Between elite athletes and everyday individuals, protein powder has become an integral supplement to many people’s diets.
But the keyword there is ‘supplement.’ Even the healthiest vegan protein powder will not match the level of nutrients that a whole food, plant-based meal will provide.
Sure, there are nutritionally-dense protein powders and meal replacement supplements that are all good and healthy. But with anything diet-related, balance is key.
So, how much protein powder per day is too much? Well, there are a few things to consider when determining the optimal amount of protein powder for daily consumption.
How Many Scoops of Protein Powder Is Too Many?
First, it’s important to acknowledge that not all protein powders are single-scoop serving sizes. Many of my favorite protein powders–like PB2 Performance Protein and OWYN Plant Protein–are two-scoop servings that provide 20g of protein per serving.
In short, one scoop of protein powder isn’t always one serving. Make sure to read the label’s serving size to know how many scoops of protein powder are in one serving. In many cases, it’s just one scoop. But sometimes, it can be two.
This is the most obvious thing not to overlook. But in answering the question of “How much protein powder should I consume per day?” there are several variables to consider.
Want the short answer to this question, or the ‘TL;DR’ version? For the average person, it’s recommended to consume no more than 40-50g of protein powder per day, or about 2 heapy single-serving scoops (assuming one scoop is 20-25g of protein).
But if you’re a highly active person, that limit could be stretched to 50-60g of protein powder per day, or about 3 scoops. The key is to consume high-quality protein powders that contain minimal additives, artificial ingredients, and heavy metals.
You also want to space out your protein intake throughout the day and avoid consuming too much protein in one sitting. Below we get into the nitty-gritty science behind these recommendations.
How Much Protein Can The Body Absorb in One Sitting?
The amount of protein the body can absorb and utilize in a single meal is a subject of ongoing research and debate. Factors like your age, body composition, and training load all play a role.
Some research has suggested no specific limit to the amount of protein the body can absorb in one sitting, while other studies indicate that muscle protein synthesis may be fully saturated, or maxed out, after consuming 20-35 grams of complete protein.
For example, a study involving healthy young men found that consuming more than 20g of whole-egg protein didn’t further increase muscle protein synthesis.[1]
Another larger study found that consuming 90g of protein from 90% lean beef didn’t produce muscle protein synthesis any more than 30g of protein did.[2]
Perhaps the most reliable study on this topic looking specifically at muscle-building came up with the formula for target protein intake to be 0.4 g/kg/meal (ideally spread out across 4 to 5 meals).[3]
For me at a weight of 190lbs (86kg), that’s a recommended serving size of 34.4g of protein in one serving. Because I am an endurance athlete who puts 15 hours per week on the bike and another 4 hours per week of strength training in the gym, I may be able to utilize closer to 40g of protein max.
Based on this research and other related studies, consuming around 30g of protein during each meal is a solid target for most people, with perhaps upwards of 40g being the max for highly active, healthy individuals.
In general, the body’s ability to absorb and utilize protein for muscle growth in a single sitting is limited to about 30-40g, depending on the individual.
So, if you’re consuming more than 3 to 4 scoops of protein powder (assuming one scoop is a single 20g protein serving), chances are a lot of that protein is being pooped out from the body.
Quality and Type of Protein Powder Matters Tremendously
In addition to the amount of protein intake that can be utilized, the type of protein powder also plays a significant role.
Protein powder is made using various extraction and processing methods, effectively turning food products into a protein concentrate and sometimes even into a protein isolate.
While these protein concentrates and isolates are highly bioavailable (meaning they can be easily absorbed and utilized by the body), they probably wouldn’t taste good by themselves.
This is why most protein powder also contains added flavors, sweeteners, thickeners, and emulsifiers–not just for taste but to preserve the powder’s integrity and shelf life.
It’s these additives that present the most alarming concerns surrounding protein powder, particularly when it comes to how many scoops you should consume in a day.
Both whey and plant-based protein powders are prone to unhealthy additives, like sugar alcohols, artificial additives, and synthetic sweeteners.
There’s nothing good about these ingredients, and many of them have reported health concerns. See my articles on sugar-free protein powder and protein powder without artificial sweeteners for more insight on this important topic.
While both whey and plant protein powder have their unique pros and cons, the latter option generally contains more fiber. For most people, this can be a good thing. But if you’re over-relying on protein powder, this can also mean more trips to the bathroom.
Be Mindful of Heavy Metals in Protein Powder
Heavy metals found in protein powder are an alarming concern that should raise caution about how many scoops you’re putting down the hatch each day. And it’s not just a rare occurrence limited to a few brands.
A compelling study by the Clean Label Project found that an overwhelming amount of protein powder supplements contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic.
The study looked at 134 of the top protein powder products and discovered that 75% of them had measurable levels of lead and 55% had measurable levels of BPA, a known endocrine disruptor.
Sadly, plant-based protein powders were the most affected by heavy metal contamination. Even more shocking was that products labeled as certified organic had averaged twice as much heavy metals.
Overall, 53 leading protein powder brands were tested to contain heavy metals and BPA. Validating this concern, a similar study reported that 40% of the 133 protein powder products tested had elevated levels of heavy metals.[4]
The presence of these heavy metals and contaminants in protein powders has raised serious concerns about potential health risks associated with their consumption, especially in high volumes.
Bottom Line: How Much Protein Powder Per Day?
Based on what we know about protein powder supplementation, added ingredients, and the potential risks of consuming them regularly, it’s important to exercise caution about over-consuming protein powder, especially if your product of choice is not third-party tested for purity.
In short, it’s advised to limit yourself to about 2 single-serving scoops of protein powder per day, depending on how active you are. On average, that would equate to about 40-50g of protein per day.
Obviously, with two-scoop servings, you can get away with more. But protein powder alone shouldn’t be your primary source of protein. The exact number depends on many factors, like your body composition, training regime, and overall health.
Even if you’re a 300lb (136kg) bodybuilder who can utilize over 50g of protein in one sitting, I would still recommend no more than 3 single-serving scoops of protein powder in a day (or about 60g of protein in a powdered supplement form).
The real gains are made in the kitchen, be it pure strength or muscle mass. A nutrient-dense, protein-rich whole food meal is going to deliver more gains than chugging a bunch of protein shakes.
This approach will also help you mitigate the risks of consuming protein powder that may contain sketchy additives. It can also help you avoid any side effects of protein overconsumption, like having to go to the bathroom more often.
But I am no scientist. I merely distill the research into what I believe to be the truth. With that said, what do you think? Drop a comment below or reach out to me directly.
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About The Author
This review was conducted by Tyler Tafelsky, the lead editor here at VeganProteinPowder.reviews. Tyler is an experienced writer in the health, nutrition, and athletic space. Over his lifetime, he’s tried hundreds of plant-based nutritional products and writes about his favorites here on this blog. Learn more about Tyler by viewing his full author bio or by following him on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. Also, visit his website to learn more about what he’s up to.
Scientific References
- Moore DR, Robinson MJ, Fry JL, Tang JE, Glover EI, Wilkinson SB, Prior T, Tarnopolsky MA, Phillips SM. Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jan;89(1):161-8. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.26401. Epub 2008 Dec 3. PMID: 19056590.
- Symons TB, Sheffield-Moore M, Wolfe RR, Paddon-Jones D. A moderate serving of high-quality protein maximally stimulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis in young and elderly subjects. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Sep;109(9):1582-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2009.06.369. PMID: 19699838; PMCID: PMC3197704.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018 Feb 27;15:10. doi: 10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1. PMID: 29497353; PMCID: PMC5828430.
- Bandara SB, Towle KM, Monnot AD. A human health risk assessment of heavy metal ingestion among consumers of protein powder supplements. Toxicol Rep. 2020 Aug 21;7:1255-1262. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2020.08.001. PMID: 33005567; PMCID: PMC7509468.
