Health Discovered

How Much Protein Do We Actually Need? A Dietitian Explains

July 30, 2026·33 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Protein is everywhere these days – from protein pasta to protein cereal – but do these foods actually deliver the benefits they promise? And how much protein do we really need? We spoke with Marily Oppezzo, PhD, MS, RDN, an instructor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center and head of the nutrition pillar at Stanford Lifestyle Medicine, about how much protein the average adult needs for overall health and muscle maintenance, whether high-protein diets offer meaningful benefits, and how protein needs change with age and activity level. She also explains the differences between animal and plant proteins and what the latest research says about protein and long-term health. Credits  Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers Show Notes: Lauren Summers Guest: Marily Oppezzo, PhD, MS, RDN See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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