don't need super high amounts of protein as long as you're in a caloric surplus

Exact opposite. You need LESS protein in surplus because in general the caloric surplus contains more carbs, hence more insulin.


In a caloric deficit, higher protein level are muscle sparing. Proven many times over by research.

You got it backwards.

Exact opposite. You need LESS protein in surplus because in general the caloric surplus contains more carbs, hence more insulin.


In a caloric deficit, higher protein level are muscle sparing. Proven many times over by research.

You got it backwards.

That’s exactly what I said dawg.

I honestly make gains on 100g of protein a day. The idea you need 1g/lb I don't think is true.

Exact opposite. You need LESS protein in surplus because in general the caloric surplus contains more carbs, hence more insulin.


In a caloric deficit, higher protein level are muscle sparing. Proven many times over by research.

You got it backwards.

In this paper: A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. by Robert W Morton, Kevin T Murphy, Sean R McKellar, Brad J Schoenfeld, Menno Henselmans, Eric Helms, Alan A Aragon, Michaela C Devries, Laura Banfield, James W Krieger, & Stuart M Phillips

The authors concluded:

Dietary protein supplementation significantly enhanced changes in muscle strength and size during prolonged resistance exercise training in healthy adults. Increasing age reduces and training experience increases the efficacy of protein supplementation during resistance exercise training. With protein supplementation, protein intakes at amounts greater than ~1.6 g/kg/day do not further contribute resistance exercise training induced gains in Fat-Free Mass.

1.6 g/kg/day calcs to 0.72 g/lb/day

One author of the study further goes on to state:

There is normally no advantage to consuming more than 0.82g/lb (1.8g/kg) of protein per day to preserve or build muscle for natural trainees. This already includes a mark-up, since most research finds no more benefits after 0.64g/lb.

If you still think you need more than 0.82g/lb because you think you train harder than these test subjects, think again. Lemon et al. (1992) studied bodybuilders training 1.5 hours per day, 6 days per week and still concluded 0.75g/lb is the highest intake at which body composition benefits could occur.

Another frequently heard objection is that people need more protein because they are more experienced than the studied populations. Well, Tarnopolsky et al. (1988) used elite bodybuilders and found that less protein was needed than in novice bodybuilders. In fact, the finding that the more experienced you are, the less protein you need, has been replicated in several studies (Rennie & Tipton, 2000; Hartman, Moore & Phillips, 2006; Moore et al., 2007).

A final objection that is often heard is that these values may be true during bulking or maintenance periods, but cutting requires more protein to maintain muscle mass. Walberg et al. (1988) studied cutting weightlifters and they still found 0.73g/lb was sufficient to maintain lean body mass.

TL;DR - above .75g/lb doesn't make a difference, as a person who lifts you actually need LESS protein and in the aggregate data, above 120g per day didn't make a significant difference regardless of the bodyweight of the lifter

Another frequently heard objection is that people need more protein because they are more experienced than the studied populations. Well, Tarnopolsky et al. (1988) used elite bodybuilders and found that less protein was needed than in novice bodybuilders. In fact, the finding that the more experienced you are, the less protein you need, has been replicated in several studies (Rennie & Tipton, 2000; Hartman, Moore & Phillips, 2006; Moore et al., 2007).

I honestly make gains on 100g of protein a day. The idea you need 1g/lb I don't think is true.