Protein is one of those terms that gets thrown around a lot in nutrition and fitness circles. While you may have a rough idea of what protein’s role in the human body may be, you still might not understand how much is a safe or recommended amount. This article intends to dispel any confusion about protein by clarifying what the body uses it for, explaining recommended protein intake, and even covering how IGF levels influence protein intake.
What Does Protein Do for the Human Body?
Protein is a nutrient that has three main roles within the body.
Muscle health: Protein is a building block for human development and one of its main developmental roles is keeping muscles developed and healthy. A dearth of protein can lead to general atrophy, meaning you will not be as physically fit nor recover from injury as quickly as a similar person with adequate protein levels.
Cellular function: Next to water, protein is the most prominent molecule in the body. This prevalence is partly due to protein’s standing as the major building block for all cells, including muscle, organs, hair, and skin. When protein is broken down into amino acids, it can be repurposed into a variety of different molecules needed to prolong life.
Weight management: Studies indicate that a diet that exceeds the normal amount of dietary protein can benefit people who are seeking a way to shed pounds. Findings from these clinical trials indicated that people who stuck to a low- or standard-calorie diet were not only able to lose excess body weight but they were also able to gain less weight back. You might consider excess protein as fuel to not only build bone and muscle but also as a means of expediting weight loss.
How Much Protein Do I Need?
Recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is the daily goal for how much of a given substance a person should receive, as determined by the United States National Academy of Medicine. Determining a given person’s RDA of protein is dependent on several factors:
Age: Because aging causes muscle to start to atrophy around the 30s, known as “sarcopenia,” upping the intake of protein can bolster an elderly body’s ability to recover from injuries and diminish the severity of sarcopenia.
Sex The average individual male will rarely be severely low on protein until age 60.
Body weight The heavier a person’s body is, regardless of whether due to a dominance of muscle or fat, the more protein is needed to keep that body functioning. Furthermore, sufficient protein intake has been proven to adjust body weight, and consequently the recommended protein intake above the norm, over time.
Activity level: Anyone who engages in enough physical activity to be considered an athlete is often recommended to up their protein intake beyond the norm.
Other factors: Anyone who is pregnant or nursing tends to need more protein because they are now eating for two. Additional protein is also recommended for anyone who is sick, injured, or recovering from a surgical procedure.
The average adult is supposed to intake 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight each day (roughly 7 grams for every 20 pounds). That said, there are obvious adjustments to that metric based on the individual user. To learn your weight in kg, divide the poundage by 2.2046, then multiply the quotient by 0.8 to discern your needed grams of protein. Under these metrics, a 150-pound grown human has an RDA for protein of 54 grams.
The Role of IGF Levels
The pituitary gland is a small gland, located behind the nose’s bridge, at the brain’s base, that is crucial to influencing physical development. When the pituitary gland does its job of releasing growth hormones into the bloodstream, this causes a sympathetic response in the liver; the liver will then generate a hormone known as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).
This means that IGF interacts with protein in two major ways.
Muscle growth: While the pituitary gland influences overall development and growth within the body by releasing hormones, IGF-1 is what triggers growth in bones and muscle tissues.- Anabolic response: This is a clinical description for a greater intake of protein, learn how to increase igf-1 within a given human body that supports this process.
Once you understand the amount of protein that your body requires to function at its best and then comprehend how that goal interacts with IGF levels, you can make the most informed choices to support your overall wellness. If you learn that your IGF-1 levels have decreased, or sense that they may have due to diminished athletic performance, you now have an idea of how to look into bringing those levels back up to snuff: you probably just need to get more protein.
In Conclusion
Protein is a vital component of human development. Our bodies use it to fuel the development of our muscles, bones, and cells and also modifies body weight. While there are recommended dietary metrics for protein, the exact number of grams for any given person depends upon a litany of factors that include age, physical activity, body weight, health, and whether or not the person is carrying or nursing a second life. Additionally, IGF-1 is a specific variety of growth hormone that saturates the body based on how much growth hormone is within the body; a quality that is also dependent upon how much protein a person receives through their diet and dietary supplements.
