Protein Maxxing Benefits and Drawbacks
Need to Know:
People who practice protein maxxing prioritize protein at every meal and snack to increase their intake.
Some believe that protein maxxing helps them to build muscle more efficiently, reduce body fat, curb hunger, and improve weight loss outcomes.
Studies support adequate protein intake, but consuming too much of the macronutrient can lead to nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, and other health problems.
Protein maxxing is the practice of maximizing your protein intake throughout the day to reap rewards such as increased muscle mass, reduced hunger, better body composition, weight loss, and improved strength. But the science doesn’t necessarily back up these purported benefits.
What Is Protein Maxxing?
The term “protein maxxing” is not a medical term or a term used in clinical settings by nutrition professionals. The term originated on social media and has become a widely popular diet trend. Simply put, protein maxxing is the practice of deliberately prioritizing a high-protein diet. People who practice protein maxxing may aim to consume 30 grams of protein or more per meal or snack, with daily totals often exceeding 150 to 200 grams or more.
As a basis for comparison, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) suggest that we consume 10% to 35% of our calories from protein. (1) For a person who consumes 2000 calories per day, that is about 50 to 175 grams of protein.
To reach high protein intake levels, it is often necessary to consume protein powders, protein bars, clear protein, cereal products, or other foods and drinks formulated to provide higher-than-normal amounts of protein. Protein maxxing also requires consuming plenty of protein-rich foods, such as chicken breast, cottage cheese, tofu, beef, turkey, and tuna.
The protein maxxing trend, however, does not address the intake of carbohydrates and fat, two macronutrients your body needs to function properly. Unfortunately, this is where protein maxxing may cause problems. If your intake of macronutrients is not balanced properly, your health may take a toll. But still, some studies have also shown that consuming more protein may provide certain benefits.
5 Potential Benefits of Protein Maxxing
You’ll build and maintain muscle more efficiently. A review of 74 studies showed that increasing your protein intake can help you to build and maintain muscle mass, especially when combined with a resistance training program.(2) And by focusing on protein at every meal, you increase your intake of essential amino acids, the amino acids that must be consumed in the diet because your body doesn’t make them.
It may help you to age better. Since consuming more protein can help you maintain muscle mass, protein maxxing may help to reduce the impact of sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss. Staying strong and active as we age can improve quality of life.
It can boost your weight loss efforts. Digesting protein requires more energy than digesting fat or carbohydrates, so you’ll burn a few extra calories with a high-protein diet. Furthermore, high-protein diets have not only been shown to be helpful for weight loss, but they can also help you to keep the weight off once you’ve reached your goal. In fact, studies have shown that weight regain in the short term (3-12 months) is lower by 1-2 kilograms with high-protein diets as compared to low-protein diets. (4)
You’re likely to feel fuller longer after eating. If you are trying to manage your calorie intake for weight loss or weight maintenance, you may be able to reduce cravings and decrease daily hunger by making sure you consume protein at every meal. High-protein diets have been shown to positively affect both hunger and satiety hormones to help with weight loss. (3)
You may enjoy a healthier diet and a lower risk of obesity. If you practice meal prepping to reach your protein max targets, studies show that you are likely to consume a more varied and nutritious diet. In addition, your risk for obesity may be lower, according to at least one study of people who practiced meal planning and prep at home on a regular basis. (5)
However, while maxxing out your protein intake may offer some advantages, there are also a few downsides to protein maxxing.
5 Reasons to Skip the Protein Maxxing Trend
It does not address overall diet quality or balance. Simply reaching your protein target for the day does not ensure that your body is getting adequate nutrition for overall wellness. Your body needs three macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein) and numerous micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) to function optimally. By focusing on only one macronutrient, you might unintentionally underconsume other important nutrients.
You may consume too many calories, leading to weight gain. Protein, like all macronutrients, provides calories. So when you increase your intake, you increase your caloric intake as well. If you don’t make adjustments to your fat and carbohydrate intake, you may consume too many calories and experience unwanted weight gain as a result.
You may experience fatigue or other side effects. Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of fuel. Many high-protein diets require you to dial back your carbohydrate intake to accommodate a higher protein intake and keep your overall calorie consumption in check. But without adequate carbs, you may end up feeling sluggish and tired. In some cases, your workouts may even suffer as a result.
Your intake of saturated fat may increase. Protein maxxers often consume a lot of meat, especially red meat and full-fat dairy. While these foods do provide protein, they also contain saturated fat. The National Heart Association suggests that we consume no more than 6% of calories from saturated fat to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.(6) Depending on your protein choices, you may exceed that level with protein-maxxing.
It may be unsafe for some. People with certain medical conditions, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) or reduced kidney function, should avoid high protein diets.(7) If you have any history of kidney problems, speak with a health care provider before making any significant changes to your diet.
How Much Protein Do You Really Need?
Consuming adequate protein each day is important for overall health and wellness. But consuming more is not always better. In fact, some studies have shown diminishing returns when protein intake becomes excessive. So how much is too much?
There are different ways to determine your protein needs.
The online calculator method. Using a daily macro calculator is a smart approach because you will not only get personalized protein targets, but you’ll also find out how many grams of fat and carbohydrates you need to consume to reach various goals. This option gives you a more balanced approach to your diet, rather than simply focusing on one nutrient.
The body weight method. You can also calculate your protein needs based on your body weight in kilograms. For healthy adults, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (g/kg/d). That figure is designed to meet the basic protein needs of most healthy adults. But people who participate in high levels of physical activity, especially weight training, may want to consume more. The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests consuming approximately 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day to build or maintain muscle. (8) During a bulking phase, some lifters even consume up to 3 g/kg/day.
Remember to make dietary changes gradually and adjust your food intake as needed. For example, if you increase your protein intake but reduce your intake of carbohydrate-rich fruits and veggies, you may notice gastrointestinal changes, including constipation. Drink plenty of water and choose protein-rich foods with fiber (such as beans) to reduce any discomfort.
To take a more comprehensive approach to your diet, while also maxing out your protein intake, pick up a copy of Macro Diet for Dummies. The book explains everything you need to know to optimize your diet to reach weight loss, fitness, or health goals.
Tips to Get Protein at Every Meal and Snack
Use these resources to prepare protein-rich foods at home and make smarter choices at the grocery store:
Sources:
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030
Nunes EA, Colenso-Semple L, McKellar SR, Yau T, Ali MU, Fitzpatrick-Lewis D, Sherifali D, Gaudichon C, Tomé D, Atherton PJ, Robles MC, Naranjo-Modad S, Braun M, Landi F, Phillips SM. Systematic review and meta-analysis of protein intake to support muscle mass and function in healthy adults. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2022 Apr;13(2):795-810. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12922
Moon J, Koh G. Clinical Evidence and Mechanisms of High-Protein Diet-Induced Weight Loss. J Obes Metab Syndr. 2020 Sep 30;29(3):166-173. doi: 10.7570/jomes20028
Magkos F. Protein-Rich Diets for Weight Loss Maintenance. Curr Obes Rep. 2020 Sep;9(3):213-218. doi: 10.1007/s13679-020-00391-0
Ducrot P, Méjean C, Aroumougame V, Ibanez G, Allès B, Kesse-Guyot E, Hercberg S, Péneau S. Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017 Feb 2;14(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-0461-7
American Heart Association. Saturated Fat.
Ko GJ, Rhee CM, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Joshi S. The Effects of High-Protein Diets on Kidney Health and Longevity. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2020 Aug;31(8):1667-1679. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2020010028
Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, Cribb PJ, Wells SD, Skwiat TM, Purpura M, Ziegenfuss TN, Ferrando AA, Arent SM, Smith-Ryan AE, Stout JR, Arciero PJ, Ormsbee MJ, Taylor LW, Wilborn CD, Kalman DS, Kreider RB, Willoughby DS, Hoffman JR, Krzykowski JL, Antonio J. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017 Jun 20;14:20. doi: 10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8