The development of protein intake recommendations has evolved historically, with a single individual, Henry Sherman, having a significant influence. Sherman, an American scientist, published his textbook on nutrition at the beginning of the 20th century, which was considered a standard text. His protein intake recommendations were based on studies of protein hunger, which, however, reflected a suboptimal state.
Today's protein intake recommendations are still based on this minimum, rather than an optimal amount of protein required. The current recommendation in Europe is 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Recent research shows that not only would the total protein recommendation need to be increased to correspond to an optimal rather than a minimum amount, but factors such as protein quality and the amount of plant versus animal protein sources must also be considered. And that the amount per meal and the frequency of intake are crucial. Studies on protein synthesis have shown that a balanced distribution of high-quality protein across multiple meals improves muscle protein synthesis.
Despite these findings, current recommendations often lack emphasis on protein portions, i.e., the amount of protein per meal, and their importance for metabolism. A daily protein intake of around 100 grams, spread over several meals, is consistent with the findings on optimal protein intake and contributes to health and fitness. This corresponds to approximately 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight during moderate physical activity, with a 25-30g portion of high-quality protein with each meal.
Source: https://www.notabenenutrition.media/2023/09/13/neue-recommendation-for-protein-feed-noetig/ (with subscription the whole article is accessible)
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