How much protein do I need to build muscle?

With increases in training intensity, you need additional protein to support muscle growth and increases in certain blood compounds. On the basis of the latest research with strength trainers, I recommend that you eat 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.73 grams per pound) a day. Here's how you would figure that requirement if you weigh 150 pounds or 68 kilograms:

1.6 g protein x 68 = 109 g of protein a day
0.73 g protein x 150 = 109 g of protein a day

If you engage in regular aerobic exercise, consume 1.8 g of protein per kg (0.82 g/lb) of body weight daily. Strength trainers living in high altitudes need even more protein: 2.2 g per kg (1.0 g/lb) of body weight daily. And, vegan vegetarians should take in 2.0 g of protein per kg (0.91 g/lb) of body weight a day to make sure their diets are providing all the amino acids their bodies require.

Are you a brand new strength trainer? If so, you may need to eat more than a veteran strength trainer typically consumes — as much as 40 percent more.

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