Protein absorption per meal

[under_rated]

I think the most common piece of advice given to any weightlifter/bodybuilder is to eat as much as possible. However, is there a limit to the amount of protein the body can absorb from a single meal?

Basically, is there any point to eating huge meals with 100's of grams of protein, if the body can only ‘use’ a certain amount of protein at any one time.

The obvious answer would be to eat more frequently but that is not always possible with work etc.

Sorry if this question has been asked 100 times before, but I can’t seem to find a straight answer from people I talk to. 

Thanks

[Princess L]

Rule of thumb is 1/3 your LBM in grams.  There's no science behind that, but certainly seems logical. 

[rocket]

If you go anywhere to a healthstore they will generally tell you 30g per sitting.

I've always wondered.  Is there a shred of science behind that number..

(Too lazy to look it up)

[kicker]

Rule of thumb is 1/3 your LBM in grams.  There's no science behind that, but certainly seems logical. 

What's your logic for the 1/3 rule?

Props on becoming a mod here 

[littleguns]

There has been an ongoing rule that your body canot take in any more than 60 gms of protein per meal...

Take it for what it's worth

[WhiteHulk4]

A lot of it depends on how fast the protein is digested.  For example, if you were to take in 100 grams of pure Whey Isolate, then it would get digested so fast that there's no possible way your body could utilize it all at once.  However, if it's a slower digestion period, like with Chicken or Steak, then you could utilize much, much more of it because it would be a very slow process of breaking it down in your stomach.  However, I dare you to try and eat 100 grams of protein from Chicken or Steak without puking!

[biggerisbetter]

The adult human body can absorb and utilize 60grams of protein in an hour. This is a fact. However, the rate does increase when steroids are being used.

[Princess L]

The adult human body can absorb and utilize 60grams of protein in an hour. This is a fact. However, the rate does increase when steroids are being used.

Do you have any studies to back that up?  There are numerous factors that play a role.  To my knowledge no one really knows where the 30 gram, 45 gram, 60 grams.... claim came from other than supplement companies trying to sell a product.

[Princess L]

What's your logic for the 1/3 rule?

I read that somewhere years ago.  The reason is "seems" logical to me is because it's based on LBM.  So a female with 110lb LBM would absorb a lot less than a 230lb male.  Just seems to make sense, but I don't think anyone really knows. 

[Arnold jr]

I read that somewhere years ago.  The reason is "seems" logical to me is because it's based on LBM.  So a female with 110lb LBM would absorb a lot less than a 230lb male.  Just seems to make sense, but I don't think anyone really knows. 

I think it is one of those things like so many things in training and nutrition and that it is slightly individually based...everyone is a little different.

The adult human body can absorb and utilize 60grams of protein in an hour. This is a fact. However, the rate does increase when steroids are being used.

Sorry, but this is an absurd claim. I'm sure there are some adults who can process this much protein, look at Marcus Ruhl's diet, most of his meals include 60g-80g of protein per meal, but just because you use AAS does not mean you yourself will be able to process this much.

Speaking from my own experience, I use and have used AAS for sometime now, and I in no means can process this amount of protein as a basis or average consumption per meal. If I eat several meals a day at say 60g or more per meal for an extended period of time this provides me no advantage and actually causes problems. So to make a claim such as yours is way off the mark.

[Aerian]

What about if u go to a buffet. If i work a 10 hour day i tend to take an hour lunch and go to golden carole and just sit and gorge.  It is common for me to take in 4 split chicken breats , 5 sweet patatoes, big plate of veggies and tons more things on the side.

I agree that it is differnet for each individual.  I usually eat 5-7 meals a day but some days only get in 3-5 big ones.  And protein count can be from 30 on average meal to several hundred on a buffet sitting.

[dontknowit]

It takes up to 24 hours or sometimes more to digest meals. From top to bottom your body is able to absorb protein. There is no max. Differs for everybody. The bigger the more.

[ignorance]

funny I thought someone somewhere on this board said 20 grams per meal or something. 60 grams per hour?? I'll put that to the test.   

[Ledd]

  However, I dare you to try and eat 100 grams of protein from Chicken or Steak without puking!

Thats only a pound of meat dude, no biggy.  More than a person needs at once but that definitely wouldnt even make me puke and I only weigh 180.

[xariusleloft]

Check this link out for a comprehensive analysis-

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/proteinanalysisindex.php

[MidniteRambo]

http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/277/5/G935


Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 277: G935-G943, 1999;
Vol. 277, Issue 5, G935-G943, November 1999

"Amount and fate of egg protein escaping assimilation in the small intestine of humans "

Check out the above study which tested absorption of 11g and 25g of egg protein on test groups.  The conclusion:

"These results 1) confirm that substantial amounts of even easily digestible proteins may escape assimilation in healthy volunteers and 2) further support the hypothesis that the metabolic fate of protein in the colon is affected by the amount of protein made available."

Bottom line, go for eating more often (8-10 feedings daily) with 25-30g protein per serving rather than the 50-60g protein orgies you see alot of guys engaging in.

[dontknowit]

That rapport says jackshit,

you know nothing about the testobjects, how much they weigh, were they from, what they do,
they were given an extra 100 gram of proteine, without knowing what they're eating on a daily basis,

and they come with a bullshitconclusion. you only absorp a certain amount of whey.
That's belony. The test doesn't got any kind of value.

[GET_BIGGER]

Bottom line, go for eating more often (8-10 feedings daily) with 25-30g protein per serving rather than the 50-60g protein orgies you see alot of guys engaging in.

Thats what I would reccommend, just set your protein level and divide it by 6-8 meals per day and eat a consistent amout of protein per serving.  I am usually in the lower 30 grams per meal.  But in teh same sense I'd rather have too much and s**t it out rather than not have enough, especially during bulking.

[Princess L]

you know nothing about the testobjects, how much they weigh, were they from, what they do,
they were given an extra 100 gram of proteine, without knowing what they're eating on a daily basis,

Basically, I have to agree.  The report does not indicate the height, weight, BF%, LBM or activity level of the test subjects, so I assume "average" individuals.  I have to believe protein assimilation is influenced by all of those factors.

[Jerryme7]

Remember awhile back ago.. Dave Fisher (Bodybuilder that used to write for Muscle mag International)?

He was asked a question about this on one of his columns about how much protein per meal. A reader was saying that anything over 30 grams of protein is wasted by the body.

He gave an example of Lou Ferigno being close to 300 pounds saying that if the 30 gram rule is true (which he completely disagrees on)... He is saying that Big Lou must have to consume over 10 meals a day! Remember there is only 24 hours in a day and most of us probably spend 16 hours of it awake. If you are feeding your body every 2-3 hours and you are basing it on a 16 hour day while you are awake, that only leaves you time to eat 5-6 meals only! And for a bodybuilder Lou's size or Ronnie's or Jay's size, that only equates to about a little over 180 grans of protein in one day!

Do you actually think Lou Ferrigno is as big as he is because he eats only 30-40 gram protein meals at a time? Or any other bodybuilder for that matter?

He doesnt believe scientists know what they are talking about  when they say that the body can only take 30 grams of protein per meal  and eating every 2-3 hours.

What Dave Fisher was saying is that people are different and their bodies utilize protein or food at a different rate than others.....

I agree with Princess L..... protein assimilation is influenced by different factors

[MidniteRambo]

Jay Cutler recently gave an interview where he disclosed that he did get up every two hours or so during the night to eat during his Olympia prep.  Ten to twelve meals per day is attainable (Personally, I get up twice during the night and eight meals during the day).  As far as the body assimilating protein ranges well in excess of 30g.... let's just say the supplement companies have spent their advertising money well.