Donald Layman Says Protein Benefits Plateau Above 1.6 Grams per Kilogram

1 articles · Updated · New Scientist · May 18

1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram a day is the target for optimal health, Donald Layman said, arguing the protein boom has outpaced the evidence because gains in muscle growth level off above that range.
0.8 grams per kilogram is only the minimum to avoid deficiency, not the ideal intake, and Layman said roughly half of US adults still miss the higher guideline partly because ultra-processed diets dilute protein quality.
60 grams in a single meal is another ceiling where added protein appears to stop delivering extra muscle benefit, making fortified products like protein popcorn or pancakes of limited value for people already eating balanced diets.
100 grams of chicken breast provides about 32 grams of highly absorbable protein, while matching that with plants can require three cups of beans or more than 200 almonds, a gap Layman said matters more for vegans and older adults.
Older people and those on appetite-suppressing GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide face higher risk of under-consuming protein, which Layman said can accelerate muscle loss and raise fall and hip-fracture risks.

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