How much protein per day do you need to build muscle?

Protein is the raw material of muscle, but you don't need to eat huge amounts of it. There's a range that works, and beyond it you gain nothing. Here's how to work out yours.

The right number

For the general population, health authorities recommend about 0.8 g of protein per kilo of body weight per day. When you lift to build muscle, studies put the need at around 1.6 g per kilo per day; above 2.2 g there's no measurable benefit.

Example: at 70 kg (154 lb), aim for about 110 g of protein a day. At 60 kg (132 lb), about 95 g.

Spread it over the day

Three or four servings of 20 to 40 g, rather than one huge meal in the evening.
One serving in the hours after your workout, without counting the minutes: the “anabolic window” is much wider than people say.
A protein snack if your meals don't get you to your total: cottage cheese, Greek yogurt or skyr, hard-boiled eggs.

How much common foods provide

100 g cooked chicken breast: about 30 g
100 g canned tuna: about 25 g
2 large eggs: about 13 g
150 g skyr or Greek yogurt: 12 to 15 g
100 g firm tofu: 12 to 15 g
200 g cooked lentils: about 18 g
60 g rolled oats: about 8 g

What about protein powder?

Protein powder is just a convenient food, not a must. It can help you hit your total, but eggs, dairy, beans and lentils, and some meat or fish do the job just as well, often for less. Calories matter too: if you don't eat enough overall, muscle grows poorly, even with plenty of protein.

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