Protein is now printed on everything from cereal to ice cream, and social media has a name for chasing the biggest protein number at every meal: protein maxxing.
Disclaimer that we coach boxing, and are are not dietitians. What follows is our reading of the evidence from Singapore's Health Promotion Board (HPB), the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) and dietitians who have commented on the trend, together with a plain set of rules for training adults in Singapore.
What protein maxxing means
Dietitians describe protein maxxing as trying to fit as much protein as possible into every meal and snack. The goal is usually muscle, fat loss or a leaner look. The practice ranges from adding eggs to breakfast to building every meal around protein products and tracking each gram.
What the trend gets right
1. Training adults need more than the minimum. HPB's recommended intake is 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight per day for adults under 50 and 1.2 g per kg for adults 50 and above. Those figures cover general health. For people who exercise regularly, ISSN's position is 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg per day. For a 70 kg member, that is about 98 to 140 g a day, compared with 56 g at the basic HPB figure.
2. Older adults in Singapore often fall short. HPB's National Nutrition Survey 2022 found that most adults met their protein recommendation, but one in two adults aged 50 to 69 did not. If you are 50 or older and you train, under-eating protein is a bigger risk than over-eating it.
3. Protein helps keep muscle while you lose fat. A review in the FASEB Journal found that intakes of 1.6 to 2.4 g per kg per day reduce muscle loss during a calorie deficit.
Where it goes too far
• More protein stops adding muscle at a point. A meta-analysis of 49 trials (Morton et al., 2018, British Journal of Sports Medicine) found that, in people doing resistance training, intakes above about 1.6 g per kg per day produced no further gain in fat-free mass. The upper confidence limit was 2.2 g per kg, so a few people may still benefit from a little more. For most, 1.6 g per kg captures the benefit.
• Protein without training does not build muscle. Dr Thomas Holland of Rush University, speaking on the American Medical Association's podcast, said that building muscle requires resistance training alongside protein, and that higher protein does not automatically mean faster weight loss.
• Extra protein still counts as calories. A dietitian at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital notes that protein beyond what you need can contribute to weight gain when total energy intake rises.
• Maxxing one nutrient crowds out others. Dietitians warn that a protein-first diet can displace fibre and variety, and that many high-protein packaged foods are highly processed, with added sweeteners and additives. HPB's 2022 survey found wholegrain intake in Singapore was already low, which makes crowding out fibre a further concern here.
• Rigid tracking can become a problem. Dietitians who work with disordered eating list rigid food rules, obsessive nutrient tracking and avoiding meals with other people as early warning signs. If tracking protein is causing anxiety, speak to a doctor or dietitian.
On kidneys and bones: ISSN's position is that protein at 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg per day is not detrimental to kidney function or bone health in healthy, active people. People with kidney disease or reduced kidney function need medical advice before raising protein.
The Singapore problem is different
At a hawker centre or food court, the plate usually puts rice or noodles first and protein second. Protein across common dishes in the nutrition tables compiled by KK Women's and Children's Hospital runs from 2 g in fried carrot cake and 15 g in lor mee to 33 g in kway chap.
Most members do not need to maximise anything. They need to raise protein at one or two meals a day. Our hawker guide, High-Protein Hawker and Food Court Meals in Singapore, shows how, with numbers for 16 common dishes.
Who should check first
Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian before raising your protein if you have kidney disease or reduced kidney function, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, have a history of disordered eating, or manage a medical condition through diet.
Practical Information
Sweat Science Studio coaches training. We do not write meal plans; for one, see a registered dietitian. What we can do is make sure the training side of the equation is right, because protein only adds muscle when the training gives it a reason to.
Group classes and private 1-on-1 sessions are available. First class is free.
Location: 42C North Canal Road, Level 4, Singapore 059298. A short walk from Clarke Quay MRT.
