Introduction
You will find various estimates as to how much protein you need to build muscle but most sources suggest 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per lb of bodyweight per day. Compare this to what nutrition experts recommend for ‘normal’ people who are not out to build muscle, which is 0.3 to 0.4 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. So as a bodybuilder you are looking at three or four times as much protein each day than a person who is not a bodybuilder.
This is actually quite a lot and most bodybuilders will use protein powders such as Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein to maintain their protein intake.
Proteins are made up of amino acids and there are 9 such amino acids that our bodies cannot make itself, so we need to get them from foods like eggs, meat and dairy products. Our bodies are not particularly good at storing protein and will begin breaking down muscle to get it if we don’t consume enough, which is something that most people trying to build muscle would rather avoid.
Is Too Much Protein Dangerous?
The only confirmed problem with too much protein is where a person has problems with their kidneys, however many nutritionists will claim that large amounts of protein - such as that consumed by bodybuilders - is unnecessary to maximize muscle growth.
A typical muscle builder will have a diet that consists of about 40% protein whereas most nutritionists would recommend a diet consisting of about 20% protein for normal people.
So how should we react to this? Well, unless you have a problem with your kidneys a high protein diet is not going to do you any harm and the evidence of thousands - possibly even millions - of people who have built muscle over the last 60 years or so is that a high protein diet does indeed help with muscle building.
You really need to find what works best for you. A possible cautious approach you could take is to stick to the lower end of the bodybuilder’s recommendation - maybe 1 gram per lb of bodyweight per day - and see how things progress. You can then try increasing and decreasing your protein intake to see what works for you.
How To Choose a Protein Powder
Try to get as much protein as you can from food. Having said that, very few bodybuilders will not have some sort of protein supplement handy and most will take anything from one to six protein shakes a day.
Of all the protein drinks on the market, one of the most popular is Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder because it does not make you feel bloated if you drink it quickly and it tastes great.
Tags: acid, amino, build, gold, muscle, protein, standard, whey