Does Protein Make You Gain Weight? How To Use It To Gain Muscle & Lose Fat

Protein is the nutrient of choice when it comes to both muscle growth and fat loss. However, you may wonder, "Does protein make you gain or lose weight?" While protein is often touted for its weight loss benefits, it can also contribute to weight gain by helping your body build and maintain muscle mass.

Protein helps you feel satisfied after a meal2, making it less likely you'll overeat or crave snacks throughout the day.

Protein has an "insulinotropic effect3," which encourages insulin secretion from your pancreas to help clear glucose (sugar) out of your blood.

TEF is the amount of energy4 required for your body to digest, absorb, metabolize, and store the food you eat. Protein has a higher thermic effect than carbs and fats since your body has to work harder to break it down and digest it, thus using more energy and burning more calories when consumed.

"Protein is a macronutrient that provides 4 calories per gram. Approximately 20% of calories consumed from protein are lost as heat compared to 5% with carbs," says Layman, so eating more protein while reducing your carb intake is a surefire way to burn more fat.

Protein can help you lose fat by stimulating MPS, a metabolic process5 that plays a critical role in building and maintaining muscle mass. Research shows that consuming at least 20 grams of high-quality protein6 in three-hour intervals throughout the day is optimal for stimulating MPS and burning fat.

The type of protein you consume affects your weight loss goals. In particular, whey protein (a milk-based protein) has been associated with increased satiety7, healthier body composition8, lower cardiovascular risk factors9, and greater weight loss10 than other protein sources.

High-protein diets have been found to promote gains in muscle mass11 when combined with resistance training, prevent loss of muscle mass12 during calorie restriction, and reduce the natural loss of muscle mass13 that occurs with aging.

If your goal is to gain lean muscle, pair your protein with healthy carbohydrates. Complex carbs in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes give you the energy required for strenuous exercise, while protein helps repair and build muscle. Essentially, your body won't have the energy to allow protein to do its job without sufficient carb intake. Also, combining these two macronutrients helps stabilize blood sugar14 when consumed simultaneously. 

If you regularly engage in resistance training, increasing your daily protein intake17 can boost overall lean body mass and lower-body muscle strength.

Protein is comprised of 20 amino acids18 (the building blocks of protein). Nine are essential, meaning your body doesn't produce them and needs to acquire them through diet. The amino acid leucine plays a significant role in muscle development19. Leucine is one of three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)—the other two being valine and isoleucine—which are broken down in muscle tissue20 instead of the liver like other essential amino acids.

Currently, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 gram per kilogram of body weight21 (g/kg/bw), regardless of your age, gender, weight, and activity level. However, if you're an active person looking to gain muscle or lose fat, you'll need more protein than the conservative RDA to reach your fitness goals.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to protein intake. That's because the amount you need depends on several factors, including age, weight, and activity level. However, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that athletes and active individuals up their daily protein intake to between 1.2 and 2.0 g/kg/bw22. For many people, that's more than 100 grams of protein per day.

However, several studies32 have found that consistent protein intake throughout the day is more important for gaining muscle, promoting recovery, maximizing performance, and losing weight.

To optimize MPS, aim to consume 25 to 30 grams of high-quality protein21 during two or three meals throughout the day. This amount has been found sufficient for both younger and healthy older adults.

"In general, the first meal of the day after a nighttime fasting period is the most important for MPS," says Layman. "However, if you're eating a low protein diet (only 50 to 60 grams per day), getting at least one meal up around 40 grams is critical. If you have a higher protein intake (around 100 grams per day), it's best to distribute the protein. The first and last meals will greatly benefit muscle growth."