Protein Myth: In the Context of Longevity More Protein Isn’t Better

I recently saw a reel of a woman proudly showing off her 70g protein breakfast😭😵‍💫😩

Internet culture will have you believe that piling on the protein is a shortcut to health and that you will magically grow muscle: but that’s not how the body works.

The body likely cannot even absorb amounts such as 70g of protein in one sitting and pushing that much excess over time can strain the kidneys. Protein alone doesn’t build muscle and guarantee health, it requires effort. Without push protein can become a stagnant nutrient in the body, the excess has nowhere to go, can burden organs, stall autophagy and: accelerate aging.

When it comes to longevity, more protein isn’t necessarily better. High protein and longevity are often inversely related.

Yes, you need protein to sustain muscle. But excess protein, especially without the training to match, shifts the body from repair mode (longevity) into constant growth mode (aging). That means:

• Autophagy gets suppressed
• Cellular cleanup halts
• mTOR ramps up
• Aging accelerates

Longevity isn’t about building more, it’s about repairing better. It’s about your body’s ability to renew. This happens in states of fasting, lower protein intake and caloric restriction - not constant fuel or overfeeding.

I’m not anti-protein - I don’t reject protein, I cycle it. I’m of the stance that protein is a tool, not a trophy: find a middle way away from excess. Eat enough to repair and sustain. But not so much that you drown out the body’s intelligence to renew and heal.

Where the internet would have me at 150g+ everyday, here’s how I generally estimate my protein intake:

🌸0.36 - 0.6g/lb body weight: on Zone 2, active recovery days
•that’s only about 54g - 90g for me

🌸0.7 - 1g/lb body weight: on intense Zone 5 or strength + resistance training day
•that’s about 105g - 150g for me (I seldom get to 150g)