How Much Protein Should You Eat Each Day to Maximise Hypertrophy?

Maximising hypertrophy (muscle growth) requires more than just going to the gym. Nutrition, particularly protein intake, plays a critical role. For individuals seeking optimal hypertrophy, current research suggests consuming 1.6 – 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

For example, a 75 kg individual should aim for 120 – 165 grams of protein daily. This range supports muscle protein synthesis (MPS), recovery, and adaptation to training.

Total daily intake isn’t the only factor. Distributing that protein matters too. Ideally, protein should be spread evenly across 3 – 6 meals per day. These meals should be spread evenly (in amount) and in duration (throughout the day). Each meal should include ~0.3 – 0.8g/kg of bodyweight.

What To Do EVery Day?

An easy checklist to follow would be ensuring you are meeting these 4 requirements:

1. Consuming 1.6 – 2.2 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight per day.
2. Consuming 3-6 meals per day.
3. Each meal containing ~0.3 – 0.8 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight.
4. Spreading out your meals evenly throughout the course of the day.

The importance of consuming the protein evenly throughout the course of the day comes down to aligning with the body’s cyclical sensitivity to protein. Frequent, moderate doses of protein help maintain an anabolic (muscle-building) environment throughout the day.

Timing plays a vital role. Spacing protein-rich meals every 3–5 hours promotes consistent stimulation of hypertrophy and reduces long periods of catabolism (muscle breakdown). This is especially important during prolonged fasting periods, such as overnight.

What’s Next?

This leads to the next topics to explore including:

• understanding complete vs. incomplete proteins.
• evaluating pre- and post-workout protein timing.
• uncovering what  pre-bed protein choice is best.

Stay tuned to deepen your knowledge and refine your approach to protein for performance and physique goals.