How Much Protein Per Meal for Muscle Growth? (Science-Based Guide)
(According to Science, Not Dave from the Gym)
"Eat protein, mate!" – sound advice we've all heard shouted across gyms by self-appointed nutrition gurus (usually Dave, who's also suspiciously always benching). But exactly how much protein should you have per meal? Is there a magic number to hit, or is Dave actually onto something?
Prefer to watch than read? Then please check out the video below:
Why Protein Matters (Spoiler: It's Important)
Protein isn't just about looking like Thor or impressing your Tinder matches – it's crucial for muscle growth, recovery, and overall health. Protein intake stimulates muscle protein synthesis (MPS), the body's process for building new muscle tissue, making it essential for getting stronger and maintaining muscle, especially if you're training regularly (Phillips, 2016).
Leucine: The VIP of Protein
Not all proteins are created equal – sorry quinoa lovers. Proteins rich in essential amino acids, particularly leucine, are especially effective at stimulating MPS. Think of leucine as the trigger for MPS – it starts the engine – it gets the ball rolling. Research indicates that approximately 2-3 grams of leucine per meal is enough to trigger maximal MPS.
How Leucine Triggers Muscle Growth: Meet mTOR
Leucine stimulates muscle protein synthesis (MPS) primarily through the activation of mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin), a crucial cell-signalling pathway controlling muscle growth, protein synthesis, and recovery. When leucine, resistance training, or insulin activate mTOR, it significantly boosts MPS, paving the way for increased muscle strength and size.
What's the Magic Number?
To hit that crucial leucine threshold, studies suggest aiming for roughly 20-40 grams of high-quality protein per meal. For context, that's like one chicken breast, a scoop of whey protein, or roughly 250g of Greek yoghurt. This amount has been consistently shown to maximise MPS, ensuring your muscles get everything they need to recover and grow (Schoenfeld & Aragon, 2018).
However, the upper limit isn't strictly 40 grams – it depends on factors like age, training intensity, and total daily protein goals. Older individuals or hardcore gym enthusiasts might need slightly more per meal to achieve optimal MPS (Moore et al., 2015).
Quality vs Quantity: Protein Edition
Eating high-quality protein sources such as eggs, meat, dairy, or plant proteins like soy and pea protein (fortified with leucine) ensures you easily meet the leucine threshold. While vegetarian or vegan protein sources typically have lower leucine content, strategically combining foods or supplementing can effectively trigger muscle growth (van Vliet et al., 2015).
Total Daily Intake: The Real Hero
While meal-by-meal intake matters, total daily protein intake is still the undisputed champion – the Joe Calzaghe of evidence-based nutrition. Current evidence suggests aiming for around 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day to maximise muscle growth and recovery (Morton et al., 2017). It may be prudent to get in more, upwards of 2.4 grams per kilogram of body weight (Hector & Phillips, 2018), but beyond this, it would likely be unnecessary. Dividing this into several protein-rich meals ensures steady muscle-building signals throughout the day.
How Many Meals Should You Eat?
There's no need to snack like a squirrel. Typically, 3–5 evenly spaced protein-rich meals per day are sufficient to maximise muscle growth and keep hunger at bay. Eating fewer meals with larger protein amounts or spreading protein too thinly across more meals isn't necessarily more beneficial (Areta et al., 2013).
Practical Advice (aka What Dave would say if he were evidence-based)
Aim for around 20–40 grams of protein per meal or 0.3–0.4 g of protein per kg of your body weight per meal.
Prioritise high-quality, leucine-rich sources.
Spread intake across 3–5 meals daily.
Total protein intake matters most – hit those daily goals of around 1.6 grams per kg of your body weight or more.
In short, don't stress excessively over meal timing. Stick to these guidelines, get your protein in, and watch the gains roll in. Oh, and maybe gently tell Dave to read this too.