Meal Frequency and Muscle Gain: What You Need to Know

In a previous article, we debunked the myth that frequent snacking aids weight loss (it doesn't). But what about muscle gain? Many readers have asked how meal frequency affects building muscle.

Research highlights that overall calorie and macronutrient intake remain the key factors for muscle gain and retention. However, meal frequency can play a minor role in preserving muscle mass.

Studies have compared consuming a few meals per day to eating up to fourteen times during waking hours. Participants in these studies consumed the same number of calories but spread them out differently. The metabolic rate did not change significantly between these approaches. However, for those focused on gaining or maintaining muscle, there seems to be a slight advantage in consuming protein every four to six hours. This timing helps increase muscle protein synthesis (turning protein into muscle) and decreases muscle protein breakdown.

The benefit of this approach is modest and does not increase with more frequent meals. In other words, consuming protein every 1 to 2 hours does not offer more benefits than every four to six hours. This is because protein digestion and utilization by the body take several hours, even for the fastest-digesting proteins.

Research suggests that for most people aiming for muscle gain, the optimal protein intake is 0.4 to 0.55 grams per kilogram of protein per meal, spread across three to four meals daily, totaling 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of goal body weight (or 0.6 to 1 gram of protein per pound of goal body weight).

In conclusion, muscle gain is primarily driven by your training regimen, with your calorie and total protein intake influencing the results. To gain muscle mass, you must consume enough calories. Training and protein intake can help you shift your body composition, resulting in more muscle and less fat.

Focus on consistent training and balanced nutrition, and avoid overthinking meal frequency.