How Much Protein Does a Strength Athlete Really Need?
If you’re serious about getting stronger, recovering faster, and building muscle, you know you need protein, but how much is actually optimal?
Research consistently shows that 0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound of body weight per day is ideal for strength trained athletes looking to maximize muscle mass, strength, and recovery.
A meta-analysis by Morton et al. (2018) found that 0.72g/lb (1.6g/kg) is the minimum required to optimize muscle protein synthesis, with little to no additional benefit above 1.0g/lb (2.2g/kg) for most lifters.
What Happens if You Eat Too Little Protein?
Intakes below 0.6g/lb have been linked to decreased lean mass retention in trained athletes, especially during a calorie deficit (Pasiakos et al., 2013).
Low protein compromises recovery and strength gains, even when total calories are sufficient.
Over time, insufficient protein can lead to plateaus in performance and greater risk of overtraining symptoms.
What About Eating Too Much?
Consuming 1.2g/lb (2.6g/kg) or more has not shown added benefit for muscle gain in trained lifters (Morton et al., 2018; Antonio et al., 2014).
Very high intakes are not harmful for healthy individuals, but excess protein may displace other nutrients (carbs/fats) that also support performance.
In a study by Antonio et al. (2014), lifters consuming 1.5g/lb+ saw no difference in body composition or strength gains, even over several weeks.
Key Takeaways for Strength Athletes:
Aim for 0.7–1.0g/lb of body weight per day.
Higher intakes (~1.1–1.2g/lb) may help during calorie cuts or intense training blocks.
Going way over (~1.5g/lb+) isn’t harmful, but doesn’t necessarily improve results.
Too little protein (<0.6g/lb) can hinder strength, recovery, and lean mass.
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