These days, we’re hearing constantly about the need for more protein. It’s a trend driven by some of the biggest health influencers. And there’s something to their arguments, as we’ll see. But this trend is also driving a shift in eating habits that threatens to make us fatter and wreck our health. And the fault of all of this lies at the feet of the food industry — aka “Big Food.”
Table of Contents
- Protein’s Benefits?
- The Limits of High Protein Intake
- Protein and Older Adults
- Protein Intake and Weight Loss
- Risks of Excess Protein
- The Role of Kidney Function
- Protein and Cancer: What the Evidence Says
- Why Protein Source Matters
- Big Food’s Protein Marketing Strategy
- Case Studies: What’s Actually in “High-Protein” Foods?
- Ultra-Processed Protein Foods and Overeating
- Protein Supplements vs Whole Foods
- How Much Protein Should You Really Eat?
- Final Takeaways
- References
Protein’s Benefits?
But first, doesn’t a higher protein intake have a lot of proven benefits? Yes — but simply pushing for “higher protein” can be very misleading. Here’s why.
The basic argument for higher protein goes like this: the current recommended daily allowance for protein is 0.8g/kg/day. But depending on your goals, that recommendation might be too low.
We need more than this to optimally build and preserve muscle. A higher protein intake also helps us lose weight via at least two mechanisms. It boosts feelings of satiety after a meal. And our bodies burn more energy processing proteins than either carbs or fat [1].
But should we really boost our protein intake up to 2.2g/kg/day, or nearly three times the RDA, as Dr. Peter Attia recommends?
Here’s what the data actually says.
A 2017 meta-analysis looked at the effect of protein supplementation on muscle gains during resistance training. It found increasing total protein intake led to greater gains — but only to a point. After 1.62 g/kg/day, there were no further benefits [2].
A newer meta-analysis adds some important nuance. It uncovered a significant inflection point around 1.3 g/kg/day. Up to that level, increasing protein intake had a large impact on increasing lean body mass. Beyond that, the effect was much more modest [3].
Individuals undergoing resistance training continued to see gains above that level. But this suggests we can reap most of the benefits from increased protein intake at a level a bit lower than 1.6 g/kg/day.
The Limits of High Protein Intake
What about older individuals? There's a broad consensus that we should aim for a higher protein intake once we hit 65 (or, for women, after menopause). An international group of experts has urged a higher target of 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg/day for healthy older adults [4].
Yet, the study evidence for added protein in this age group has been underwhelming. A large meta-analysis found no benefit in boosting protein intake — it didn’t lead to more lean body mass, strength, or physical performance [5].
Another meta-analysis found a protein intake of 1.2–1.59 g/kg/day might have a modest benefit. But when a single study was excluded, that effect was no longer statistically significant [6].
Protein and Older Adults
So does that mean older adults don’t need more protein? Probably not.
In that meta-analysis, about 80% of the studies had participants already consuming at least 1.2 g/kg/day at baseline — before getting extra protein [6]. So additional gains may not have shown up simply because they were already getting enough. This points to a level around 1.2 g/kg/day being adequate.
Protein Intake and Weight Loss
Now what about weight loss? In one meta-analysis of 24 weight-loss trials, high-protein diets included between 1.07 and 1.6 g/kg/day [1].
So the study data for both muscle preservation and weight loss do support a protein intake above 0.8 g/kg/day. But what we don’t see is clear support for extremely high intakes like 2.2 g/kg/day for most people.
Risks of Excess Protein
So, maybe 2.2 g/kg/day is above what most study data supports — but is that actually a problem?
Well, there are two important concerns we need to look at.
The Role of Kidney Function
There’s long been concern that high-protein diets strain the kidneys. Current guidelines advise adults with mild chronic kidney disease (CKD) to avoid high protein intake (>1.3 g/kg/day), and those with moderate or severe CKD are advised to restrict intake to 0.6–0.8 g/kg/day [7].
When our bodies break down proteins, the kidneys have to filter out waste products. High protein intake makes them work harder. This can cause the filtering structures to swell, which over time can lead to damage and protein leakage into the urine [8].
Evidence suggests that aiming for lower protein levels slows CKD progression and improves markers of kidney function in advanced stages [7].
And in one long-term study, people with the highest protein intake had about a 50% higher risk of developing kidney disease than those with the lowest [9].
Yet, a recent study found that higher protein intakes in patients with mild or moderate CKD actually reduced mortality. Those consuming 1.6 g/kg/day had a 33% lower mortality risk than those getting 0.8. The authors concluded that the benefits of protein outweighed the risks — even for many with kidney disease [7].
The evidence suggests that a slightly higher protein intake — such as 1.2 g/kg/day — is probably safe and even beneficial, including for those with milder forms of kidney disease. But I advise my patients to stay away from intake at the high end of the spectrum, like the 2.2 g/kg/day figure.
Protein and Cancer: What the Evidence Says
There’s also concern that high protein intake can encourage cancer growth. Dr. Valter Longo, a leading researcher in this field, published a landmark study in 2014. He found that cancer mortality was highest in those under 65 who consumed the most protein [10].
The basic mechanism? Calorie restriction and low protein signal to cells that resources are scarce, encouraging cellular repair. High protein does the opposite: it promotes growth — including the growth of cancer cells.
One key mechanism is the mTOR pathway. This signaling network acts as a master regulator of cell growth, metabolism, and survival. When nutrients like amino acids and glucose are abundant, mTOR tells the cell to grow. When they’re scarce, it prioritizes repair.
However, it’s important to qualify this evidence.
First, it’s not protein in general, but certain amino acids — like leucine and methionine — that appear to drive this effect. These are more prevalent in animal proteins. In fact, when the researchers controlled for animal protein, the association with cancer risk disappeared [10].
Second, age is a major factor. After age 65, the relationship reverses. For older adults, low protein intake was associated with higher cancer mortality. The researchers concluded that at least 10% of daily calories should come from protein after age 65 to avoid excessive weight loss and other issues [10].
It’s also worth noting that the current evidence on protein and cancer is mixed. A large umbrella review found no link between total protein intake and risk for colorectal or breast cancer. Evidence for other cancer types is insufficient [11].
What was “high protein” in those reviews? For those that reported it, it ranged from 70 to 129 g/day — equivalent to about 0.83 to 1.53 g/kg/day based on U.S. average weights [11].
Why Protein Source Matters
So, there may be risks with too much protein, especially from animal sources. But there are also risks with too little. That could mean losing muscle mass, or missing out on weight loss benefits — both of which have serious health consequences.
At the clinic, I typically recommend 1.2 g/kg of ideal body weight per day. That’s enough to capture the benefits without venturing into risky territory — and far below the 2.2 g/kg/day promoted by some influencers.
Big Food’s Protein Marketing Strategy
Now I want to talk about another crucial issue: the source of the protein we’re eating. And this is where I have the biggest concerns with the current protein obsession.
Big Food has hijacked the push for more protein to sell ultraprocessed foods labeled “high protein.” The number of such products has quadrupled in the past decade [12].
Slapping “high protein” on the label creates a “health halo” — where we perceive a food as healthy just because of one attribute. This used to happen with “low fat.” Now it’s “high protein” [13].
Case Studies: What’s Actually in “High-Protein” Foods?
A study of high-protein products in Spain found that 91% were classified as “less healthy” by a rigorous health model [13].
More than half were high in fat or sodium. Around 1 in 4 were high in sugar or saturated fat. High-protein products were actually more likely to be “less healthy” than those without that label [13].
Examples include:
- Snickers Hi-Protein Bar: 20 g protein, but also 5 g saturated fat, 150 mg sodium, 4 g sugar, and the second ingredient is glycerin [14].
-
Cookies & Creme Cheerios Protein: 8 g protein per serving, but 210 mg sodium and 11 g added sugars [15].
- Legendary Foods Cinnamon Protein Sweet Roll: 20 g protein, 0 g sugar, but 7 g erythritol, 2 g saturated fat, 380 mg sodium [16].
Ultra-Processed Protein Foods and Overeating
Many of these “high protein” options are still ultra-processed junk — just with added protein.
And plenty of research has linked ultra-processed foods to poorer health outcomes. They promote overeating and weight gain [17]. Even ultra-processed high-protein foods don’t stop this from happening [17].
A massive meta-analysis recently linked higher consumption of ultra-processed foods to increased risk of heart-disease-related death, type 2 diabetes, and even anxiety [18].
These are observational studies, so they show association, not causation. But until we have more data — like controlled metabolic ward studies — I advise my patients to avoid ultra-processed foods entirely.
Protein Supplements vs Whole Foods
Even “clean” protein bars — like David Protein Bars — are ultra-processed. There was even a controversy over their fat content with Consumer Lab [19].
More importantly, isolated protein misses the fiber and phytonutrients of whole foods. Fiber, especially, is strongly linked to health outcomes.
An earlier study found people eating more protein also consumed more vegetables, legumes, and whole grains [20]. But that was before the protein craze — and I’d be curious to see how this trend is shifting dietary patterns today.
I advise my patients to prioritize foods like beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, and nuts. For example, 30 g of almonds has over 6 g of protein, 3.5 g of fiber, no sugar, and lots of beneficial nutrients.
How Much Protein Should You Really Eat?
Trying to just cram in more protein via supplements or bars rarely leads to benefits. And it won’t help muscle mass without resistance training.
Also, our bodies don’t store protein. Excess protein is broken down — the nitrogen ends up in urine, and the remaining carbon backbone can be used for immediate energy (glucose), or converted into fat for storage.
To calculate how much protein you need, use ideal body weight — not actual weight. If you’re overweight, using your current weight will overestimate your protein needs.
Use this calculator:
🔗 Ideal Body Weight Calculator (MDCalc)
Then multiply the result (in kg) by 1.2 (or by 0.54 if you're using pounds).
Final Takeaways
Big Food is interested in one thing: sales. And right now, protein sells. But if we’re trying to maximize health benefits, there are far better choices than those high-protein processed products.
When we choose naturally high-protein whole foods, we get the benefits of protein plus the fiber, nutrients, and phytonutrients that come along with them — and we avoid the dangers of ultra-processed snacks.
Reference List
1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7539343/
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5867436/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7727026/
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5872778/
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522030234
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8978023/
7. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2822055
8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7460905/
9. https://www.jrnjournal.org/article/S1051-2276(18)30245-0/abstract
10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3988204/
11. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11329548/
12. https://e-fsbh.org/DOIx.php?id=10.52361/fsbh.2024.4.e9
13. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/24/4281
14. https://www.snickers.com/products/protein-bar/snickers-hi-protein-original-bar-201-oz-bars
15. https://www.cheerios.com/products/cookies-creme-cheerios-protein
16. https://www.eatlegendary.com/collections/protein-sweet-roll/products/cinnamon-protein-sweet-roll
17. https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-025-01247-4
18. https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-077310
19. https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/protein-energy-fiber-meal-replacement-fruit-nut-bars/nutritionbars/
20. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6514148/
