How Much Protein Do You Really Need Daily to Build Muscle?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Much Is Needed?Factors To ConsiderWhy It’s ImportantHow Much Is Too Much?Excessive Protein IntakeGreat Food SourcesOther SourcesWhen Not Getting Enough

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Much Is Needed?

Factors To Consider

Why It’s Important

How Much Is Too Much?

Excessive Protein Intake

Great Food Sources

Other Sources

When Not Getting Enough

To build muscle mass, you need around 1.2–1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (g/kg) or 0.5–0.8 grams per pound of body weight.However, your protein needs depend on many factors, such as your health goals, activity level, weight, and age.

While protein is essential for muscle growth and repair, there are risks associated with consumingtoo much.

How Much Protein Do I Really Need?

For adults, the recommended dietary allowance(RDA) for proteinis 0.8 g/kg per day. This is designed to meet the needs of the average person without specific fitness goals who don’t engage in much physical activity.

However, recent research indicates that this RDA isn’t enough to support a body under stressful conditions, such as restricting calorie intake or exercising regularly. Some researchers say the RDA needs to be reevaluated.

A higher protein intake is usually recommended for peopletrying to build muscle. For example, athletes or individuals leading a very active lifestyle may benefit from 1.2–2.0 g/kg per day, depending on the intensity and type of exercise, age, and other factors.

Growing adolescents have higher protein demands from physical activity and growth.Older adults may also need closer to 1.2–2,0 g/kg per day to prevent lean muscle loss associated with aging.

28 High Protein Foods to Help Build Lean Muscle

Here are some of the most important things to consider when determining an optimal daily protein intake:

Why Protein Is Important for Building Muscle

Proteinis made up of amino acids, which are often called “the building blocks” for muscle tissues.

When you do strength exercises, your muscle fibers experience very small tears that are then repaired to become even stronger. Your body builds muscles through this process, which is also known as muscle protein synthesis.

Your body needsamino acids—especially essential amino acids from dietary sources—to support the muscle-building process. Without enough protein, you won’t have the necessary resources to repair and grow muscles effectively, limiting your progress.

Finally, protein intake helps prevent muscle breakdown, especially when working out intensely or going through a period of calorie restriction for any reason. For example, if someone istrying to lose weight, the goal is to drop body fat but preserve lean muscle mass.

How Much Protein Is Too Much?

For most healthy adults, a protein intake of up to around 2.0 g/kg per day is generally considered safe (possibly higher for people who are “well-adapted” to high-protein diets).However, regularly eating large amounts of protein can eventually be pointless, as your body will use what it needs and excrete or store the rest as fat.

When the body metabolizes protein, it creates waste that the kidneys must filter out. A very high-protein diet can put extra strain on the kidneys for people with existing kidney conditions and possibly people without.

Research shows that a high intake ofprotein from plant sources(like legumes and tofu) is less likely to pose health effects than protein from animal sources (like red meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products).

When consumed in excess, animal-derived protein foods are significantly higher in saturated fat, a nutrient known to promote cardiovascular disease.

Symptoms of Excessive Protein Intake

Some possible symptoms and complications that can develop from regularly eating too much protein include:

Protein is found in almost every food (including broccoli), but some foods are better sources than others. Examples ofhigh-protein foodsare:

Other Protein Sources for Building Muscle

In addition to the protein foods listed above, many people turn toprotein powdersand supplements when the goal is building muscle.

Protein powders (which may be made from whey, pea, soy, or rice, to name a few) provide 20–30 grams of protein per scoop. You can add these to smoothies, mix them into your oatmeal or yogurt, or shake them up with water or your favorite milk.

These are not a requirement to “bulk up,” but they are an easy way to get a substantial amount of protein in a small serving, saving you some room in your stomach for other foods and nutrients. This also means it can be easy for some people to consume more protein than their bodies need and experience side effects.

Are There Risks of Not Getting Enough Protein During Exercise?

Most people are not at risk ofeating too little protein. As long as you’re consuming enough calories in your diet, it is very rare to have a protein deficiency.

However, if your goal is to build muscle, aninsufficient amount of proteinin your diet can hinder your progress and recovery. Without enough protein, muscle breakdown may exceed muscle synthesis, leading to muscle loss instead of growth.You may also feel fatigued more often, recover more slowly from workouts, or experience more illness (a sign of a weakened immune system).

By understanding your protein needs and getting it from various healthy sources in your diet, it’s usually simple to get enough to support everyday life and muscle-building goals.

Summary

Protein is a critical nutrient for supporting everyday health and specific body composition goals, like building more muscle. While most people can meet their needs with at least 0.8 g/kg per day, muscle-building generally requires more. Fortunately, protein is found in various plant- and animal-based foods.

The best way to determine your daily protein goals for building muscle is to consult with a registered dietitian, who can help tailor a plan that accounts for individual factors.

20 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Sports Medicine.Protein intake for optimal muscle maintenance.Wu G.Dietary protein intake and human health.Food Funct. 2016;7(3):1251-65. doi:10.1039/c5fo01530h.Hudson JL, Wang Y, Bergia Iii RE, Campbell WW.Protein intake greater than the RDA differentially influences whole-body lean mass responses to purposeful catabolic and anabolic stressors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Adv Nutr. 2020;11(3):548-558. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz106.Weiler M, Hertzler SR, Dvoretskiy S.Is it time to reconsider the U.S. recommendations for dietary protein and amino acid intake?Nutrients. 2023;15(4):838. doi:10.3390/nu15040838.Egan, B. (2016).Protein intake for athletes and active adults: current concepts and controversies.Nutrition Bulletin. 41(3), 202-213. doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12215Garcia-Iborra M, Castanys-Munoz E, Oliveros E, Ramirez M.Optimal protein intake in healthy children and adolescents: Evaluating current evidence. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 30;15(7):1683. doi: 10.3390/nu15071683. PMID: 37049523; PMCID: PMC10097334.Baum JI, Kim IY, Wolfe RR.Protein consumption and the elderly: what is the optimal level of intake?Nutrients. 2016;8(6):359. doi:10.3390/nu8060359.Zhou HH, Liao Y, Zhou X, Peng Z, Xu S, Shi S, Liu L, Hao L, Yang W.Effects of timing and types of protein supplementation on improving muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in adults undergoing resistance training: A network meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2023 Dec 1;34(1):54-64. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2023-0118. PMID: 38039960.Witard OC, Bannock L, Tipton KD.Making sense of muscle protein synthesis: a focus on muscle growth during resistance training.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2022;32(1):49-61. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2021-0139.McGlory C, Devries MC, Phillips SM. Skeletal muscle and resistance exercise training; the role of protein synthesis in recovery and remodeling.J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017;122(3):541-548. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00613.2016.Wu G.Dietary protein intake and human health.Food Funct. 2016;7(3):1251-65. doi:10.1039/c5fo01530h.Ko GJ, Rhee CM, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Joshi S.The effects of high-protein diets on kidney health and longevity.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2020;31(8):1667-1679. doi:10.1681/ASN.2020010028.Ferrari L, Panaite SA, Bertazzo A, Visioli F.Animal- and plant-based protein sources: a scoping review of human health outcomes and environmental impact.Nutrients. 2022;14(23):5115. doi:10.3390/nu14235115.Huang J, Liao LM, Weinstein SJ, Sinha R, Graubard BI, Albanes D.Association between plant and animal protein intake and overall and cause-specific mortality. JAMA Intern Med. 2020 Sep 1;180(9):1173-1184. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2790. PMID: 32658243; PMCID: PMC7358979.Delimaris I.Adverse effects associated with protein intake above the Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults.ISRN Nutr. 2013;2013:126929. doi:10.5402/2013/126929.Alkedeh O, Priefer R.The ketogenic diet: breath acetone sensing technology.Biosensors (Basel). 2021;11(1):26. doi:10.3390/bios11010026.Journel M, Chaumontet C, Darcel N, Fromentin G, Tomé D.Brain responses to high-protein diets.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(3):322-9. doi:10.3945/an.112.002071.Clem J, Barthel B.A look at plant-based diets.Mo Med. 2021;118(3):233-238. PMID: 34149083; PMCID: PMC8210981.Kårlund A, Gómez-Gallego C, Turpeinen AM, Palo-Oja OM, El-Nezami H, Kolehmainen M.Protein supplements and their relation with nutrition, microbiota composition and health: Is more protein always better for sportspeople? Nutrients. 2019 Apr 12;11(4):829. doi: 10.3390/nu11040829. PMID: 31013719; PMCID: PMC6521232.Thalacker-Mercer AE, Fleet JC, Craig BA, Carnell NS, Campbell WW.Inadequate protein intake affects skeletal muscle transcript profiles in older humans.Am J Clin Nutr.2007 May;85(5):1344-52. doi:10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1344.

20 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Sports Medicine.Protein intake for optimal muscle maintenance.Wu G.Dietary protein intake and human health.Food Funct. 2016;7(3):1251-65. doi:10.1039/c5fo01530h.Hudson JL, Wang Y, Bergia Iii RE, Campbell WW.Protein intake greater than the RDA differentially influences whole-body lean mass responses to purposeful catabolic and anabolic stressors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Adv Nutr. 2020;11(3):548-558. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz106.Weiler M, Hertzler SR, Dvoretskiy S.Is it time to reconsider the U.S. recommendations for dietary protein and amino acid intake?Nutrients. 2023;15(4):838. doi:10.3390/nu15040838.Egan, B. (2016).Protein intake for athletes and active adults: current concepts and controversies.Nutrition Bulletin. 41(3), 202-213. doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12215Garcia-Iborra M, Castanys-Munoz E, Oliveros E, Ramirez M.Optimal protein intake in healthy children and adolescents: Evaluating current evidence. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 30;15(7):1683. doi: 10.3390/nu15071683. PMID: 37049523; PMCID: PMC10097334.Baum JI, Kim IY, Wolfe RR.Protein consumption and the elderly: what is the optimal level of intake?Nutrients. 2016;8(6):359. doi:10.3390/nu8060359.Zhou HH, Liao Y, Zhou X, Peng Z, Xu S, Shi S, Liu L, Hao L, Yang W.Effects of timing and types of protein supplementation on improving muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in adults undergoing resistance training: A network meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2023 Dec 1;34(1):54-64. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2023-0118. PMID: 38039960.Witard OC, Bannock L, Tipton KD.Making sense of muscle protein synthesis: a focus on muscle growth during resistance training.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2022;32(1):49-61. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2021-0139.McGlory C, Devries MC, Phillips SM. Skeletal muscle and resistance exercise training; the role of protein synthesis in recovery and remodeling.J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017;122(3):541-548. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00613.2016.Wu G.Dietary protein intake and human health.Food Funct. 2016;7(3):1251-65. doi:10.1039/c5fo01530h.Ko GJ, Rhee CM, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Joshi S.The effects of high-protein diets on kidney health and longevity.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2020;31(8):1667-1679. doi:10.1681/ASN.2020010028.Ferrari L, Panaite SA, Bertazzo A, Visioli F.Animal- and plant-based protein sources: a scoping review of human health outcomes and environmental impact.Nutrients. 2022;14(23):5115. doi:10.3390/nu14235115.Huang J, Liao LM, Weinstein SJ, Sinha R, Graubard BI, Albanes D.Association between plant and animal protein intake and overall and cause-specific mortality. JAMA Intern Med. 2020 Sep 1;180(9):1173-1184. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2790. PMID: 32658243; PMCID: PMC7358979.Delimaris I.Adverse effects associated with protein intake above the Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults.ISRN Nutr. 2013;2013:126929. doi:10.5402/2013/126929.Alkedeh O, Priefer R.The ketogenic diet: breath acetone sensing technology.Biosensors (Basel). 2021;11(1):26. doi:10.3390/bios11010026.Journel M, Chaumontet C, Darcel N, Fromentin G, Tomé D.Brain responses to high-protein diets.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(3):322-9. doi:10.3945/an.112.002071.Clem J, Barthel B.A look at plant-based diets.Mo Med. 2021;118(3):233-238. PMID: 34149083; PMCID: PMC8210981.Kårlund A, Gómez-Gallego C, Turpeinen AM, Palo-Oja OM, El-Nezami H, Kolehmainen M.Protein supplements and their relation with nutrition, microbiota composition and health: Is more protein always better for sportspeople? Nutrients. 2019 Apr 12;11(4):829. doi: 10.3390/nu11040829. PMID: 31013719; PMCID: PMC6521232.Thalacker-Mercer AE, Fleet JC, Craig BA, Carnell NS, Campbell WW.Inadequate protein intake affects skeletal muscle transcript profiles in older humans.Am J Clin Nutr.2007 May;85(5):1344-52. doi:10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1344.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American College of Sports Medicine.Protein intake for optimal muscle maintenance.Wu G.Dietary protein intake and human health.Food Funct. 2016;7(3):1251-65. doi:10.1039/c5fo01530h.Hudson JL, Wang Y, Bergia Iii RE, Campbell WW.Protein intake greater than the RDA differentially influences whole-body lean mass responses to purposeful catabolic and anabolic stressors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Adv Nutr. 2020;11(3):548-558. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz106.Weiler M, Hertzler SR, Dvoretskiy S.Is it time to reconsider the U.S. recommendations for dietary protein and amino acid intake?Nutrients. 2023;15(4):838. doi:10.3390/nu15040838.Egan, B. (2016).Protein intake for athletes and active adults: current concepts and controversies.Nutrition Bulletin. 41(3), 202-213. doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12215Garcia-Iborra M, Castanys-Munoz E, Oliveros E, Ramirez M.Optimal protein intake in healthy children and adolescents: Evaluating current evidence. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 30;15(7):1683. doi: 10.3390/nu15071683. PMID: 37049523; PMCID: PMC10097334.Baum JI, Kim IY, Wolfe RR.Protein consumption and the elderly: what is the optimal level of intake?Nutrients. 2016;8(6):359. doi:10.3390/nu8060359.Zhou HH, Liao Y, Zhou X, Peng Z, Xu S, Shi S, Liu L, Hao L, Yang W.Effects of timing and types of protein supplementation on improving muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in adults undergoing resistance training: A network meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2023 Dec 1;34(1):54-64. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2023-0118. PMID: 38039960.Witard OC, Bannock L, Tipton KD.Making sense of muscle protein synthesis: a focus on muscle growth during resistance training.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2022;32(1):49-61. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2021-0139.McGlory C, Devries MC, Phillips SM. Skeletal muscle and resistance exercise training; the role of protein synthesis in recovery and remodeling.J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017;122(3):541-548. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00613.2016.Wu G.Dietary protein intake and human health.Food Funct. 2016;7(3):1251-65. doi:10.1039/c5fo01530h.Ko GJ, Rhee CM, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Joshi S.The effects of high-protein diets on kidney health and longevity.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2020;31(8):1667-1679. doi:10.1681/ASN.2020010028.Ferrari L, Panaite SA, Bertazzo A, Visioli F.Animal- and plant-based protein sources: a scoping review of human health outcomes and environmental impact.Nutrients. 2022;14(23):5115. doi:10.3390/nu14235115.Huang J, Liao LM, Weinstein SJ, Sinha R, Graubard BI, Albanes D.Association between plant and animal protein intake and overall and cause-specific mortality. JAMA Intern Med. 2020 Sep 1;180(9):1173-1184. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2790. PMID: 32658243; PMCID: PMC7358979.Delimaris I.Adverse effects associated with protein intake above the Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults.ISRN Nutr. 2013;2013:126929. doi:10.5402/2013/126929.Alkedeh O, Priefer R.The ketogenic diet: breath acetone sensing technology.Biosensors (Basel). 2021;11(1):26. doi:10.3390/bios11010026.Journel M, Chaumontet C, Darcel N, Fromentin G, Tomé D.Brain responses to high-protein diets.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(3):322-9. doi:10.3945/an.112.002071.Clem J, Barthel B.A look at plant-based diets.Mo Med. 2021;118(3):233-238. PMID: 34149083; PMCID: PMC8210981.Kårlund A, Gómez-Gallego C, Turpeinen AM, Palo-Oja OM, El-Nezami H, Kolehmainen M.Protein supplements and their relation with nutrition, microbiota composition and health: Is more protein always better for sportspeople? Nutrients. 2019 Apr 12;11(4):829. doi: 10.3390/nu11040829. PMID: 31013719; PMCID: PMC6521232.Thalacker-Mercer AE, Fleet JC, Craig BA, Carnell NS, Campbell WW.Inadequate protein intake affects skeletal muscle transcript profiles in older humans.Am J Clin Nutr.2007 May;85(5):1344-52. doi:10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1344.

American College of Sports Medicine.Protein intake for optimal muscle maintenance.

Wu G.Dietary protein intake and human health.Food Funct. 2016;7(3):1251-65. doi:10.1039/c5fo01530h.

Hudson JL, Wang Y, Bergia Iii RE, Campbell WW.Protein intake greater than the RDA differentially influences whole-body lean mass responses to purposeful catabolic and anabolic stressors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Adv Nutr. 2020;11(3):548-558. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz106.

Weiler M, Hertzler SR, Dvoretskiy S.Is it time to reconsider the U.S. recommendations for dietary protein and amino acid intake?Nutrients. 2023;15(4):838. doi:10.3390/nu15040838.

Egan, B. (2016).Protein intake for athletes and active adults: current concepts and controversies.Nutrition Bulletin. 41(3), 202-213. doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12215

Garcia-Iborra M, Castanys-Munoz E, Oliveros E, Ramirez M.Optimal protein intake in healthy children and adolescents: Evaluating current evidence. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 30;15(7):1683. doi: 10.3390/nu15071683. PMID: 37049523; PMCID: PMC10097334.

Baum JI, Kim IY, Wolfe RR.Protein consumption and the elderly: what is the optimal level of intake?Nutrients. 2016;8(6):359. doi:10.3390/nu8060359.

Zhou HH, Liao Y, Zhou X, Peng Z, Xu S, Shi S, Liu L, Hao L, Yang W.Effects of timing and types of protein supplementation on improving muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in adults undergoing resistance training: A network meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2023 Dec 1;34(1):54-64. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2023-0118. PMID: 38039960.

Witard OC, Bannock L, Tipton KD.Making sense of muscle protein synthesis: a focus on muscle growth during resistance training.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2022;32(1):49-61. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2021-0139.

McGlory C, Devries MC, Phillips SM. Skeletal muscle and resistance exercise training; the role of protein synthesis in recovery and remodeling.J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017;122(3):541-548. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00613.2016.

Ko GJ, Rhee CM, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Joshi S.The effects of high-protein diets on kidney health and longevity.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2020;31(8):1667-1679. doi:10.1681/ASN.2020010028.

Ferrari L, Panaite SA, Bertazzo A, Visioli F.Animal- and plant-based protein sources: a scoping review of human health outcomes and environmental impact.Nutrients. 2022;14(23):5115. doi:10.3390/nu14235115.

Huang J, Liao LM, Weinstein SJ, Sinha R, Graubard BI, Albanes D.Association between plant and animal protein intake and overall and cause-specific mortality. JAMA Intern Med. 2020 Sep 1;180(9):1173-1184. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2790. PMID: 32658243; PMCID: PMC7358979.

Delimaris I.Adverse effects associated with protein intake above the Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults.ISRN Nutr. 2013;2013:126929. doi:10.5402/2013/126929.

Alkedeh O, Priefer R.The ketogenic diet: breath acetone sensing technology.Biosensors (Basel). 2021;11(1):26. doi:10.3390/bios11010026.

Journel M, Chaumontet C, Darcel N, Fromentin G, Tomé D.Brain responses to high-protein diets.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(3):322-9. doi:10.3945/an.112.002071.

Clem J, Barthel B.A look at plant-based diets.Mo Med. 2021;118(3):233-238. PMID: 34149083; PMCID: PMC8210981.

Kårlund A, Gómez-Gallego C, Turpeinen AM, Palo-Oja OM, El-Nezami H, Kolehmainen M.Protein supplements and their relation with nutrition, microbiota composition and health: Is more protein always better for sportspeople? Nutrients. 2019 Apr 12;11(4):829. doi: 10.3390/nu11040829. PMID: 31013719; PMCID: PMC6521232.

Thalacker-Mercer AE, Fleet JC, Craig BA, Carnell NS, Campbell WW.Inadequate protein intake affects skeletal muscle transcript profiles in older humans.Am J Clin Nutr.2007 May;85(5):1344-52. doi:10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1344.

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