I aim for one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day for my patients. This is about twice the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) set by the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine, but it’s important to understand that the RDA represents only a minimum quantity necessary to avoid malnutrition – not the optimal quantity for promoting health. Most studies indicate that intake of around twice the RDA is more appropriate for building and maintaining lean mass, one of the strongest correlates of lifespan.

However, how we distribute protein intake throughout the day determines how much benefit we can reap from it. The body can only use a limited amount of protein for muscle protein synthesis at any given time, so if we cram all of our daily protein requirements into one meal, most of it will instead be burned as fuel (instead of burning carbohydrates or fats). On the other hand, each serving must contain enough protein to reach the minimum threshold for stimulating protein synthesis, so spreading intake over several very small servings also fails to optimize muscle protein synthesis. Ideally, protein intake should be divided over 3-4 servings per day, with a sweet spot of around 30-50 grams of protein per serving, to maximize benefits.

Protein quality is determined by two main factors: bioavailability and amino acid composition. Bioavailability refers to the percentage of ingested protein that can be digested and absorbed. For instance, plant-based protein is typically around 60-70% bioavailable, largely because fiber present in plants can interfere with protein absorption. In contrast, bioavailability for animal protein sources is generally very high (~95%), meaning that the body can absorb and utilize nearly all of the protein consumed.

Proteins are primarily composed of 20 different types of amino acids, of which nine (known as “essential amino acids”) cannot be synthesized by the body and must instead be obtained from diet. Although every protein source contains all 20 amino acids, their relative proportions vary between sources, and the greater the proportion of essential amino acids, the greater the protein quality. In particular, the essential amino acid leucine plays a critical role in stimulating protein synthesis, while other essential amino acids – especially lysine and methionine – tend to be underconsumed by many individuals and merit special attention.

While plant-based proteins tend to contain high proportions of non-essential amino acids and are generally low in leucine, lysine, and especially methionine, all animal proteins have adequate amounts of these three amino acids and others classified as essential.

We know that both 4-HNE and pyrraline can be absorbed from food, and on a mechanistic level, evidence indicates that both can contribute to oxidative stress, which is associated with various negative health effects. So although we don’t have any data directly linking dietary intake of these compounds to health consequences, a connection is certainly plausible, and empirically, it makes sense – if you have the choice to eat an animal that was healthier and less stressed at the time of harvest, it seems logical that this would translate to better health on the part of the person consuming it. 

The overwhelming majority of protein present in bone (and therefore bone broth) is collagen. Collagen is critical for bone strength, so it makes sense that the strong bones needed by active, wild deer would have more collagen than relatively inactive animals like cows.

The extra protein is beneficial simply for helping to meet daily protein goals, but collagen specifically may have other benefits for health. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and is a vital component not only of bone and cartilage, but also of connective tissue. Ingestion of collagen in the diet appears to boost the body’s own collagen synthesis, improve skin health, and relieve joint pain.

I love axis deer stew and grilled backstraps.