@rusty.saw, I think it's too easy to get bogged down in the minutia. Worrying if it should be 1g of protein per pound or 0.8g per pound, really isn't helpful for most people. It's overwhelming and doesn't reflect the actual food we eat, unless we sit and weigh every piece of food we eat.
Though the science of it can be interesting, it's also debatable. You'll find as many studies finding one thing as that find another. You'll also find many coaches and athletes who don't have studies to support what they do, but what they do just works!
Most of us just need to worry about consistently implementing some good nutrition, and part of that starts with including good, varied protein sources with each meal. That could be from meat, beans, fish, eggs, dairy, vegetables or many other things.
Thanks for the great discussion!
P.S. Linking protein intake with cancer risk is an absolute statement that I just can't allow you to post here. Even breathing is associated with risk of cancer so let's not get sensationalist on a post designed to help people eat a little better.
That's not really what I'm saying. Sorry if that wasn't clear. I'm just saying a lot of people are hyper focued on protein eating 1.5 to 2g and this will wreck their health, at the very least it will make their experiences on the toilet not too pleasant.
I also don't think the studies are that debatable. I've not seen anything credible to support over 1g
I don't disagree with your post in it's general sense, that if people focused on the basics they will succeed. That is my entire message. The fact is bodybuidling world is over consuming protein and it's my opinion that it's negatively impacting long term health.
I'm happy to allow you to disagree with that statement.
Regarding cancer, there is evidence to support it, but of course you can make your own decision.
I would just say what is optimal for muscle growth is not necessarily optimized for long term health so people must decide which they want to prioritize.
The post isn't about bodybuilding, nor specific quantities. Studies can only take us so far, by informing real world action.
If I'm trying to keep carbs low and need to eat quite a lot of calories per day, I'll need to eat more than some specific 1g per pound of protein. And I'm not going to worry about it - because I'm eating well, consistently, with good balance.
Eating 2g of protein per pound of body weight will not 'wreck your health'. There's no evidence to suggest that a healthy individual cannot eat more protein if they want to. The problem with all of this is that it creates confusion for people who just want to eat a bit better.
If people are struggling to digest more protein, they might want to eat a bit less or take a look at supporting their digestion. I've actually tried eating 3g of protein per pound of body weight and had non of these digestive issues you've spoken about - everything is very individual.
Studies can only take us so far, they are very limited in their application. Real people, trying things, and seeing what works best for them, is what matters.
If you aren't carefully tracking your input you are most likely consuming less than 2G. Most people under-consume protein when not tracking. Obviously if you are on a lower carb approach it will be less of a problem.
You say "no evidence" and I say there is plenty of evidence for those who care to look, but I guess we beat this horse to death.