About Protein Absorption

About Protein Absorption
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A common statement in sports nutrition is that your body can only absorb 30g of protein per meal. Is this actually true and is there a protein absorption limit? Swipe left for a science-based answer.
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First of all, the 30g protein absorption limit does not make much sense since the small intestines, which is the place where most protein is absorbed, can absorb large amounts of nutrients. So if we talk about absorption, your body can absorb much more than 30g of protein per meal.
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But there is a difference between protein absorption and protein utilization. The right question to ask in this case is, how much protein can your body utilize towards building muscle per meal? And this depends on the situation. For instance, one study found that eating 20g of protein was enough to maximize muscle protein synthesis after a leg training session [1]. While when doing a full-body day, other research shows that eating up to 40g of protein in a meal helps with maximizing muscle growth [2]. Also, a 100-kilogram advanced bodybuilder will need a different amount of protein than a 70-kilogram beginner trainee.
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To help determine your protein needs, a 2018 review paper investigated how much protein you should eat per meal to maximize muscle development [3]. The researchers suggest that having a per-meal protein intake of 0.4-0.55g/kg of your body weight is a good aim. So if we have an 80-kilogram individual, that is consuming between 32-44g of protein per meal for max muscle growth.