For people who are just starting out bodybuilding, one of the most important questions that they have is how much protein is required to build muscle. Note that there’s a limit to how much protein you can eat, even when you’re going to the gym and trying to gain mass. Also, eating more protein doesn’t mean that you’ll build more muscle. Essentially, your protein consumption should be in line with your weight and goals.
Furthermore, the protein needs of one person are not the protein needs of another. Instead, your individual needs will depend on your level of physical training as well as what you’re trying to achieve.
The Amount of Protein You Need to Build Muscle
For a person who’s not training, the daily protein recommendations are 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. However, keep in mind that the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) is the minimum amount of protein needed to maintain your current weight. For people who are looking to build muscle mass, you’ll need to up your protein intake to 1.2-1.5 grams per kg of body weight every day.
Thus, someone who’s 60 kilograms and looing to bulk will not have the same protein requirements as someone who weighs 75 kilograms.
Using The Percentage of Total Calories
Alternatively, you can calculate the total amount of protein you need to build muscles by first understanding your daily caloric intake. To find out how much your body needs to maintain its current weight, start by finding out your basal metabolic rate (BMR). You can do this by using a BMR calculator. You could also find out the number of calories that your body is burning on a daily basis and add this to the BMR calculator.
Next is to find the percentage of your daily diet that’ll constitute protein. You can choose a percentage based on what you want to achieve and your ideal goals. The number may also be influenced by your age, metabolic rate, and body type. For Americans, the dietary guidelines claim to be between 10% and 35%.
Whatever figure you’ve chosen, multiply the daily number of calories that your body needs and divide by 4.
For instance, if you’re a male whose diet is 20% protein and consuming 2000 calories a day, 2000 X 0.20 = 400 calories from protein, 400/4 = 100 grams of protein per day
Is It Possible To Eat too Much Protein?
It’s possible to consume too much protein, and it could result in various health issues. That’s why it’s important to focus on your individual goals and eat accordingly while being careful not to overdo it.
For instance, consuming too much protein could cause high uric levels in the blood. Uric acid is a byproduct of protein synthesis. This could cause the kidneys to overwork and also result in health conditions such as gout.
Some of the cons of eating excess protein include indigestion, nausea, foul breath, and dehydration. Moreover, the excess protein will cause stress on the kidneys and the liver. Also, if you’re trying to lose weight, excessive protein intake will cause you to sabotage those plans and you’ll end up adding weight.
But how much is too much? It’s best to not go beyond 2 grams per kg of body weight, especially if you’re not engaging in any type of exercise.
Best Protein Sources
Some sources of protein are more beneficial to your body than others are. As you probably know, you can get protein from both plant sources as well as animal sources. That said, the best protein is one that offers all the amino acids, such as the following:
- Fish
- Meat
- Poultry
- Seaweed
- Amaranth
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat
- Spirulina
When it comes to muscle building, the best type of protein is whey as it can be easily synthesized by the body. Great sources of whey proteins include:
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Whey protein concentrate
- Kefir
While plant-based proteins are also effective at building muscle, they aren’t synthesized by the body as efficiently as animal-based proteins. This means that to achieve the same level of muscle mass, you would need to consume more plant-based proteins than animal-based proteins.
Is There A Right Time To Eat Protein?
Now that you know just how much protein you need to consume in order to build muscle, the question now becomes, ‘is there a right time to consume protein?’ The answer is yes. While it’s recommended to eat protein throughout the day as you build muscle, it’s especially important to do so right before and after a workout.
This provides your body with enough nutrients to immediately start repairing the broken muscle tissue, helping your body build larger and stronger muscles. In fact, by consuming protein right before and after a workout, you stand a better chance of building muscle quicker than if you were waiting for some time.
As for the type of protein, some people find that consuming a protein-dense food right before you dive into your workout results in an upset stomach. Other people don’t have a problem with that. It’s important, therefore, to self-evaluate and find out which works for you.
If you realize that you get an upset stomach, then you’ll need to consume something that’s easy to digest and provides your body with the nutrients it needs to build muscle, such as a protein shake and Greek yogurt. After your work out session, you can then go ahead and consume a solid, protein-dense meal.
To promote healing, it’s important to consume protein right before going to bed. The best type of protein before bed is casein as your body can easily synthesize it, allowing your muscles to heal faster.
Final Thoughts
Take note that the amount of protein one needs to consume to gain muscle mass is not the same for every one. The total amount of protein that you need to consume in order to build muscle will depend on your current weight as well as your body goals. You can use the simple formula–1.2 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. Alternatively, you can calculate your required protein intake through your daily caloric intake.
