Okay, I've got a question here that's been bugging me for quite some time now. So I am an avid gym-oholic, I try to get there for at least 6 days a week and I have seen fantastic gains since I started about two years ago. And at the end of my daily battle againsed gravity with the weights I consume a post workout protein shake. And this is my question: How much protein powder is too much? At what amount does my body start to become less efficient with protein absorption and I start wasting money by consuming too much? Some stats: 5 feet, 5 1\2 in. 157 lbs Trying to gain weight. Post workout includes: 2 scoops of 24g of whey isolates.
I believe the useful protein consumption is about 0.9 grams * your weight in pounds. I.E your useful protein consumption would be 141.3g, after that the body just simply urinates it out, which increases the acidity of urine and can result in kidney stones. All the best.
1g per pound will pretty much ensure that you won't be under what your body needs, but unless you are doing some pretty intensive bodybuilding you won't actually need that much. However it's not a bad idea to target that amount if you want to be sure that you are getting enough. Your body doesn't pee out excess protein per se - excess is used as an energy source, and in the process of breaking down the amino acid, urea is produced, which is excreted in urine. So excess protein isn't simply wasted, it just isn't used for building or repairing muscles. It's better to have an excess of what you need than to have less than what you need, just don't have too much of an excess. Your protein intake should be spread out throughout the day. Don't try to consume your entire ~150g straight after your workout - it takes a few days for your muscles to fully repair after a workout, so it needs a constant stream of protein during this to do so.
