The claimEvidence A · guideline-tier
More protein always means more muscle
The evidence
Hypertrophy returns plateau around 1.6 g/kg/day; extra protein past that adds less and less. 0.8 g/kg is the deficiency floor, not the training dose.
The mechanism, in brief
How much protein does someone who lifts need each day? The most reliable answer is about 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight, and up to 2.2 g for people who want to squeeze out every bit of muscle gain. The range comes from pooling dozens of strength-training trials: gains level off around 1.6 g, and eating more adds…
Sources (2)
- Morton, R. W., et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376–384.
- Phillips, S. M. (2016). The impact of protein quality on the promotion of resistance exercise-induced changes in muscle mass. Nutrition & Metabolism, 13, 64.