How much protein do you need to build muscle?

Muscle is made up of mostly protein, so it’s no surprise that a high protein diet can help you grow. However, exactly how much protein you need per day is a hotly debated topic. Common bodybuilding advice suggests eating one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight to support muscle growth, however, the science behind this recommendation varies depending on age, fitness level, and overall body composition goals.

How Protein Works to Support Your Muscles

Protein is made up of amino acids that act as building blocks for your body’s cells and tissue, including muscle mass meaning, your muscle is made up of protein.

These amino acids are essential for supporting numerous bodily functions. If you aren’t getting the essential nutrients through food, your body doesn’t have what it needs and has to compromise. This involves stealing amino acids that are stored in your blood and muscle tissue leading to muscle loss over time.

Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) vs. Muscle Protein Breakdown (MPB)

Amino acids are also used for muscle protein synthesis (MPS) – the process of repairing and maintaining muscles after intense use.
When muscles are used during exercise or strenuous activity, it creates micro-tears and leads to muscle protein breakdown (MPB). Amino acids are then shuttled to your muscles to start repairing this damage and synthesizing new tissue to replace the damaged ones.
This process doesn’t automatically lead to bigger muscles, but it can make your muscles stronger or adapt to the type of training that caused the tears in the first place.MPS is why protein, and strength training, in particular, are so essential for maintaining and building lean body mass.

Muscle Growth

When it comes to building muscle, the amount of protein you eat is a considerable factor. With the role of amino acids in muscle protein synthesis, maintaining a positive protein balance – in other words, eating more protein than you are breaking down or using, is one part of the muscle-building equation.

Muscle growth occurs when MPS outpaces MPB.

This can be achieved through a combination of increased protein intake, a strategic strength training routine, adequate rest (which is when MPS occurs), and often plenty of calories to support weight gain overall.
Depending on individual factors like fitness level and starting body composition, it is also possible to lose weight and gain muscle at the same time, but this is not ideal for everyone and your rate of muscle growth is significantly less than following a standard weight gain approach.

How Much Protein Do You Need to Gain Muscle?

Your protein needs are most directly related to your muscle mass – the more you have and the more you use, the more protein you need.
Age and fitness level can also impact how much protein is required to promote muscle growth.
Bodybuilders and weightlifters have higher protein needs because they are looking to add mass and are simultaneously using their muscles more than the average person or non-lifter.

Of course, it is entirely possible to overdo it. Eating too much protein can negatively impact your ability to build muscle by limiting your intake of other important macros for bulking (healthy fats and carbohydrates) that support your training and weight gain. So getting the right amount for your individual requirements is crucial to getting the best results – get in touch with one of our nutrition experts to see how much protein you need to achieve your goals.

Many fitness enthusiasts recommend about one gram of protein per pound of body weight, but this likely isn’t a perfect approach for everyone and the research varies on this topic depending on age, fitness level, and overall body composition goals.
So, while the debate continues around how much protein is actually needed to gain more muscle and thanks to the multitude of individual differences among us all.

However, a good rule of thumb for maintaining existing muscle is to eat roughly 0.8 to 1 grams of protein/pound of body weight. And this amount may increase as high as 1 to 1.5 grams/pound when looking to add lean mass using a calorie surplus.
Once you know your daily protein needs, the next step is finding the best sources of protein to eat. These include lean meats, fish, dairy, and plant-based options. Then learn how to portion your food choices to match your macros and start tracking your daily intake to ensure you are staying consistent.