Do you ever wish that there was one round number for protein intake that anyone and everyone could use to gain muscle? You're not alone, but unfortunately, the relationship between protein and muscle mass isn't that simple.
Understanding how much protein to build muscle depends on your goals, activity level and individual dietary preferences. It also means navigating research that can be confusing and contradictory, as it's surprisingly hard to control for variables in fitness and nutrition studies.
Genetics have a huge effect on how easily a person puts on muscle, but there are two factors in your control that have been proven to encourage muscle growth: strength exercises and protein consumption. Exercise alone won't build muscle without the right nutrition to back it up.
While protein consumption is on the rise, one study found that 1 in 3 Americans over 50 still doesn't get enough protein. Go deep into the research to understand how much protein you need based on your age, weight, workout routine, goals and more. Once you have a customized number, learn how incorporating different protein sources can help increase gains.
Determining Amount of Protein Needed To Build Muscle
You may be tempted to eat the maximum amount of protein you can every day to gain muscle rather than calculating a number based on your individual health factors. This is a mistake, as more protein is not necessarily more beneficial. One study found that extremely high protein intake was associated with symptoms of fatty liver disease in people using a high-protein, low-carb diet to lose weight.
The body can only process a certain amount of protein in one sitting, and the timing of your protein intake can be just as important as the amount consumed. Additionally, eating extreme amounts of protein can make you miss out on macronutrients in your diet that your body needs to function at peak performance, such as fat.
The internet is awash in contradictory recommendations for how much protein you need to put on muscle. Some sources will give a blanket number, such as "aim for 25 grams of protein in every meal." However, not everyone eats the same number of meals per day. Also, people vary widely in their ideal calorie intake based on their weight and activity level. A true baseline recommendation for how much protein to build muscle requires calculations and customization.
While you can use an online calculator to get a basic protein recommendation, there's no way of knowing for sure if this number is truly accurate for your body and needs. It's better to use common formulas as a guideline and adjust them as you better understand how protein impacts muscle growth in your body.
Factors That Can Influence Your Protein Requirements
Several factors affect how much protein your body needs to build muscle and how much protein your body can use at once. These include:
- Weight
- Age
- Body composition
- Sex
- Amount of exercise
- Type of exercise
- Fitness goals
- Job and lifestyle
Protein requirements typically increase with age, both baseline protein requirements for general health and how much protein to build muscle. Aging naturally decreases muscle mass, so older bodies require more protein and exercise to maintain the same level of lean muscle as younger bodies. Protein plays an important role in bone health, immune health and wound healing as well, which are all important components of healthy aging.
Sedentary people typically need less protein than active people. This is partially because those with more muscle require consistent protein intake just to maintain that muscle mass. Activity can come from exercise or a physically demanding job, such as construction. If you're trying to put on muscle mass with strength training, your protein requirements are even higher than those who are trying to maintain their fitness.
How To Calculate Grams of Protein Per Kilogram of Body Weight
Many protein intake recommendations come in the form of grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is because, as weight increases, bodies typically require more protein to maintain and build muscle mass on a larger frame. While these calculations aren't perfect, they can be a great starting point for understanding how much protein to build muscle.
To calculate your recommended grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, you may first need to convert your weight into kilograms. Multiply your weight in pounds by 0.45, or multiply your weight in stone by 6.35.
Once you have your weight in kilograms, find a formula tailored to your age and activity level. A sedentary adult who isn't building muscle only needs 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, so they would multiply their weight in kilograms by 0.8 to get your recommended grams of protein per day. A strength or endurance training athlete requires 1.2-1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Finding Your Recommended Daily Intake for Muscle Building
USADA sports medicine experts recommend 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for maximum muscle synthesis. The reason these numbers are given in a range rather than a flat recommendation is because scientists aren't sure exactly which number is "best."
The lower limit of how much protein to build muscle is the minimum required to see results, while the upper limit is the point at which you get diminishing returns or adverse health effects. Pick a number in the range that is most comfortable for you and aim to exceed the minimum each day.
Finding High-Quality Protein Sources
Many people focus on the raw amount of protein in their diet, but the quality and variety of your protein sources affect muscle growth as well. Although the bodybuilder stereotype is endless meals of grilled chicken, rice and broccoli, nutrition experts recommend a varied diet. It's easier to consistently meet high protein requirements if you incorporate a wide range of protein sources to keep your diet interesting, and you won't miss out on important vitamins and minerals.
Keeping your protein diet interesting can extend to protein-filled snacks. Instead of a typical protein bar, you can try new flavors or textures, such as a Puff bar with a fluffy and light center. The ideal time to refuel with protein is within 30 minutes of your workout, so keep your favorite on-the-go options in your gym kit.
Animal Proteins vs. Plant-Based Proteins
Animal proteins can come from meat, but they can also come from fish, eggs, and dairy. Whey protein powder is one example of an animal protein. Plant-based proteins typically come from soy, nuts and beans.
Studies comparing animal proteins and plant proteins generally find that animal protein produces superior lean muscle growth, especially in younger people. Animal proteins contain more of the amino acid leucine, which stimulates muscle synthesis, and they contain a greater variety of amino acids overall.
Animal proteins may perform slightly better than plant proteins in studies, but you shouldn't conclude that plant-based proteins are ineffective. These proteins are still great for building muscle in the right quantities and the right timings, so yes, it's possible to bulk up on a vegan diet. Soy, legumes, nuts and other sources of plant-based protein also have a wide range of other health benefits, so it's a good idea to add them to your diet even if you primarily eat animal proteins.
Essential Amino Acids and Muscle Health
All protein molecules are made up of building blocks called amino acids. While the body needs 20 different amino acids to function, only 9 of these have to come from food. These are known as the "essential" amino acids.
When you eat protein, you provide your body with new amino acids. High amino acid concentrations trigger your cells to start building muscle since the raw materials of muscle cells are readily available.
When your muscles break down from exercise, adequate protein intake keeps them well-maintained and healthy. The numbers for how much protein you need to maintain muscle and how much protein to build muscle may be different, but the underlying principles are the same.
Animal proteins are often "complete proteins," meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids. Plant-based proteins may not contain all nine, but contrary to popular nutrition myths, it's not necessary to eat all nine essential amino acids in every meal. Varying your plant-based protein sources throughout the day—such as eating oats, nuts, rice and legumes—delivers all nine essential amino acids.
Best Sources of Protein for Muscle Building
Ultimately, the best sources of protein for muscle building will be the sources you enjoy that easily fit into your diet and lifestyle. It's important that your protein options be convenient for you. The timing of protein intake and what you eat greatly affects how much of this macronutrient your body absorbs and uses.
Have small protein snacks after workouts as well as plenty of protein at meals. Good snacks include:
- Protein bars
- Protein shakes
- Greek yogurt
- Edamame
- Nuts
- Jerky
At meals, try to include a variety of protein sources and protein sources with other health benefits. Lean protein sources allow for high-protein diets that don't include extraneous calories. Some examples of healthy protein sources at meals are:
- Beans and legumes
- Salmon
- Tofu
- Eggs
- Chicken breast
- Lean pork or beef
Eating animal and plant protein gives your body the raw materials it needs to build and maintain muscle mass. Knowing how much protein to build muscle benefits your body in the short-term, but it's also an important component of long-term health and independence.
Calculating Protein Intake for Different Goals
Your ideal protein intake won't stay the same throughout your entire year, as your fitness goals will likely change at least once. Since building muscle is easier in a calorie surplus, many fitness enthusiasts choose to bulk (eat excess calories) and then cut (eat fewer calories than necessary) in cycles. These cycles have different and equally important protein needs. Recovery periods, where your goal is to nurture and protect your body, require a different protein intake as well.
Protein Needs for Weight Loss and Muscle Preservation
Eating plenty of protein while cutting overall calories is a proven strategy for losing weight while keeping muscle. Most experts recommend a range of 1-2g of protein per kilogram on a weight loss diet to retain as much muscle as possible.
The good news is, low-calorie protein bars can deliver double-digit protein numbers at only 160 calories per bar. Remember that it's important to balance your diet with healthy carbs as well, both fast-acting and whole-grain, to provide a ready source of energy.
Increasing Protein Intake for Muscle Gain
The recommended intake for how much protein to build muscle, in tandem with strength training, is around 1.4-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. On a bulking diet, many people increase their total amount of calories to encourage the body to invest resources in mass and muscle. This increased calorie intake may make it easier to hit higher protein goals.
Adjusting Protein Levels Based on Activity Level
Since every lifestyle is different, experts divide people into separate activity levels to estimate the amount of exercise they get on a regular basis. Exercise and physical labor break down muscle fibers, so people who exercise more need more protein in their diet to maintain muscle health. The three activity levels are:
- Sedentary: Non-physical job with no exercise or only occasional exercise
- Moderately active: Physical job or about one hour of exercise per day
- Vigorously active: Intensely physical job or two hours of exercise per day
No person falls solely into one of these three categories. It's normal to cycle through vigorous periods, moderate periods, and sedentary periods. Sedentary periods are important for recovering from injuries or illness.
Adjust your protein intake by eating more calories and protein, such as the high end of your suggested range, during intense periods of activity. Scale back to the low end of the range during rest periods.
Evaluating How Much Protein To Build Muscle
Each individual should customize their protein intake based on the amount of activity in their life, their natural weight and frame and their specific fitness goals in the moment. There is no one 'magic number' for how much protein to build muscle that works universally.
Calculating a recommendation based on your body weight in kilograms is a useful place to start. From there, you can adjust your protein intake up or down and pay attention to how your diet and exercise regimen makes you feel. Intense muscle aches and fatigue may be a sign to increase your protein intake, your total calories consumed, or both.
Animal proteins and plant-based proteins are both effective for building muscle. A variety of sources is best, both because it ensures a full spectrum of amino acids and because it delivers other nutrients that help your body perform at its best and reach its goals.
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