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Sports dietitians say these myths need to end once and for all.

Key Points

• Most healthy people don’t need 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
• Eating more protein doesn’t automatically lead to more muscle growth.
• Meeting your daily protein needs matters more than perfect timing.

It’s almost impossible to walk down a grocery store aisle without seeing some sort of protein-packed product. Protein is having a moment, but the message to eat more protein is often muddled by misinformation. 

“Currently, we are inundated with information regarding protein requirements across online platforms and social media feeds,” says Angie Dye, M.S., RD, CSSD. 

From debates over animal-based versus plant-based proteins to recommendations to eat your body weight in protein, there’s one thing that is certain: Myths about protein are rampant.

To help separate fact from fiction, we asked sports dietitians to weigh in on the most pervasive protein myths so that you can feel confident deciding how much, when and what type of protein you should be eating.

Myth #1: You Must Eat 1 Gram of Protein per Pound of Body Weight

It’s not uncommon to see social media influencers pushing the message to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. While this is an easy number to remember, it’s not necessary for most people. 

In 2025, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans upped the recommended daily protein intake to 0.55–0.73 grams per pound of body weight per day (1.2–1.6 grams/kilogram/day), a much-needed update from the Recommended Dietary Allowance of 0.36 g/lb./d (0.8 g/kg/d). This recommendation is higher than the RDA, but still well below the commonly cited 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

Even if you’re trying to build muscle, research points to lower amounts. “While many factors contribute to daily protein recommendations, current research shows that 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or about 0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight) is a practical ceiling for most athletes trying to build muscle with resistance training and diet,” says Dye.

For a 175-pound (80-kg) person, this equates to roughly 96 to 128 grams of protein per day—a more achievable and realistic target than aiming for 175 grams based on the common “1 gram per pound” rule.

Myth #2: Eating Too Much Protein Damages Your Kidneys

One of the most widespread myths about protein is that it damages your kidneys. This misconception likely stems from the fact that your kidneys filter the byproducts of protein metabolism, along with the reality that people with kidney disease who are not on dialysis may need to restrict protein intake.

Hopefully, we can finally put this myth to bed. “For healthy individuals, there is little evidence that eating a high-protein diet damages the kidneys,” says Kendra Miller, M.P.H., RDN, CSSD. For example, a 2018 study found that a high-protein diet (0.68 g/lb./d or 1.5 g/kg/d) had no effect on kidney function compared to lower protein intakes.

“However, people with existing kidney disease or reduced kidney function may need to limit their protein intake because damaged kidneys have a harder time filtering the byproducts of protein metabolism,” says Miller. She also explains that people who are prone to kidney stones may need to moderate their protein intake as well.

Myth #3: Eating More Protein Will Always Go Toward Building More Muscle

Many people assume that the more protein you eat, the more muscle you’ll gain. But, like most things, there’s nuance.

“While dietary protein is essential for building muscle, it doesn’t automatically become muscle simply because you eat more of it,” says Sara Cully, RD, CPT, CIEC. “Once protein needs are met, consuming additional protein doesn’t continue to stimulate muscle protein synthesis indefinitely, which is one reason why extremely high intakes generally don’t provide extra benefits for muscle gain.” For instance, one review found diminishing returns after 0.68 g/lb./d (1.5 g/kg/d) of protein.

Also remember that protein isn’t just found in muscle. “It’s used throughout the body to build and repair tissues, produce enzymes and hormones, support immune function, transport nutrients, maintain fluid balance and provide the amino acids needed for countless metabolic processes,” says Cully.

While it’s essential to eat enough protein to support these processes, as well as muscle growth and repair, protein alone can’t maximize muscle growth. “Muscle growth also requires a sufficient training stimulus (such as resistance exercise), adequate total energy intake and recovery,” says Cully. In other words, resistance training signals to your body to use protein to build muscle. Without that stimulus, eating more protein is unlikely to lead to additional muscle growth.

Myth #4: You Must Only Eat Complete Proteins

If you’ve ever followed a vegan or vegetarian diet, you’re likely familiar with the idea that many plant-based proteins aren’t complete proteins. “A complete protein contains all nine essential amino acids in amounts sufficient to support the body’s needs,” says Cully. “Foods like dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, fish and soy are considered complete proteins, while many plant foods contain lower amounts of one or more essential amino acids.”

This once led nutrition experts to recommend pairing foods in a single meal to create a complete protein, an idea that Cully says is largely outdated. “For most healthy people, consuming enough calories and a varied diet, complementary proteins naturally add up throughout the day,” says Cully. “As long as you’re eating a variety (and the key is variety) of protein-containing foods throughout the day most days and meeting your overall protein needs, your body can draw from its amino acid pool to support protein synthesis and other essential functions.”

Myth #5: You Must Eat Protein Immediately After Exercise to Build Muscle

It’s important to eat enough protein throughout the day, but the timing of when you eat protein after exercise may not be as important as once believed. The concept of the “anabolic window” often drives the misconception that protein must be eaten immediately after exercise for maximum gains. 

Fortunately, experts say you have more time than you may think. “Early recommendations suggested you had to consume protein within 30 to 60 minutes after a workout to maximize muscle growth via muscle protein synthesis,” says Cully. “More recent research has shown that muscle protein synthesis remains elevated for at least 24 hours, and up to 48 hours in some individuals, following resistance exercise, making the ‘window’ much less urgent than previously believed.”

Instead, total protein matters more. “For most people, the total amount of protein consumed throughout the day (and distributing it across meals and snacks) is more important than racing to drink a protein shake immediately after exercising,” says Cully. “If it’s been several hours since your last meal, having a protein-rich meal or snack after your workout is a practical strategy. But if you ate protein within a couple of hours before training, there’s little evidence that you need to eat again immediately afterward to optimize muscle growth.”

Our Expert Take

With so much conflicting advice online, it’s easy to think protein has to be complicated. In reality, most healthy people don’t need to obsess over protein timing, complete proteins or extreme protein targets.

Meeting your daily protein needs consistently through balanced meals—and strength training, if building muscle is your goal—is what matters most.