|
Protein
Intake
Is the One Gram Per Pound of Bodyweight Formula
Inaccurate?
by
Tom Venuto - author of
Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle
Dear Tom,
I keep reading that a common
guideline for protein intake is to eat a certain amount of protein per pound of
bodyweight (usually one gram per pound). Is this based on lean body mass (LBM)
or your total body weight? I would think they mean LBM but I want to make
sure.
Jonathan
Dear
Jonathan,
Most protein and
macronutrient recommendations these days are made based on pounds of
total bodyweight, not pounds of lean body weight. The common
recommendation you hear in bodybuilding and fitness circles is, Eat one gram
per pound of body weight.
The reason protein
recommendations are commonly given in pounds of total body weight is probably
because the RDA is based on total bodyweight (kilos, not pounds, but still
total bodyweight not lean bodyweight), therefore, giving protein
recommendations in grams per pound seems to have become the standard unit of
measure by default, not because it’s the superior method
Actually, protein and other
macronutrient recommendations would be best based on LEAN weight because the
more body fat you carry, the more a total bodyweight formula will overestimate
your calorie and macronutrient needs, including protein.
This is why I recommend
calculating your calories FIRST using a calorie formula that accounts for your
LBM. I prefer the Katch Mcardle calorie formula, because it's based on LBM. If
you don’t know your LBM, the Harris Benedict equation – which is
based on total bodyweight and other factors - is uncannily accurate, even
without LBM factored in. These calorie formulas are posted on the Fitness
Renaissance website here:
http://www.fitren.com/res3art.cfm?compid=18&artid=46
Using LBM as your criteria
for calorie or protein needs is far more accurate than estimating with the
popular formulas like "15-17 calories per pound of bodyweight" or "one gram of
protein per pound of bodyweight."
A total body weight formula
is generic, so it can never apply to every person in every situation. If you
want true individualization, factor your lean body mass into all your
calculations. Still, the “one gram per pound of bodyweight” gives a
good ballpark figure for people involved in regular exercise and strength
training (and it’s a much better recommendation than the RDA).
The RDA for protein is .8
grams per kilogram of bodyweight, which is a measly .36 grams per pound of
bodyweight. This has nothing to do with strength-trained athletes or optimum
protein levels for body composition improvement. It’s more like a minimum
to maintain your health.
For serious bodybuilders,
typical protein intakes are 1.25 to 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight and on
low carb, high protein bodybuilding diets, it often goes as high as 1.5 - 1.75
grams per pound.
One thing I found extremely
interesting is that the scientists are finally agreeing with what the
bodybuilders have been saying all along: That if you strength train, you need
more protein than the RDA… much more. In the new book, “Nutrient
Timing,” authors Dr. Portman and Dr. Ivy recommend .9 grams per pound of
body weight to 1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight, and their recommendation was
based on an analysis of current peer-reviewed, published research up to
2004.
In all my years in this
field this is the FIRST time I have ever heard about Ph.D research scientists
recommending a protein intake as high as 1.2 grams per pound of body weight (an
intake that mainstream dieticians, nutritionists and scientists have condemned
for years as excessive or even unhealthy). This shows that the one gram per
pound guideline does have scientific support now. It's also worth noting that
these researchers used grams of protein per pound of total bodyweight
and not per pound of lean body weight.
If you want the most
individualized recommendation possible, start planning your nutrition program
with your calorie calculations based on lean body weight. Then select the
macronutrient profile best suited to your goals, body type and training status,
whether that’s 50% carb, 30% protein, 20% fat, or 40-40-20, or the
“Zone” 40-30-30, or whatever. Then you just multiply your target
protein percentage by your target calorie level to get your personal protein
requirement in grams.
In conclusion, you’re
correct that total bodyweight is not the ideal unit of measurement and lean
bodyweight is better. You can’t use a generic guideline like 1 gram per
pound of total bodyweight or even 1.2 grams per pound and have it apply to
every person in every situation. It’s always better to individualize your
nutrition, but science is now verifying that the old standby of “one gram
per pound of bodyweight” really gives you a decent ballpark figure if
you're active and your body fat is average or better.
Tom Venuto
Tom Venuto is a bodybuilder, gym
owner, freelance writer, success coach and author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The
Muscle" (BFFM): Fat Burning Secrets of the World's Best Bodybuilders and
Fitness Models. Tom has written over 150 articles and has been featured in
IRONMAN magazine, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Muscle-Zine,
Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise. Tom's inspiring and informative
articles on bodybuilding, weight loss and motivation are featured regularly on
dozens of websites worldwide. For information on Tom's "Burn The Fat" e-book,
click
here.
|
|
|
