When trying to build muscle mass, most people have exercise routines perfectly mastered. They may spend countless hours in the gym doing strength training, and chances are they have figured out every physical muscle building trick in the book. Chances are, though, they still may not be getting the results they are looking for. Muscles primarily consist of protein. As a result, it is necessary to consume plenty of protein when you are trying to build muscle mass. The challenge, though, is knowing exactly how much protein is needed each day. Knowing how much protein per day is required to build muscle can help people finally achieve the results they desire.

Although many popular fitness magazines and website recommend consuming 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, this is not supported by any scientific research. In fact, recent studies have shown that consuming this much protein will do very little to aid in the production of muscle. While consuming excess protein will not hurt you, it is simply unnecessary and will not lead to any better results. To maintain general health, moderately active adults require a minimum of roughly 0.7 grams of protein per pound each day. At a given time, the body is only capable of absorbing 30 to 40 grams of protein, so typically when more is ingested at once, it is not used. To avoid having excess protein that is not absorbed, many nutrition experts recommend eating five or six small meals each day rather than two or three large ones. Some people also choose to use protein supplements throughout the day when they are not able to consume a meal. This can be helpful but is not necessary if you are able to get enough protein from food sources. Consuming protein throughout the day can be especially beneficial when trying to build lean body mass.

Recent studies have shown that there is little to no body building benefit to consuming vast amount of excess protein. It is, however, beneficial to gradually consume slightly more. For most people, the best way to determine how much is needed is simple experimentation. By gradually adding extra protein while monitoring the results, people are able to determine exactly how much protein they need in order to achieve their desired results.