PROTEINE: quante me ne servono? - IoBoscoVivo Srl

PROTEIN: how much do I need?

In today's article we will delve into our knowledge even further by evaluating what the official nutrition organizations suggest regarding their intake!

As with other macronutrients, proteins also represent an essential element of our diet and it is therefore very important to take an adequate amount of them every day based on our needs in order to maintain an optimal state of health!

First of all, let's say that the PRI represents the quantity of a single nutrient that the majority of the population needs to stay healthy, taking age and sex into account. That said, EFSA's Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies has established the following PRIs for proteins for the general public:

  • Adults: 0.83 g per kg of body weight per day.
  • Infants, children and adolescents: between 0.83 g and 1.31 g per kg of body weight per day, depending on age.
  • Pregnant women: additional intake of 1 g, 9 g and 28 g per day for the first, second and third trimesters respectively.
  • Breastfeeding women: additional intake of 19 g per day in the first 6 months of breastfeeding and 13 g per day in the subsequent period
  • Elderly (age > 65 years): 1.1 – 1.2g per kg of body weight per day.

However, it is very important to keep in mind that the daily protein requirement is not the same for everyone, but can vary not only in relation to particular conditions such as childhood or pregnancy, but also based on our lifestyle and therefore our needs. energetic.

For example, for an athlete the normal need for macronutrients is greater than that of a sedentary subject, this is because he will need to maintain his body weight, recharge his liver glycogen stores and provide a quantity of amino acids suitable to support protein synthesis for increase muscle mass as well as support energy demands.

Protein intake in athletes

As stated by our Guidelines for the Italian population, even in athletes the majority of the daily caloric intake must be represented by Carbohydrates which must contribute 55-65% of the daily energy requirement, combined with 10-15% proteins and 25-30% fat.

Focusing attention on proteins, the most reliable data show an optimal intake range that goes from 1.4 g/kg/day for endurance athletes to 1.8 – 2 g/kg/day for strength sports athletes while for the protein requirements of the average fitness individual are increased to 1g/kg/day. Obviously the protein intake must be of such quality (evaluated based on the biological value, as explained in the previous article) that it ensures a sufficient intake of essential amino acids and for this reason, especially for those who choose a vegan or vegetarian diet, it is important to vary a lot nutrition by choosing different sources so as to encourage the intake of the entire amino acid spectrum.

Real protein intake

As we have already said, the requirement changes depending on everyone's needs. Despite this, protein intake is still a topic of great debate today: in some cases people take large quantities of proteins hoping to increase their muscle mass when in reality this does not happen because our body will only use the necessary quantity and to eliminate the excess. On the other hand, there is a part of the population that does not reach the daily protein requirement because it believes that proteins may in some way be harmful, to which is added the population group aged over 65 who seems to consume a quantity of proteins lower than requirement, significantly compromising the state of health and favoring a typical pathological condition which is sarcopenia.

To conclude, it is important to understand that proteins represent a fundamental element for our diet, and as also happens with other nutrients, the best choice to stay healthy is to take them in adequate quantities, therefore neither in excess nor in deficiency. Lastly, to promote and maximize muscle protein synthesis in both the elderly and athletes, consuming a moderate quantity of protein divided into the 3 main meals of the day until reaching one's needs has been demonstrated as an optimal strategy; by doing so, the supply of essential amino acids is kept constant, the satiating effect of each meal is promoted and calcium levels are reduced.

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