Bodybuilding is all about maximalism : How many sets do I need to do to maximize muscle hypertrophy? How do I pick the exercises that optimize my growth potential? Blah, blah blah. Too little attention is paid toward finding out how much is enough , especially when it comes to protein.
If you’re into fitness, you’ve probably heard of the age-old protein intake benchmark of one gram per pound of body weight. It’s a neat, tidy figure that you don’t need a nutritional sciences degree to digest.
But the leading research on protein intake paints a different picture. So let’s ask, and then answer, a better question — how little protein can you eat and still build muscle? [Related: Best Whey Protein Powders on the Market ] How Little Protein Can You Eat To Build Muscle
According to the available research , there is no single-gram benchmark to hit for dietary protein. Studies on this topic often pitch a range: “…protein intake was shown to promote additional gains in lean body mass beyond those observed with resistance exercise alone; however, beyond a daily intake of 1.6 g/kg body mass per day (up to as high as 2.2 g/kg/day), the additional effects of protein are greatly diminished.” ( 1 )
We’ll save you the math. Based on this range, your protein intake floor is .72 grams per pound of body weight. So, for example, a 180-pound man should look to consume, at minimum, 130 grams of protein every day, split between whole food sources and supplements like whey protein powder.
The good news: This figure is lower than you probably thought, but it’s based on meta analyses of protein intake, or studies looking at studies — one of the most reputable tiers of scientific evidence. And it gets better… Data from May 2024 shows that plant-based diets are more than capable of fulfilling protein requirements, even for athletes. ( 2 ) This paper specifies that protein intake must be, “scaled to meet energy needs.” What exactly does that mean?
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