#592: How Much Protein is Actually Healthy? – Eric Helms, PhD & Matt Nagra, ND

Introduction to this Episode

In this episode, the discussion turns to a deceptively simple question that sits at the centre of countless nutrition debates: how much protein do we actually need?

On one side, there are confident claims that very high protein intakes are not just beneficial but essential for maximising strength, performance, and muscle mass. On the other, equally strong assertions that the current RDA is entirely sufficient for most people, and that going beyond it is unnecessary or even harmful.

Dr. Eric Helms and Dr. Matthew Nagra work through what the evidence actually tells us when we step away from slogans and thresholds. What does 0.8 g/kg represent, and just as importantly, what does it not? At what point do higher intakes stop meaningfully improving muscle-related outcomes? And where do concerns about kidney function, longevity, and chronic disease fit when we look at long-term data rather than isolated mechanisms?

Rather than treating protein as a single number to defend or dismiss, this conversation places intake in context: training status, ageing, health outcomes, source and optimising for specific goals.

About the Guests

Dr. Matthew Nagra, ND is a naturopathic doctor practising in Vancouver, Canada. Outside of clinic, he is a prominent nutrition science communicator, known for his evidence-based approach to diet and health questions. He has also contributed to multiple nutrition textbooks and has published peer-reviewed journal articles.

Dr. Eric Helms, PhD is the newly appointed co-director of the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, based at Auckland University of Technology. He has been a research fellow and the lab lead for strength and conditioning for a long time in that institute. He is also a coach and educator with 3D Muscle Journey (3DMJ); co-founder and author for MASS research review. He is also the author of the highly popular Muscle & Strength Pyramids set of books.

Useful Terminology for this Episode

• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): A nutrient intake level established to meet the requirements of ~97.5% of healthy individuals. For protein, the RDA is set at 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day in adults. This value includes a safety margin and was derived from studies aiming to achieve neutral nitrogen balance.
• Nitrogen Balance: A measure of nitrogen intake minus nitrogen loss, used as an indicator of whole-body protein status. Since dietary protein is the main source of nitrogen in the diet, nitrogen balance studies assess whether one is in equilibrium (neutral balance), gaining body protein (positive balance), or losing protein (negative balance).
• Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS): The biochemical process of building new muscle proteins. MPS is often measured in short-term studies as a mechanistic proxy for muscle-building potential. While important for understanding anabolic responses, acute MPS rates do not always translate directly into long-term muscle mass gains; actual hypertrophy and strength outcomes over weeks/months are the more clinically meaningful measures of proteinʼs effect.
• Anabolic Resistance: An age-related or condition-related reduction in the muscleʼs sensitivity to anabolic stimuli like protein and exercise. Older adults, for example, exhibit “anabolic resistance,” meaning a given dose of protein produces a smaller MPS response than in younger individuals.
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1): A hormone that mediates many effects of growth hormone, playing a role in cell growth and protein synthesis.
• Sarcopenia: The progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging. Sarcopenia contributes to frailty, reduced functional capacity, and higher risk of falls or disability in older adults.