The Vegan Gym Podcast How Much Vegan Protein Should You Eat To Build Muscle?
One of the most common questions vegans ask us is: "How much vegan protein should you eat to build muscle?" Well, a high-protein diet is absolutely vital for building muscle and strength. While it might be possible to build some muscle with a relatively low protein intake around 10% of total calories, a plethora of sports nutrition research proves you are fighting an uphill battle.
If you are working to build muscle, you should aim for at least 0.8 grams of high-quality plant protein per pound of body weight per day (assuming you have a relatively low body fat percentage). That’s equal to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
You might think this sounds high, but trust us. When you are working your ass off in the gym to gain muscle, you want to be sure you are getting all of the protein you need to be sure you aren’t leaving any gains on the table.
Let’s Take A Look At What The Research Says
A study by the Exercise Nutrition Research Laboratory at the University of Western Ontario confirmed that regular exercise increases daily protein requirements by as much as 100% vs. recommendations for sedentary individuals.
Given that the recommended daily allowance for protein is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight (0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight) for healthy adults, the researchers suggest 0.73 to 0.82 grams per pound of bodyweight per day (1.6 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight).
A study by the Exercise Metabolism Research Group at McMaster University found that protein intakes in the range of 0.6 to 0.82 grams per pound of bodyweight per day (1.3 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day) consumed in 3-4 equal amounts each day will maximize muscle protein synthesis. The researchers suggested that experienced athletes likely require less protein.
A study from the McMaster University Medical Center concluded that athletes working to maximize bulk and strength while resistance training should consume foods with high biological value with a maximum protein requirement of approximately 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (0.77 grams per pound of bodyweight per day).
So as things stand right now in the scientific literature, if you are serious about gaining muscle and strength, and you want to be safe in terms of consuming enough protein to promote that muscle growth, then you should aim for about 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight).
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