Some may think that consuming more protein (i.e., > 1 gram per pound of body weight) is necessary to build more muscle, but this is contrary to the research. One of the most common bro-science discussions about protein is what proteins suppress muscle protein breakdown.
HOW TO CUT AFTER A BULK ARTICLE OVERVIEW
- Cutting after a bulk will require more protein to preserve lean muscle mass.
- You can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time (i.e., body recomposition). However, this is limited to mostly untrained and obese subjects. Advanced athletes can also gain muscle and lose fat, but it is much more difficult.
- How to cut after a bulk is a matter of preference. One should keep protein intake at 1.1 grams per pound of bodyweight and restrict calories from either carbohydrates or fats.
DIRTY BULK VS CLEAN BULK
A caloric surplus or more calories per day makes it easier to gain muscle. Most bodybuilders are looking to bulk up (i.e., bulk up means to gain muscle) in the offseason. During the offseason, body composition is geared toward gaining muscle, and activity levels from cardiovascular activity decrease.
Some bodybuilder may use what is called a dirty bulk in which they eat anything or everything in sight. Dirty bulking is often accompanied by excess gains in fat. A dirty bulk diet means no foods are off limit.
Clean bulking means a person is consuming nutrient-dense foods that contain fewer calories from fat and carbohydrates. A clean bulk meal plan consists of lean chicken, turkey, and beef with extra fat trimmed off.
A highly detailed scientific paper on offseason dieting for bodybuilders suggested that bodybuilders looking to gain muscle while minimizing excessive fat gain should consume:
- · Calories: A slightly hyper-energetic diet (~10–20% above maintenance calories) with the aim of gaining ~0.25–0.5% of body weight per week.
- · Protein: Protein intake is recommended to be .7–1 gram per pound of body weight per day, focusing on sufficient protein at each meal (minimum of 20 grams) and even distribution throughout the day (3–6 meals).
- · Fat: Fats should be consumed at moderate levels, neither too low nor high (.2–.7 grams per pound of body weight per day), to prevent an unfavorable change in free testosterone ratios and prevent reductions in testosterone levels.
- · Carbohydrates: After calories have been devoted to protein and fat, the remaining calories should come from carbohydrates while ensuring sufficient amounts are consumed (≥1.3–2.2 grams per pound per day). (1)
HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU NEED TO GAIN MUSCLE?
Some may think that consuming more protein (i.e., > 1 gram per pound of body weight) is necessary to build more muscle, but this is contrary to the research. One of the most common bro-science discussions about protein is what proteins suppress muscle protein breakdown.
When looking to increase muscle mass, athletes should look to optimize the anabolic response by increasing muscle protein synthesis. Limiting protein breakdown is an ineffective strategy for increasing muscle mass. (2) In a meta-analysis of the literature (i.e., 49 studies with 1863 subjects) on protein and muscle hypertrophy, protein intake above 1.6 g/kg/day (.8 grams per pound of body weight) failed to increase muscle growth with resistance exercise. (3)
The Benefits of High Protein
As mentioned previously, protein has an appetite-suppressing effect at higher dosages. If you are trying to consume more calories, keeping protein close to 1 gram per pound of body weight may be advantageous to be able to consume more calories. It has been found that resistance exercise training protein requirements are higher on training days than on non-training days.
On training days, protein requirements to maximally stimulate protein synthesis were 1.7 g/kg/bw (.7 grams per pound of body weight) to 2.2 g/kg/bw (1 gram per pound of body weight). (4)
Most male bodybuilders eat up to 4.3 g/kg/ (2 grams per pound of body weight) per day, and female bodybuilders eat 2.8 g/kg/day (1.3 grams per pound of body weight); this is quite high compared to the research. Resistance-trained men who consumed a protein of 4.4 g/kg/per day (2 grams per pound of body weight) gained the same lean mass as those who consumed 1.8 g/kg/day (.8 grams per pound of body weight). (5)
Furthermore, consuming protein at 3.4 g/kg/day (1.5 grams per pound of body weight) resulted in no greater increases in lean mass than those consuming 2.3 g/kg/day (1 gram per pound of body weight). (6) Thus, 1 gram per pound of bodyweight seems to be a good threshold for protein intake to gain lean mass. Further increases in protein will not increase lean muscle mass.
It may be beneficial to consume a whey protein drink or a drink with whey protein combined with other multi-nutrient ingredients to enhance lean mass. A review of 11 studies with over 192 participants in well-trained subjects found that whey protein alone or as part of a multi-ingredients formula enhanced lean mass and strength compared to an equal-calorie carbohydrate beverage. (7)
DO YOU NEED MORE PROTEIN DURING THE CUTTING PHASE OR BULKING PHASE?
Once a bodybuilder has gained enough mass, he/she will switch to a lower calorie diet to enhance fat burning and loss of body fat. Determining at which point to bulk or cut on Reddit is a very popular thread with over 60,000 members. Protein requirements during dieting are dependent on the degree of a calorie deficit and the starting body fat of the person starting the diet.
CAN YOU BULK AND CUT AT THE SAME TIME?
Protein requirements will be higher for the person starting a diet with lower body fat levels. This is because the risk of lean muscle mass loss is much greater in learner athletes, whereas the person starting a diet with excess body fat will have more body fat to protect against losing muscle. (8)
A person with more body fat can cut and bulk at the same time, meaning gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously. A review by Escalante and colleagues found that it is indeed possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. However, this is limited to untrained and obese subjects. Advanced trainers will have more difficulty gaining muscle and losing fat.
In a review of the literature by Helms et al., they found that 2.3-3.1 g/kg of protein was sufficient, but the protein needs to be increased with the leanness of the athletes starting the diet and the severity of the caloric restriction of the diet. (9)
“Resistance-trained men who consumed a protein of 4.4 g/kg/per day (2 grams per pound of body weight) gained the same lean mass as those who consumed 1.8 g/kg/day (.8 grams per pound of body weight).”
So why do protein levels go up when dieting? There is a reduction in muscle protein synthesis with caloric restriction, thus a greater need for protein intake to offset this effect.
As these macronutrients are reduced, more protein is used as a fuel source. (10) One study found that during a ~20 caloric restriction, muscle protein synthesis was reduced by ~19% and reduced intramuscular signaling pathways occurred compared to when calories were at maintenance levels. (11)
CUT AFTER A BULK
Another study found that protein synthesis was reduced by ~27% after five days of caloric restriction. (12) Most of the studies suggest the decreases in lean mass occurring from caloric restriction occur from decreases in muscle protein synthesis and to a lesser extent, muscle tissue breakdown.
Thus, protein requirements increase dramatically during calorie restriction. Resistance exercise has a muscle-sparing effect in conjunction with a calorie-restricted diet. A calorie restriction alone results in a ~27% decrease in protein synthesis, yet resistance exercise combined with protein ingestion after exercise restored this process. (12)
Increases in lean mass can only occur when muscle protein synthesis is greater than muscle protein breakdown. If muscle tissue breakdown exceeds muscle tissue protein synthesis, muscle loss will occur.
ISSN GUIDELINES
The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends that optimal protein intake be between 1.4-2.0 g/kg of body weight (.6-.9 grams per pound of body weight) for most athletes.
Most researchers recommend at least a gram of protein per pound of body weight to be safe. If your goal is fat loss, the ISSN recommends higher protein intakes of >3.0 g/kg/bw (1.4 grams per pound of body weight) for optimal body recomposition. There are no sex differences between the carbohydrate or protein intake guidelines as long as energy needs are met. (14)
This may surprise some, but the protein requirements of endurance athletes are equal and, in some cases, may be higher than that of strength athletes. Why is this? Endurance athletes will break down more protein during exercise and metabolize it as an energy source (i.e., ~5-7% of the energy demand).
Furthermore, it has been suggested that increased protein assists with increased needs for enzymes related to aerobic function such as the synthesis of mitochondrial proteins, hemoglobin, and myoglobin. (15)
In sum, protein requirements are going to be greater while dieting because there is increased protein breakdown from a calorie-restricted diet. Less protein is needed during a bulking or gaining phase, 1 gram per pound of bodyweight is adequate for gaining muscle.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends that optimal protein intake be between 1.4-2.0 g/kg of body weight (.6-.9 grams per pound of body weight) for most athletes. Most researchers recommend at least a gram of protein per pound of body weight to be safe. If your goal is fat loss, the ISSN recommends higher protein intakes of >3.0 g/kg/bw (1.4 grams per pound of body weight) for optimal body recomposition.
KEY POINTS
- · Protein requirements will be higher for the person starting a diet with lower body fat levels. This is because the risk of lean muscle mass loss is much greater, whereas the person starting a diet with excess body fat will have more body fat to protect against lean mass losses.
- · If your goal is fat loss, the ISSN recommends higher protein intakes of >3.0 g/kg/bw (1.4 grams per pound of body weight) for optimal body recomposition.
REFERENCES
REFERENCES
11. Pasiakos SM, Vislocky LM, Carbone JW, Altieri N, Konopelski K, Freake HC, et al. Acute Energy Deprivation Affects Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis and Associated Intracellular Signaling Proteins in Physically Active Adults. The Journal of Nutrition. 2010;140(4):745-51.
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