How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

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Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Simon Rea breaks down protein intake, sports nutrition and sports supplements, explaining how much protein the body actually needs, why whole foods often outperform supplements, and where products like creatine genuinely help an athlete's diet. This video covers processed vs unprocessed foods and protein timing around exercise. He explains that a sedentary adult needs around 0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight (roughly 56g a day for a 70kg person), while athletes doing heavy weight training may need double that amount, and endurance athletes need to increase intake by about 25%. He covers why protein shakes can help but shouldn't be over-relied upon, why excessive protein is simply wasted or stored as fat, and why eating a wide range of colourful, minimally processed foods remains the foundation of recovery and performance. Study sport and exercise courses with The Open University: https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/sport-fitness/degrees/ 0:00 Do You Really Need Supplements? 0:16 Why Fresh Food Matters 0:38 How Processing Changes Your Food 1:03 Choosing Nutrient-Rich Foods 1:19 Making Better Carbohydrate Choices 1:36 Why You Should Eat a Range of Colours 1:55 The Health Benefits of Flavanols 2:27 Do Active People Need More Protein? 3:06 How Much Protein Do You Actually Need? 3:22 Protein Needs for Exercise & Training 3:45 When Should You Eat Protein? 4:03 Are Protein Shakes Worth It? 4:25 Natural Protein vs Protein Powders 4:36

Published 2026-08-19 · Watch on YouTube ↗
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