How much protein should an active female consume?
Protein can be eaten via meat, eggs and other foods. We can also supplement protein by taking Whey or Casein protein powder in the form of a protein shake. It helps aid recovery, increase lean muscle tissue, transport vital nutrients to all our organs and helps decrease body fat.
Myth Busting…
“You can only consume a maximum of 30g Protein at once” – This is a myth that has plagued nutrition for a long time. There are many reasons why this is wrong, but the main one being due to digestion. If we consume up to 50g of protein, there is a digestion rate of 91-95% therefore proving our gut can handle more than 30g. The breakdown of protein is essential amino acids, which are needed for many different functions in the body.
The small intestines hold 95% of these amino acids for a long period of time until our body needs them. The remaining 5% passes through the colon to be broken down.
Finally, 30g of protein only releases 15g of protein to muscle tissue to allow growth of the cell. Therefore, taking protein as an extra supplement is key to maintain the consumption of amino acids for both body composition and your health.
So how much do I need?
Some of us train daily, some have an active job and some of us don’t get a lot of exercise. Depending on your level of activity, your body’s need for protein will be different. For example, those that get regular exercise, protein can be consumed up to 1.2g per lb of bodyweight. Below is a table to show a rough idea of how much is required.
Ladies should be consuming enough to compliment their lifestyle and help their body be able to recover when training, no matter what the intensity of the training is. There is no set figure as to how much you should be consuming, as everyone is different and it is down to the individual and their activeness.