How much protein do you need to build muscle?

Total daily protein plus resistance training is what builds muscle. The evidence level is strong.

What does the research say?

• Daily target. Morton and colleagues (BJSM, 2018) pooled 49 trials with 1 863 participants. Protein supplementation added about 0.30 kg of fat-free mass and 2.49 kg of one-rep-max strength on average, and benefits plateaued around 1.62 g/kg/day (95% interval 1.03 to 2.20).
• ISSN range. The ISSN position stand recommends 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg/day for most exercising people.
• Per meal. Schoenfeld and Aragon (2018) suggest about 0.4 g/kg per meal across at least four meals to reach 1.6 g/kg a day, and up to 0.55 g/kg per meal at 2.2 g/kg a day.
• No hard per-meal cap. A 2023 study (Trommelen) found 100 g of milk protein produced a longer anabolic response over 12 hours than 25 g, so a large meal is not wasted.

What does it look like in numbers?

Leucine matters too: aim for roughly 2 to 3 g per meal. About 25 g of whey provides around 2.5 to 3 g leucine, since whey is typically 10% to 11% leucine.

What does it cost in rand per day?

Using October 2026 prices and published servings:

Two scoops of BlueLab covers just over a third of an 80 kg lifter's 128 g target; the rest comes from food such as eggs, chicken, maas, biltong, fish and legumes.

Do you need isolate?

Not for muscle. Per gram, isolate and concentrate perform equally (isolate vs concentrate). ATP Fitness's Unflavoured Concentrate (R800 per kg) is a sweetener-free choice but publishes no protein per serving or third-party certification, so USN BlueLab is the better-documented value option.

What if you eat more than 2.2 g/kg?

Evidence shows little extra muscle benefit and extra cost. During a calorie deficit, higher intakes (2.3 to 3.1 g/kg) may help preserve lean mass in trained people, per the ISSN.

When should you see a professional?

If you have kidney or liver disease, are pregnant, are on medication or are under 18, speak to a doctor or dietitian before raising protein intake.

Where next?

See how much protein per day, when to take whey and creatine dosing. Training programme and sleep matter as much as the powder.

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