How Much Protein You Should Eat to Build Muscle

How much protein does your body really need to build muscle? Are some forms of protein better than others? Does the time you eat it matter?

…and then I want a protein shake, hahah.

In all seriousness, I’m often asked how much protein is actually needed for building muscle.

Is 1 gram per pound of body weight per day enough? If we eat more, will we build more muscle?

Or should we be eating less than that? 1 gram per pound of lean mass, maybe? Is that even more than we need?

Well, let’s find out.

Why Your Body Needs Protein to Build Muscle

You may already know this, but I want to give a brief summary just to make sure.

In the body, a protein is a special type of molecule that is comprised of substances known as amino acids. Think of amino acids as the “building blocks” of proteins–without the requisite amino acids, the body can’t create protein molecules.

Now, there are many types of proteins in the body, and they perform a wide variety of functions ranging from the replication and repair of DNA, to cell signaling (insulin is a protein, for instance), to the formation of tissues and other substances like hair and nails, and more.

The building of “muscle proteins” (the types of protein molecules that our muscles are made of) requires a variety of amino acids, some of which must be obtained from food (these are known as “essential” amino acids).

When you eat a food that contains protein, your body breaks the protein molecules in the food down into the amino acids they’re comprised of, and then uses those amino acids to build its own proteins.

If you eat too few grams of protein every day, your body can become deficient in the amino acids it needs to build and repair muscle, and thus, muscle growth becomes impaired.

Now, the body has certain protein needs even if you don’t exercise. Remember that every day cells are dying and being regenerated, and this requires amino acids.

When you do exercise, however, the body needs even more amino acids to repair damaged muscle fibers and, depending on what you’re doing, grow them larger. This is why athletes need to eat a high-protein diet to maximize performance.

How high do you have to go, though?

Many years ago, before I knew what I was doing, I was stuck in a rut in the gym, and I thought maybe my protein intake was the problem.

I asked an ex-professional bodybuilder how much protein I should eat every day, and he said 2 grams per pound of body weight.

I was a bit taken aback–that would mean eating close to 400 grams per day.

He was adamant that 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight was absolutely necessary to break through the plateau and start building muscle again, so I went for it.

Reference: http://tinyurl.com/pqwdrav