How much protein is too much?

For years, 1.6 g/kg has been treated as a hard ceiling for building muscle. Dr Eric Helms was a co-author on the 2018 Morton meta-analysis that produced that number - and in this episode he explains why he now considers it out of date. Cliff and Eric work through what the newer data shows, who needs more, and why the right protein target depends on the person in front of you.

In this episode we cover

• Why the 1.6 g/kg "limit" was never a hard limit, and why meta-analyses expire
• What the Tagawa (2021), Nunes (2022) and Refalo (2025) analyses add
• Protein targets for a new lifter, an advanced physique athlete and an older adult with sarcopenia
• How to set protein for larger bodies: fat-free mass and the height-in-centimetres heuristic
• Whether women need less protein than men
• Why lean people lose more muscle in a deficit, and what that means for protein
• Recomposition, energy balance and why the scale can mislead
• Is high protein dangerous? Kidneys, creatinine vs cystatin C, bone and longevity claims

Chapters

00:00 Intro 01:13 Catching up with Eric 02:09 Is 1.6 g/kg a hard limit? 04:13 Why meta-analyses expire 06:24 Tagawa, Nunes and diminishing returns 08:08 What practitioners should take away 09:34 New lifter vs advanced athlete vs older adult 16:17 Protein in the context of the whole person 23:24 Protein for larger bodies 26:36 Medical conditions and anabolic resistance 27:22 Do women need less protein? 32:38 Leanness, dieting and muscle loss 36:32 Obesity, insulin resistance and muscle gain 40:52 Recomposition and energy balance 47:06 Is high protein dangerous? 51:02 Protein restriction, longevity and blue zones 53:43 The desert island question 56:22 Cliff's key takeaways 

About Dr Eric Helms

Eric Helms, PhD, CSCS, AccredSpNut, is Co-director of the AUT Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), co-founder of MASS Research Review, and Chief Science Officer at 3D Muscle Journey. He is a WNBF Pro natural bodybuilder and lead author of The Muscle and Strength Pyramids.

Find Eric: Instagram @helms3dmj · Linktree · 3D Muscle Journey · MASS Research Review

Links mentioned in this episode

• Morton et al. (2018) protein supplementation meta-analysis: doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
• Tagawa et al. (2021) dose-response meta-analysis: doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuaa104
• Nunes et al. (2022) protein and muscle mass meta-analysis: doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12922
• Refalo, Trexler and Helms (2025) protein during energy restriction: doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000888
• Heymsfield et al. (2011) voluntary weight loss and body composition: doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00767.x
• Greg Nuckols on protein and the 1.6 g/kg rule (Stronger by Science): strongerbyscience.com/protein-science

Holistic Performance Institute

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