The Protein Myth: How Much You REALLY Need

How much protein do you need to build muscle and maximize growth? In this video, we evaulate the scientific research on just this.

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:27 Part I: The Scientific Literature on Protein & Gains
4:57 Training Experience/Effort?
6:27 Cutting?
8:18 Bulking?
8:54 Part II: This Is Worth Remembering
11:13 Part III: Final Thoughts + Summary

Beats:
2) Home - Hold

References:
Protein Meta-Analyses:

Nitrogen Balance/Indictor Amino Acid Oxidation Data:

Training Hard/More Experience Data:

Cutting Data:

Bulking Data:

[HouseofHypertrophy]

2 small editing errors: 1) With the imperial conversions, I wrote X g/*lbs*, but I realize that X g/*lb* is more accurate 2) The X-axis in many of the graphs noted total protein intake (g/*kd*/d), the *kd* is supposed to be *kg* :)

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:27 Part I: The Scientific Literature on Protein & Gains
4:57: Training Experience/Effort?
6:27 Cutting?
8:18 Bulking?
8:54 Part II: This Is Worth Remembering
11:13 Part III: Final Thoughts + Summary


Additional Note:

[Gargarks]

I did a little experiment on myself with this very subject a couple years ago. My hypothesis was that since your body essentially converts excess protein to carbohydrates, that was why you still managed to see gains with higher intakes. So what if I ingested protein on the low end of the recommended spectrum and upped my carb intake instead? Well, after two years I've still made plenty of gains ( no noticeable difference from before when I was at the Standard 1 G per pound) my workouts are much better with the higher carb intake, and meals are definitely more varied and enjoyable. It works for me 🤷

EDIT: this isn't dietary advice, or a problem that needs a solution. Simply an anecdote related to the subject of the video I thought I would share. Take it as you will.

[tim..t]

My own personal experience is that since i have deliberately went super high protein, my improvement across all lifts has been consistent

[SummersSnaps]

When I was seriously into this sport I did some experimentation (even when taking PEDs). I personally found NO negative effects from dropping 250g protein per day to a measly 50g. In fact... the less protein I took generally the better gains I made as my digestion system was not hampered and rewarded with other macro nutrient food better suited. I concluded that high protein intake was nothing more than a myth, fueled by the magazine and advertising industry as a mechanism to stay relevant.
I'm not saying protein isn't important, but that so few individuals genuinely experiment with levels of grams to outcomes. Most are sheep blindly following literature, and this is sport is massively about genetics which throws 90% of studies out of the window. Test, test and test with yourself only, nothing else really matters.

[JK]

I am 6 feet, 85 kg male with 15% body fat percentage. I have been weightlifting since the last 14 years and have tried 75 grams, 100 grams and 150 grams protein per day keeping all other variables constant (total calories, workout etc)
I have not even found a single difference among all three protein intakes in body composition, strength or anything else. Infact, my blood work is the best at 75 grams protein per day.

[Angel_EU]

That graph showing how NOTHING is left on the table is science at its purest! xD
Love your vids, i can imagine the amount of work the graphics alone take, not to mention the research.

[ryanmaxwelll]

So many of these studies make reference to "older" people. None of them specify what ages "older" is comprised of. I'd love someone to be specific about what this means.

[hornsteinhof]

Very interesting findings! I am a dairy farmer - feed-milk-relationships are well researched in this area. What strikes me is that people are looking at the curves around 1:00 and try to find the effect maximum. In dairy farming, you'll look for the efficiency optimum in most production environments, which would translate to the maximum pitch or slope of the curve (or maximum of the first derivation, mathematically). This is where you'll get the most 'bang for your buck' in terms of protein.

Looks like the efficiency maximum is sitting around 1 to 1.2 g per kg, translating to about 90 to 108 g per day for a person like me (90 kg). Yeah, you could eat more. But adverse effects are often connected to a supply of a nutrient that is too low or too high - I could see benefits of staying at the sweet spot.

[geoffknox]

I’ve never noticed any difference in muscle utilizing different amounts of protein except….when cutting calories. At that point, higher protein seems to make quite a difference. I do hope there is more research on this specific area in the future.

[Korvxx]

not just the amount of protein...If you eat more protein aka beef and eggs, you get more choline, creatine, carnitine, glutamate etc for repair and hormones...what the protein is attatched to.

[iixcryx]

Candito mentioned HoH in his last video. RP has done that a couple times in the past as well. Just love to see it x)

[erniegamboa]

I started seriously lifting / bodybuilding at about age 35 and began researching supplements and protein intake. I used to be obsessed with getting 200 plus grams of protein per day and had to drink at least 3 shakes and incorporate egg whites to meet the minimum daily intake. Got really tired of trying to keep up and kicked that mindset to the curb. I now take in as much as I can from food with an average of one shake a day depending on how I have been eating and training. I still use eggs and egg whites to bump it up when needed but I can tell you that I look and feel better than I ever have. Granted, I have lost a little bit of mass but at 220 lbs. and 5"10" I could afford to lose a little. I am now 190-195 lbs. but I am totally ripped down, with abs popping, a 30-inch waist with that crazy wide shoulder, small waist v taper. So I suggest you find your sweet spot on the protein intake, get the most from your food, and supplement with eggs and protein powder as needed. I am probably only getting 150 grams of protein on a good day and maybe 180-200 on a great day, which again, depends on how I've been eating and training in the last few days and even weeks.

[happyraider]

it doesn’t matter if you’re taking 1.2g/kg body weight or 2.2g/kg of bodyweight. both will make you build muscle if you are on a caloric surplus. so since they’re the same. aim for the 1.2g of protein per kg of your body then eat alot. make sure you exceed your caloric maintenance.

[MrEsNewChannel]

I've worked out every day for 1 year now.
I'm turning 40 this July.
The past 5 months straight, I've seen 2lbs of lean muscle mass growth.
I consume .75g per lb and maintain a <10% bodyfat composition.

[azimuthclark]

I've been eating more fiber, drinking more water, and taking in more minerals. I do more cardio now. I'm 200lbs and try to get at least 100g of protein per day. Depending how I feel, I'll eat more.

Trust your body. Take your time.

[GabrielCazorlaPersson]

Good to know that bulking does not change how much protein you need. I have also read (but not been able to verify) that you will gain less fat if you consume more protein in a bulk. If anything, I would say you need to worry a bit less for protein intake, because you are probably going to consume more than when you are maintaining, even if it is just an extra 10g.

[champinatorr]

One of the best fitness youtube's channels

[DudeSilad]

I'm glad it was mentioned about how much you should require for your fat free weight. I'm around 200lbs. There is no way I need 150 to 200 grammes of protein. I probably don't even have 100g most days. Even when I'm carrying a decent amount of muscle.

[zerog]

Im not a big Mike Mentzer fan, he was a bit crazy in my opinion but he stated this in the 70's and was ridiculed by the BB industry at the time

[inkwell]

I'm glad you looked at the R^2 value. Many studies in exercise science fail to consider it in their conclusions.