# @mackinprof on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DK6-ZhvzGE6
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/59739510-mackinprof-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/31eac68573.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-06-15T12:29:50.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Stuart Phillips (@mackinprof) — https://gondola.cc/mackinprof

## Caption

📈 HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU NEED TO MAXIMIZE YOUR GAINZ?

Let’s talk protein. 📦💪

A 2020 meta-analysis of 105 RCTs [DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa104] showed that lean body mass (LBM) increases linearly with protein intake up to ~1.3 g/kg/day, but gains flatten out beyond that. Even without lifting, you gain some LBM — but don’t confuse that with functional muscle.

Then came the 2022 follow-up [DOI: 10.1186/s40798-022-00508-w], which added a crucial insight: strength only improves if you're lifting. No training, no strength gains — no matter the protein dose. Even with training, strength increases plateau above 1.5 g/kg/day.

So, HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU NEED TO MAXIMIZE YOUR GAINZ?

👉 We don’t know…
🔹 I’d estimate that <10% of your gains are protein-related, and rarely (if ever) is protein truly limiting. LIFTING IS THE KEY!
🔹 Using LBM as a proxy for muscle or comparing between studies doesn't (IMO) give a good answer.
🔹 You can argue more protein means more "muscle" based on LBM, but then — why doesn’t strength follow suit?
🔹 Based on the data, a daily intake of 1.2-1.6 g/kg/day is the optimal range for achieving measurable benefits (for men, women, pre-, peri-, or post-menopausal individuals, regardless of age).
🔹 Gains beyond that? It's probably not functional. Possibly not even muscle.
🔹 Better measures of protein needs? They’re out there. Stay tuned.😉

Just science, no agenda, no secret webpage, no programs, no supplement stacks, no books... #justscience

#ProteinScience #ResistanceTraining #MuscleStrength #Hypertrophy #Sarcopenia #StrengthTraining #ProteinIntake #MuscleMass #SportsScience #NutritionMyths #ScienceBased #ProteinDose #MetaAnalysis #LiftHeavy #TrainSmart #EMRG #McMasterResearch #MuscleFunction #StrengthGains #ProteinFacts #IGFitnessScience #McMasterU #Kinesiology

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## Tags

proteinscience, resistancetraining, sarcopenia, trainsmart, strengthgains, sportsscience, mcmasterresearch, metaanalysis, musclefunction, igfitnessscience, nutritionmyths, proteinfacts, musclestrength, mcmasteru, emrg, proteinintake, strengthtraining, proteindose, kinesiology, justscience, musclemass, liftheavy, hypertrophy, sciencebased

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