Peat Archive

Ray Peat's views on protein emphasize quality and balance over quantity. He recommended moderate protein intake (around 80-100g daily) from a mix of sources, with particular attention to amino acid balance. He argued that muscle meat alone provides too much tryptophan (serotonin precursor), methionine, and cysteine, and should be balanced with gelatin/collagen protein, dairy, and eggs.

Peat noted that protein is essential for thyroid function, liver detoxification, and maintaining muscle mass during stress (when cortisol breaks down muscle for gluconeogenesis). He recommended eating protein with each meal to prevent blood sugar drops, and emphasized that dairy protein (casein and whey) provides a favorable amino acid profile with less inflammatory potential than plant proteins or pure muscle meat.