Protein: Is More Better?

Protein has gone from a bodybuilding concern to something added to bread, water and biscuits. Which raises a fair question: how much do you actually need, and is more always better?

Short answer: no. There is a point past which extra protein does nothing useful, and it is lower than most supplement marketing implies.

How much protein do you actually need?

Two different numbers, and conflating them is where most of the confusion comes from.

The Australian RDI, set by the NHMRC, is 0.84 g per kg of body weight per day for adult men and 0.75 g per kg for adult women. That is the amount to prevent deficiency in most of the population. It is a floor, not a target.

For building or preserving muscle, the research generally supports somewhere around 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg per day. For an 80 kg person that is roughly 130 to 175 g daily.

Above that range, studies consistently find no further benefit for muscle. You are not doing damage, you are spending money and stomach space on something with nothing left to contribute.

So is more always better?

No. Protein follows a curve that flattens.

• Below the RDI: genuinely a problem. Muscle loss, poor recovery, slower healing.
• Between the RDI and about 1.6 g/kg: more helps, particularly if you train.
• Between roughly 1.6 and 2.2 g/kg: the useful range for most people training hard.
• Above that: no further benefit demonstrated. It is not harmful in healthy people, just pointless.

The practical consequence: if you are already at 2 g/kg, the answer to a plateau is not more protein. It is usually training, sleep, or total calories.

What organ is damaged by too much protein?

In healthy people, none. This question comes up constantly and deserves a direct answer.

The kidney myth is not supported by the evidence. Multiple reviews have looked at high protein intakes in people with healthy kidney function and found no evidence of harm. The belief appears to have come from the fact that people with existing kidney disease are advised to restrict protein, and that advice was generalised to everyone.

The genuine cautions:

• Existing kidney disease. Real, important, and requires medical supervision.
• Liver disease affecting protein metabolism. Same.
• Certain rare metabolic disorders.

If any of those apply to you, that is a conversation with your doctor, not an article.

What are the signs of eating too much protein?

Mostly digestive, mostly minor, and rarer than the internet suggests.

• Bloating, gas or loose stools. The most common, and usually about the powder rather than the protein.
• Constipation, if protein has crowded out fibre. This is the real risk of a very high protein diet, and it is a fibre problem rather than a protein one.
• Thirst. Protein metabolism increases water requirements.
• Feeling constantly full. Protein is very satiating, which is usually the point.
• Displacing other foods. The most underrated downside. A diet built around protein at the expense of vegetables and wholegrains is a worse diet.

The far more common problem in practice is the opposite: people eating too little protein while worrying about eating too much.

Are two eggs enough protein for a day?

No, not close. Two eggs is around 12 to 13 g of protein. An average adult needs somewhere between 55 and 175 g depending on size and training.

Eggs are an excellent protein source, they are just not a large one per serve. Two eggs is a reasonable contribution to breakfast, not a day's intake.

A useful rule of thumb: aim for a decent protein source at every meal rather than trying to hit a target in one sitting. Spreading it across the day is easier to achieve and probably marginally better for muscle.

Why is everyone talking about protein?

Partly because the evidence is genuinely good, and partly because it sells.

The legitimate part: protein is the most satiating macronutrient, it supports muscle retention during weight loss, and requirements are higher for people who train than the RDI suggests. Those are real and well established, and for years protein was under-emphasised in general nutrition advice.

The marketing part: "high protein" is now a label claim on products where it means very little. A protein biscuit with 6 g is still a biscuit. Adding a small amount of protein to a snack food does not convert it into a health food, and the label is doing more work than the ingredient.

Check grams per serve rather than the front of the packet, and compare it against what you would get from food. Two eggs, a tin of tuna or a cup of Greek yoghurt will usually beat the snack.

Getting there without a supplement

If you eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy and eat regularly, hitting a reasonable protein target is straightforward. Where a powder earns its place is convenience, higher requirements, and the days you would otherwise skip a meal.

If protein powder is useful to you, 100% Whey Protein and Iso Zero are our house-brand options, and the full protein range is worth comparing on price per serve rather than price per tub.

Where to go next

• How many shakes a day?
• Does protein powder build muscle?
• What macros are, and how to count them.