Research
Macro partitioning
Higher animal protein intakes (1.2-2.2 g/kg body weight) do not harm bone health and may be beneficial, provided calcium intake is adequate.
You can safely consume high amounts of protein (1.2-2.2 g/kg body weight) to support muscle and bone health. Ensure you are eating enough calcium (dairy, leafy greens, fortified foods) to offset any urinary calcium loss. This combination supports bone strength without the feared bone loss associated with the 'acid-ash' theory.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
On the balance of the available evidence it would seem unlikely that higher animal protein intakes, in the amounts recommended to athletes, are harmful to bone health, particularly with adequate calcium intake.
Why this rating
Supported by meta-analyses and mechanistic studies showing increased calcium absorption and IGF-1 production with high protein.
Source
Nutrition and Athlete Bone Health
Craig Sale et al. · Sports Medicine · 2019
narrative_reviewCited 139×
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