Examining widely held propositions on human dietary protein needs and benefits: a critical review of the science that shapes both the data and our understanding of an essential macronutrient

Key Points

• This review critically evaluates the existing scientific propositions regarding human dietary protein needs and the gaps in evidence supporting these claims.
• Analysis of existing literature on dietary protein needs.
• Assessment of the quality and relevance of the research base.
• Identification of gaps in sample size and study duration.
• Experts called for more research due to insufficient evidence supporting many dietary protein propositions.
• Identified issues included low quality and small sample sizes in relevant studies.
• Surrogate markers were often inadequately used, affecting the validity of findings.