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How many grams of daily protein do you ACTUALLY need to build muscle?

I feel like there’s so much misinformation out there that it can be overwhelming sometimes. I’ve seen a lot of different answers for this, but the most common ones seem to be .8-1g per pound of body weight and .8-1g per kilogram. The former seems like it would be difficult for me, since I’m 6’2” and about 200 pounds. I’ve gained about 20 pounds in the last year and 3 months of going to the gym regularly again. That was thanks in part to having access to college campus food. Now that I’m a graduate, I’m gonna have to start doing a lot more planning, both with macros and financially. I never really did a lot of counting before

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Answer

Depends on a few factors such as as your bf%, age, training experience, goals, etc but if you want a simple answer that should cover most people it would be .8g/lb however take a look at the guide below for a more specific answer

Examine.com is a great website in general that is completely evidence based and compiles it’s info from all relevant research

https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/

Answer

A systematic review by Morton identifies 1.6g/kg (.7g/lb) as the breakpoint where further increases no longer increase muscle hypertrophy. That paper recommended the upper half of the confidence interval to be safe, so 1.6-2.2g/kg or .7-1g/lb.

You can build muscle with less, but that is the range that optimizes muscle growth.

Answer

If you are looking to tune your diet it’s an aminos game. The 0.8 number is based on an average diet to hit 100% of the essential aminos but the amount you actually need will depend on what you’re eating, it’s amino content and bioavailability.

Unless you are a body builder or elite athlete it’s unlikely you need to focus excessively on it. FYI overall nutrition is also important, if you are deficient in any of the minerals used in muscle protein synthesis then it doesn’t matter if you have the right aminos or not.

Answer

Depends on a lot…for the Gen Pop folks….8 - 1.0g/lb of body weight unless you are extremely overweight, then use your goal weight as a guide. Always prioritize calories and protein if trying to lose weight.

Answer

It’s different for everyone, but I do think some people tend to underestimate the power of the human body. For example, it can be more difficult to build muscle on a cut, but for a beginner you can still blowup like a ballon on a minimal intake

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