Why You Might Want to Ignore the Recommended Daily Allowance for Protein

Why You Might Want to Ignore the Recommended Daily Allowance for Protein A recent study published in Advances in Nutrition shed light on who benefits most from high-protein diets. Two groups of people benefit from surpassing the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein. Exceeding the RDA only proved to be beneficial for people who are A) limiting their overall calorie intake or B) incorporating resistance training. People who were restricting their calories were less likely to lose lean muscle mass if they exceeded the RDA of protein. And, people who were practicing resistance training were more likely to gain lean muscle mass when exceeding the RDA. The U.S. RDA for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight—That's 54 grams per day for someone who weighs 150 pounds. But for those doing frequent resistance or weight training, 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight might be more appropriate. Cutting calories? Susan Wilson, R.D.N., L.D.N., recommends that 10-15% of the calories you consume come from protein. In either case, avoid going too far over the RDA. Consuming too much protein carries risks like kidney problems and weight gain.