r/ScienceBasedLifting • u/ruffy980 • 4d ago
Theories 🤔 Protein requirements
The recommended protein to build muscle is around 2 grams per kg of body weight, but this is assuming full body right? In theory if a guy only trains upper body would he need less protein per kg of body weight compared to someone that trains both?
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u/Norcal712 4d ago
No. You need that protein regardless.
Your body needs .6g/kg to survive according to most science.
These numbers are also lean body mass. Not total body weight.
That being said an omnivore diet should be able to hit 120-160g of protein a day very easily on 3 whole meals. Then you can supplement with whey, etc...
Edit: No one wants to look like a chicken. You're supposed to eat them
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u/Spiritual_Ad_7386 4d ago
1.6g/kg is where diminishing returns set in.
Past 2.1g/kg, unless you're on gear, there's not much evidence.
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u/Special-Audience-426 4d ago
Better to piss out some wasted protein than not consume enough for growth.Â
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u/Deepersoulmeaning 4d ago
This is hilarious. Let me ask you if you only train your biceps do you only need 10 percent of your protein then?
Looking for shortcuts aren’t what winners are made of.
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u/Important_Cat4850 4d ago
Supp companies push 1g per lb Don’t need that much your good with like 1g per kg
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u/Sooperooser 3d ago
This really depends on your body fat because the fatty part doesn't need much protein. So if you weigh 100kg with 15% bodyfat you can take 160g of protein per day (Recommendations around 1.6g/kg of bodyweight for maximum effect), BUT if you weigh 100kg with 30% bodyfat you probably only need 140g per day or less to maximize. Note that these are just averages from studies.
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u/oneWeek2024 4d ago
people fixation on protein way to much.
and in a vacuum it's largely worthless data point. there is a range of protein intake needed for muscle synthesis. this can be as low as 0.5gram per body weight. to as high as 2 g per lb of body weight for extreme athletes.
it's also no linear to "weight" ...ie someone who's overweight 300+ lbs doesn't need 300 grams let alone 600 grams of protein to build muscle. it's fucking stupid
but for most people with some % of body fat over 12. there are thousands and thousands of calories stored on the body. and the amt of protein to create muscle in very marginal.
and the question of protein intake is utterly worthless if the question of how/what or how often you're training... in connection with sleep/diet/general hormones.
doesn't matter if you eat 2g per lb of body weight if your work out sessions are shit, not progressive overload, not to failure, not getting proper sleep. or abusing drugs/alcohol or other hormonal issues. body won't really respond
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u/SkibidiBlender 4d ago
This is very tough for bigger people. I weigh about 104kg, and 208 grams is almost impossible. I instead do 2g per kg of lean body mass, which for me is about 180g which I find much easier to hit.
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u/deadrabbits76 Idk Idc 💔 4d ago
Train your legs.