Our bodies can’t utilize more than 30 grams of whey protein at a time? Is it true?

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pieterdj

New member
I’m finally seeing gains after going to the gym for 5 months! A couple months ago I changed my protein powder routine after lifting weights, from 25 grams to 60 grams of whey. I drink half my drink right after the workout at the gym, and the other half an hour later at home.

I heard recently your body can only utilize maybe 20-30 grams of fast acting protein like whey and then you should wait 3 hours before your body can efficiently put another drink to use. What do you think? I’m hearing different answers from my research.

I’d like to space it out more but I do intermittent fasting so I usually only eat around 8-9pm. Then gym. Then protein drink at 11pm and then an hour later. I don’t want to be wasting this expensive protein powder and taking in calories unnecessarily.

What do you think? I could maybe take the shake to work with me and drink half around 7-8pm, then eat dinner, workout, then drink half around 11pm. If what I hear about utilization is true, that could actually work. But I don’t want to be that guy at work with a protein shake…. Like I want people to think by looking at my physique “oh he works out”, not see the drink and be like “oh he’s the workout guy and he’s really playing it up”. Like I want them to be surprised by my gains. Not have it thrown in their face. But I could implement this routine if it’s the best way to go.
 
@pieterdj There was a study which showed that you can utilize up to 100g protein from a single meal. That being said spacing out servings is probably better. You could try to eat a bit more protein in the morning instead.

But yea if you to do intermittent fasting you are going to have to live with the fact that your protein intake might be slightly non-optimal.
 
@kohen Utilize or absorb? I’d be curious to see that study. I read you can absorb lots of protein. But whether or not your body can utilize more than 30grams of it at a time for muscle growth is the question. If not, I could just do what I said and bring a shake for work at the end of my shift so the fasting wouldn’t really mess with it. I don’t eat breakfast. Or lunch. But I guess dang I could really take it farther and do a protein shake at lunch and then before dinner and then after the gym and I take 100 grams of whew protein haha. But my current dosage has been netting me gains I’m happy with. I don’t want TOO much whey afterall. That’s a lot of one substance.
 
@pieterdj hit 0.7+g/lb over the course of the day, and of secondary importance, try to split it into 3 meals. then just focus on training progression and adequate sleep/calories
 
@pieterdj if it brings you closer to 0.7g/lb it will probably be beneficial for gains. between 0.7 and 1g/lb probably small benefits. if its past that, its probably just gonna be used in some other way that wont meaningfully contribute to gains aside from being extra calories whereby you might as well get said calories somewhere else
 
@pieterdj There are articles that support both theories. Some say it doesn't matter, while some say it does.

Right now, I don't have access to cooking my own food or to the best nutritious food. I'm at the mercy if whatever is available for me to buy, and I avoid fast food like the plague.

I tried drinking a 75g protein shake once, and I felt terrible. 50 grams is about the most I can drink at once without feeling sick.

Here is how I do my thing. I have a hotel breakfast, usually white rice, beef patties, and some vegetables .

2 hrs later, I drink my protein shake at work, 50 grams mixed with water, and 5 grams of creatine.
I'll drink 1 liter of water.

2 hours later, I eat lunch, usually a pork and rice bowl with veggies or a grilled chicken wrap.

I drink my pre workout 30 minutes before the gym. By this time, I'm probably on my 2nd liter of water.

Do my workout and go home shower and dinner around 6 at the latest.

At around 8, I'll drink another 50-gram shake with water.

I've been going at a slight deficit, but I can see muscles coming in and strength increase. And I'm sure I'm not hitting my goal of 1 gram per lb of protein. I should be eating about 200 grams, I think I'm at about 150.

So you have to try what works for you the best. Sometimes it takes trial and error.
 
@2sweet4me Honestly I don’t think trial and error applies when we are talking about protein utilization because it can be so hard to pinpoint whether or not your gains are being influenced by 60 grams of protein or 30 grams of protein. There are just so many variables. You’re doing 100 grams in protein supplements that’s wild. I thought I was going overboard with 60 haha. And even then I’m hesitant because of the extra calories. You inspire me to up the protein shake even more but hell whatever I’ve been doing is working so I’m cool with it so far I guess. Just don’t wanna be wasting protein powder my body isn’t putting toward muscle growth. As tiny as I am, I’m already starting to think I’m going to start looking too muscular. So I figure I’m alright at my current rate of growth. But maybe I will need more protein if I start getting more towards a plateau. Idk we will see.
 
@pieterdj Yeah, I hate drinking this much protein. I like to get my protein from food, but it just isn't feasible right now (military deployment). I take mre lite which doesn't have whey and only 1 gram or sugar for 120 cals. So 240 for 2 servings, it's pretty tasty.
 
@ecign8 There is a difference between whey and food protein. Food protein takes longer to digest, so absorption is slower thus better utilised while moving through the digestive tract. Whey goes quicker so what the body doesn't utilise gets excreted. You can slow down digestion down by adding MCT of some kind of good fat but there is definitely a difference.
 
@rblaw Humans have very long digestive tracts and will absorb everything it needs eventually. So you're not gonna piss out half of your protein shake just because it absorbs faster. If you intake way too much then it certainly will. But it has little to do with the speed of digestion and absorption.
 
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