Hi there. This is Monica Reinagle and you're listening to the nutrition

Divas quick and dirty tips for eating well and feeling fabulous. Thomas writes,

some people claim that the body can't absorb more than 20 to 30 grams of protein at one time,

while others insist that your body utilizes all the protein you take in.

Who's right?

Is my post-workout shake with 50 grams of protein a waste of protein?

This idea that the body can only utilize a certain amount of protein at one sitting has become widely accepted nutrition lore.

But is there really any validity to this claim?

Well, it all comes down to exactly what you mean by utilizing protein.

This notion about protein seems to have gotten started on bodybuilding forums, and this may

be the main source of some of the confusion, because bodybuilders are particularly interested

in protein's ability to build and repair muscles.

And there does seem to be a limit to how much protein the body can use for muscle synthesis

at a given time.

In one study, researchers found that a meal containing 30 grams of protein

boosted muscle building activity by about 50%. Now that's the amount of protein you'd get in a 3 ounce

serving of chicken breast or a quarter pound of lean beef. of a bigger boost in muscle synthesis. On average, subjects who ate 90 grams of protein at a meal

got exactly the same benefit as subjects who ate 30 grams. The precise amount of protein at which the muscle building effects peak will vary from person to person of course.

Someone with a very large or muscular body or someone who's engaged in heavy workouts might be able to use a little more

protein than someone who is smaller or not as athletic. But in general, if building muscles

is your goal, you're probably better off spreading your protein intake out among all of your meals than by eating the entire day's allowance at one meal.

However, those who insist that all of the protein you eat is utilized are also right because

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