I would like to know, what is the minimum calories you can eat without inducing muscle catabolism/starvation mode. I hear 1000 calories or 1200 thrown around, but never any research to back it up. could someone please point me to some research?
anybody?
The number for which you’re looking isn’t the minimum number of calories. It’s the number of protein grams. That’s a fairly low number; according to this cite, about 1 gram per kilo body weight. Thus, for example, if you weigh 180 lb, you need about 80 grams protein which, at 4 cal per gram, is 320 calories. You can get that from 3/4 lb chicken breast or 1 lb plain ham, both of which (if lean) will come in under 500 calories. That’s rock bottom and entails a fair amount of risk, e.g., extraordinary strain on the kidneys. Which is why all responsible sources recommend that any radical-calorie-reduction diet be supervised by a doctor.
It varies from person to person honestly. There is no universal number for everyone, because everyone’s internal biochemistry is different. I read a study once where they fed a bunch of women about 400 calories a day, some lost alot of muscle and some lost almost none, with one losing nothing but fat and no muscle during the diet. However generally around 1200/day is considered the minimum.
Then there is that study showing a 1.5g/kg protein intake on a low calorie diet to obtain a neutral nitrogen balance.
So I don’t think there is a specific point for everyone. It depends on your protein intake and your own internal biochemistry.