How much protein do you need to build muscle

If you lift and you want to grow, protein is the macro that matters most. It supplies the amino acids your body uses to repair and build muscle after training. The good news is that the target range is well studied and not complicated.

The number that matters

For an 80 kg lifter that works out to roughly 130 to 175 g of protein per day. Eating far above this does not appear to add muscle faster. It mostly adds calories and displaces other food.

Dieting? Eat more protein, not less

When calories are low your body is more willing to break down muscle for fuel. Higher protein pushes back against that. It also keeps you fuller, which makes the diet easier to stick to.

Does meal timing matter

Less than the internet suggests. The old idea of a narrow anabolic window right after training has not held up. What matters is your total for the day. Spreading protein across three or four meals of 30 to 40 g each is a sensible way to reach the target, not a magic requirement.