If your goal is to increase muscle mass, you’re likely aware of the importance of consuming sufficient protein. Protein, as one of the essential macronutrients, is necessary for the construction and restoration of muscle tissue. However, determining the precise amount of protein needed for muscle gain isn’t as simple as loading up on boiled eggs and chicken breast alone.
What is Protein?
Protein is a macronutrient essential for the growth, repair, and maintenance of tissues in the body. It is made up of long chains of amino acids, which are often referred to as the building blocks of protein. Some of these chains your body can make naturally – known as ‘non-essential’ – and some of which it can’t. These are called ‘essential’ amino acids. Proteins play various critical roles in the body, including serving as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies, and they are crucial for the structure and function of muscles, organs, and other tissues. In the diet, protein is commonly found in foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
What Makes Protein Essential for Muscle Development?
For muscle growth to occur, your body must produce more muscle protein than it breaks down. That’s why individuals aiming to enhance muscle mass must ensure they’re consuming adequate protein and putting in the effort during their gym sessions.
Think of your muscles as a bundle of tiny strings, similar to the strands in a rope. These fibers are incredibly robust, but when they experience strain from exercises like weightlifting or resistance training, they may sustain small tears.
This is a natural and crucial aspect of enhancing muscle strength. When these tiny tears occur, your body initiates a repair process to mend them. This is where protein plays a crucial role. Through a mechanism known as muscle protein synthesis (MPS), the amino acids derived from protein aid in repairing and “patching up” These small tears. When combined with physical activity, this process can lead to muscle growth, increasing their size and strength.
A research published in the Nutrients journal revealed that “increased protein consumption was linked to additional enhancements in lean body mass beyond what was achieved solely through resistance exercise”.
What Quantity of Protein is Necessary for Muscle Growth?
For muscle building, target consuming 1.4– 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, advises Cynthia Sass, RD, a registered dietitian and board-certified expert in sports nutrition situated in Los Angeles.
For example, a 150-pound person living an inactive lifestyle would need about 55 grams of protein a day, Sass says. But if that same person was doing regular cardio and strength-training workouts to build muscle, their protein needs would go up to about 150 grams per day, she explains.
How Much Protein Should You Eat After Working Out?
Ingesting protein post-workout can aid in muscle recovery and development. Although there’s no universal solution, strive to consume approximately 20-40 grams of protein following exercise, recommends Landes. “This spectrum is optimal for triggering muscle protein synthesis to mend and bolster muscles post-exercise,” she clarifies.
While there’s no bad time to eat protein, some experts recommend having your post-exercise meal or snack within 30–45 minutes after your workout. “Muscle sensitivity is heightened after strenuous activity and muscles metabolize nutrients more efficiently within that time frame”.
Another point to keep in mind: “As we get older, our requirement for protein increases to kickstart [muscle protein synthesis], so individuals over 40 should strive to reach that 40-gram target after exercising,” Landes advises.
Certain studies corroborate this elevated protein intake post-workout. A small 2016 study published in Physiological Reports focusing on young, resistance-trained males indicates that a 40-gram serving of protein consumed immediately after exercise triggered muscle protein synthesis more effectively compared to a 20-gram serving.
Keeping these overall principles in consideration, refrain from becoming overly concerned about meticulously monitoring the precise protein (or other nutrient) intake. For some individuals, meticulously counting macros may have adverse effects, which is why, in numerous instances, professionals recommend emphasizing a balanced diet instead. However, if you aim to monitor your protein consumption for a particular muscle growth objective (or any other health objective), it’s advisable to collaborate with a registered dietitian who can assist you in commencing and identifying the optimal protein quantity for your needs.
Protein Calculation Based on Weight:
Possibly, the most effective approach to determine your daily protein requirement is by considering your lean body mass, which encompasses all bodily components except fat. This method might offer a more precise estimate compared to solely concentrating on your overall body weight.
If you weigh 90kg with 20 percent body fat, you possess 72kg of lean body mass. By multiplying this figure by 2.2, you arrive at a daily protein goal of 158g. Alternatively, if you weigh 90 kilograms with 10 percent body fat, your lean body mass is 81 kilograms. Multiplying this by 2.2 yields 178 grams of protein per day. This target can be more feasibly attained by increasing your consumption of steak and eggs.
Conversely, consider an overweight man weighing 135kg. In this scenario, relying on his total body weight to determine protein intake would not be advisable. Utilizing the guideline of 2 grams of protein per kilogram, he would be consuming a staggering 270g of protein daily.
Protein Calculation Based on Height:
If you’re uncertain about estimating your lean body mass to determine your protein targets, coach and nutritionist Brad Pilon provides a more straightforward guideline: utilize your height. “I strongly believe that height is a more significant factor than weight in determining your protein intake, considering the inherent variable of body fat,” Pilon asserts.
According to him, generally speaking, your height is a better indicator of your muscle mass than your level of physical activity. “A 6’4″ individual who’s very lean will likely have more muscle and lean body mass compared to a muscular 5’10” person,” Pilon elaborates.
Pilon recommends beginning with a basic starting point of 50g of protein for someone who is 5 feet tall, then adding 7g for every inch of height. Therefore, a man who is 5 feet 10 inches tall would be targeting approximately 120g of protein daily.
Protein Calculator:
If you’re basing your protein needs on weight, here’s how much protein per kg to build muscle:
2.2g of protein per kg of body mass
If you think you have more than 5-10kg to lose, calculate your protein needs using your height and use the following equation:
50g of protein for a 5 foot tall person, add 7g for every inch of height.
Best Protein Foods:
- Chicken Breast: 33g of protein per 100g
- Cod: 18g of protein per 100g
- Whey Protein: 80 to 90g of protein per 100g
- Vegan Protein: 70 to 80g of protein per 100g
- Clams and Other Molluscs: 48g of protein per 100g
- Low-sodium Parmesan Cheese: 42g of protein per 100g
- Tofu: 17g of protein per 100g
- Lean Beef: 36g of protein per 100g
- Lamb: 25g of protein per 100g
- Pork Tenderloin: 23g of protein per 100g
- Soya Protein Isolate: 88g of protein per 100g
- Eggs: 12.5g of protein per 100g