Why Is Protein Important?

Today I want to talk about the importance of protein and how it can benefit your physical performance and overall health. Whether you’re a weekend warrior, trying to lose weight, or a regular athlete, protein benefits everyone. Protein is the building block of our cells and muscles. It improves your metabolism, fat-burning potential, and supports your body’s tissues and cells. The average person needs about half their body weight in protein. If you weigh 150 pounds, then you need about 75 grams of protein a day. The best forms of protein you should be consuming are grass-fed beef, organic chicken and turkey, wild-caught salmon, grass-fed organic dairy products, quality protein powders, plant-based sources of protein, flax and chia seeds, and other nuts and seeds and beans.

The biggest benefits of consuming protein include fat-burning, improving muscle recovery, healing cuts and wounds, essential for fighting diabetes and blood sugar, essential for brain function, essential for cholesterol, and high energy levels. When buying protein, making sure it’s from grass-fed, organic, natural sources.

*This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Josh Axe, and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Axe nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

[VengeanceFalls]

Always thought these people sipping protein all the time were I saw how much you need a day and when. I started working out and weight lifting. Protein is a must!!!

[PerfectTiming-Turn]

Wow I didn’t know we need half our body weight In protein. Maybe that’s why I’m having health issues. Crazy thing about it is I work at shell gas station and we sell protein bars. I bought 2 bars today out of pure randomness. One with 30gm protein and the other with 20gm. I ate them both when I got home right after my meal and I swear, like 20mins later I noticed improvements with my skin. Like the elasticity, specially in my lips. They felt more comfortable and stretchier and softer. I think I’m going to order some bars and eat one every night. Maybe one twice a day. I’m like 320lbs, so I would need about 160gm a day. I barely top 80gm today and it was my first time eating those protein bars after a meal. I may be deficient in protein tremendously. Thanks for the vid Dr.

[ChristopherCampbell]

This man just got off work and jumped into the green shirt like he's an assembly line

[StefanOsfit]

Wow now I learned about high quality proteins!!

[Dr.WhetFarts]

too much protein makes me fart, so i'm aiming for 500 grams a day

[doloreswinsbarrow]

Thanks Dr Axe for the health tips on protein.👍

[myPursesuitOfHappiness]

Thanks Dr. Axe. I'm finding it hard to get half my body weight in protein in a day, but I am doing better.  It will get easier as I continue to lose weight on your detox plan. Take care, Ivana

[bingliang]

clear and precise explanation about the significance of protein !

[meenasingh]

I add whole egg after doing yoga.And it great.

[alirazaaliraza]

What is Protein?

Protein is the most abundant bodybuilding nutrient and an essential component of muscle building, bone health and immunity. It is needed to fuel muscles with energy during exercise and helps build strong bones by providing calcium.


Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are a type of organic compound that can be broken down into smaller units called amino acids. Some of these amino acids are essential for survival, while others are used as part of normal bodily functions. In adults, there is generally around 6 grams of protein in every 100 milliliters (or 50 grams for men, and 4 grams for women per 100 milliliters). However, this number can vary greatly depending on the person's age and activity level.

How much protein should you eat?

It’s important to note that eating enough protein is often not an exact science. The amount of protein a person needs depends on several factors, including age, gender, activity level, weight, nutritional requirements and other factors. To ensure that their diet is balanced, it's essential to work with a healthcare provider to develop a customized, individualized and healthy diet. That said, adult males need between 1.2-2 grams of protein per kilogram (1g for a woman) and 2-3 grams per kilogram (1g for a man) per day. This is roughly equivalent to the recommended amounts found in many protein powders or bars.

Eating plenty of protein helps maintain muscle mass and helps provide the necessary energy to perform physical activities. It also helps improve overall health, including a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, as well as supporting brain function and immune system functioning. If a person consumes too much protein, it could lead to negative effects on their health, such as gastrointestinal upset, digestive issues, osteoporosis and increased mortality.

How much protein do people need?

While many studies have been conducted to determine how much protein is safe to consume and what types of proteins are best for individuals, there are no universally accurate conclusions to this question. While some research suggests that 1 gram of protein per kilogram (1g for a woman and 1.75g for a man) provides adequate nutrition, more recent research shows that consuming 2 grams per kilogram (2g for a woman and 3.5g for a man) per day may be better for maintaining physical fitness and resistance training. Other studies suggest that the average male has about 12g of protein per kilogram (11g for a woman), while the average female has about 18g of protein per kilogram (17g for a woman).

There are also conflicting results regarding the optimal dietary intake of protein. According to one study, high levels of protein diets (with 1g/kg of protein for both sexes) were associated with higher levels of bone density and strength than low levels of protein diets (with 0.5g of protein for each kg of body weight). Another study showed that those who ate the highest levels of protein (0.75g/kg for females and 0.45g/kg for males) had the lowest rates of osteoporosis.

In contrast, another study suggests that consuming a high-protein diet may negatively impact athletes' performance and increase injury risks. A third study found that increasing protein ingestion from 15g/kg to 30g/kg of body weight did not significantly improve endurance performance and training sessions. However, consuming a protein supplement containing high protein contents (such as whey protein) was associated with improved exercise performance and muscle hypertrophy.

Finally, other studies suggest that consuming less protein may be beneficial for athletes. Although the American College of Sports Medicine has found mixed evidence to support the conclusion that consuming protein may impair exercise performance, they recommend consuming at least 0.75g/kg of protein per hour for male runners and 0.55g/kg for female runners for all races except ultramarathons.

Overall, it’s critical to understand the potential benefits and drawbacks of consuming protein and balance the protein intake in the diet with a focus on the types of protein consumed. By following these tips and adhering to an appropriate portion size, we can optimize our health and wellness.

[atofficial]

An the next video says “Protein is the most dangerous thing in the World”

[wellbeingpromotor]

Hi, do you know a MLM promoting Organic Protein Powder?

[LikaLaruku]

What if you have had 95% of the symptoms for years, despite consuming large quantities of meat, seeds, beans, & nuts several times a day?

[susanaelisaortega]

Today I couldn't explain properly to a lady that it was saying, we don't need to count or keep an eye to the protein intake even if we are vegetarian as there isn't exist protein deficienc, how can I explain properly that she isn't right? Thanks

[JulieRozanski]

Hi! I started taking your protein powder (one scoop before a workout and one after, per Dr. Stacy Sims' recommendations for women athletes) and now my breath smells terrible (sour!). Can you tell me, should I stop taking it? There's no way I'm taking too much protein for my body weight of 140 lbs...so I'm wondering what the problem might be. Thanks!

[virginialafonte]

Thank you and I am doing your Keto Diet and started this Monday.

[Bigjuggs]

How many eggs should I eat a day if I want to get strong

[freethinker]

Statements like "You need half your body weight in protein" make me loose faith in your knowledge. I've seen you make this statement in articles too. Half your body weight if you were 150 pounds would be 75 pounds, not 75 gms...so that statement is not accurate, it has to be translated into what you must mean...I suggest stating that you use this formula:
Take your body weight, and think of it as grams, then divide that amount of grams in half to get the your amount of daily protein intake.
Then please give some idea of how you came to determine this required amount ( formula).

[XxsoulrockaxX]

Yes organic is good for u we all know that but it's also expensive and when you're on a budget it's really hard to buy all organic. Now I'm feeling scared because I can't afford organic does that mean I'm in bad health? =/

[MrBears]

Does your body take ammino acids from the body making up the skin and pretty much everything when you eat foods the void of Enzymes such as Onion soup and I understand that bacteria in the gut produce digestive Enzymes so I ask the question if one has dysbiosis can this cause sever systemic issues across the whole system of the body