fat at 140 lbs, I usually fast by eating only one meal a day. So to consume essentially over 100g of protein in one large meal seems overbearing. I use a protein powder to help, but it's still not enough.
The research is 0.7-1g of LEAN body mass, not total body weight. So for the guy who said he was broke and if .7g/lb is OK -- yup, that's completely fine.
Holy shit this guy had hair
0:44 chef rush be like
For the last 20 years I've been holding at 175 lbs, consuming 40-60 grams of protein a day. Whenever I up the protein for an athletic event, (maxing out at 100 g. a day) I get stomach aches, & have to go right back down to normal. *I've been a vegetarian since '86.
I eat 150g protein a day, the vast majority of it from meat and dairy, and have zero issues with digestion. Your gut flora must likely adapts to your diet after a few weeks and thus as long as you're consistent you should be fine with what you're eating
What I learned with my Body so far is, I overestimated my protein requirement.
I used to aim 1g per lb of bodyweight. However most of my bodyweight is fat and water. Stop tracking my meals and just ate meals with protein in it. I look leaner now not tracking than when I was tracking and overthinking
Its amazing how much younger mike has got in the last 2 years
as someone who is an AP Lang & Comp teacher for his day job, I loved hearing you use the terms claim and reasoning when looking on this myth.
My main issue is getting enough protein without blowing past my calories. I can only eat so much chicken and protein shakes before I start to crack.
There are other meats that exist as well... Or so I’ve heard.
lol same 😂
Just stumbled upon this channel and delighted to hear someone speak truth. The protein myth is such a raging debate. This over the top protein intake (think 300g+, relatively), will ultimately waste you money and time on the toilet.
Curious to see if these views have changed in the last 2 years
I'm 5'7 205lbs been eating 1400 calories a day and 130-150g of protein a day. I also workout 5 times a week. Should I increase or decrease my calorie/protein intake?
9g/lb !!! Died out loud
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 🌐 *Introduction and Protein Myth Overview*
- Dr. Mike introduces the myth of "extra protein is always better."
- Claims about the varying levels of protein intake and the misconception around enhanced individuals.
- Highlights the discussion on data related to natural bodybuilders and their protein needs.
01:20 🍖 *Examining Protein Intake for Naturals*
- Analyzes data indicating that a gram of protein per pound per day is often excessive for naturals.
- Discusses the marginal benefits of slightly higher protein intake (1.25 grams per pound) in extreme cases.
- Mentions anti-hunger effects of protein and the limited impact of excessively high protein levels on appetite.
02:58 💉 *Protein Needs for Enhanced Individuals*
- Explores the role of anabolic steroids in increasing feed efficiency and potentially reducing protein requirements.
- Questions the common belief that enhanced individuals need significantly more protein.
- Emphasizes the importance of calorie intake, especially from carbs, in the context of enhanced bodybuilding.
03:53 🤔 *Grains of Truth and Individual Variations*
- Acknowledges some grains of truth in the myth, such as the potential benefits of 1.25 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound for specific protocols.
- Discusses individual variations in protein needs and the possibility of some people benefiting from more or less protein.
- Highlights the importance of covering bases without compromising other essential macronutrients.
05:21 🥩 *Best Practices and Take-Home Message*
- Recommends a general protein intake of around a gram per pound per day for most cases, including vegans and vegetarians.
- Addresses the financial and practical aspects of protein consumption, advising against unnecessary extremes.
- Stresses the significance of focusing on career and financial growth for those facing financial constraints in bodybuilding.
06:46 📊 *Adjusting Protein Intake Based on Body Composition*
- Discusses adjusting protein intake based on body composition, especially for individuals with over 20% body fat.
- Advises scaling protein to lean body mass and offers a practical range for protein consumption.
- Encourages a personal experiment for those considering higher protein levels, suggesting a trial period and monitoring results.
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0:57 "iron legion" 😂😂☠️
I’m a natural and progress only through callisthenics. 70kg and I manage fine on 1.5g per Kg of b/w. Plus it’s easy to manage my diet as 3 x 30g meals, plus a protein drink or fortified snacks throughout.
My favorite gynecologist on youtube.
Is there a caveat to this in regard to age? I thought I recalled as you get older you become less sensitive to the anabolic signaling of protein.
1.6g/kg is enough for all :D
I dry scoop whey like a influencer with less than 100 followers
As a MD/PhD candidate the science you explain on your channel is the absolute best on UA-cam! Everything backed by data and explanation of the mechanism of action. Big fan!
That last bit of advice at the end really GOT me! 😂
For me I’m like 250 something and six ft
I am not jacked
How am I supposed to eat 250 grams of protein without gaining a lot of “bad” weight?