Diet & Supplementation for Muscle Growth | Dr. Andy Galpin & Dr. Andrew Huberman

Summary

The video discusses optimal protein intake for muscle growth, recommending 1g per pound of body weight as a minimum. It notes the importance of overall protein quantity rather than precise timing or quality. For strength training, a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs is advised post-workout. For endurance a 3-4:1 carb to protein ratio is better. For hypertrophy training, nutrient timing is less important than sufficient overall intake, though spreading meals and nutrients pre, mid and post-workout is ideal. A 3:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio is suggested.

Takeaways

• 📊 The recommended protein intake for hypertrophy ranges from 1.6 to 2.7 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, with some suggestions going as high as 1 gram per pound.
• 🚴‍♂️ Protein quality, type, and timing become crucial factors when intake falls below recommended levels, adding complexity to nutritional planning.
• 📈 Higher protein intake simplifies dietary considerations, reducing the need to focus on the specifics of timing, types, and quality of protein.
• 💪 Total protein intake is paramount; the significance of protein timing and specific amino acid content diminishes when overall protein consumption meets or exceeds recommended thresholds.
• 🚲 Nutrient timing for carbohydrates is important for replenishing muscle glycogen, especially in endurance training or maintaining high-quality training sessions.
• 📪 A balanced post-exercise nutrition strategy might include a one-to-one ratio of protein to carbohydrates for strength-focused workouts, with adjustments based on the intensity and type of training.
• 👍 Including carbohydrates in post-training meals for hypertrophy is beneficial, aiming for a ratio that supports recovery and growth.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Personal preference plays a significant role in the timing of nutrient intake around workouts, with some people preferring to eat before, during, or after exercise.
• 📝 The consensus is that fueling around training sessions offers potential advantages for muscle growth and recovery, with no known benefits to fasting around workouts.
• 💦 For pure hypertrophy training, distributing nutrient intake evenly throughout the day and around workouts maximizes growth potential and jumpstarts recovery.

Q & A

What is the recommended range of protein intake per kilogram of body weight for hypertrophy according to Dr. Layne Norton?

Dr. Layne Norton recommends a range of 1.6 to 2.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for hypertrophy.

How does protein intake vary with different dietary choices such as omnivore or vegan diets in the context of hypertrophy?

The discussion suggests that dietary choices (omnivore, vegan, etc.) affect how one might reach their protein intake goals, but it emphasizes the importance of meeting the protein intake range regardless of diet.

What is the significance of spreading out protein intake throughout the day?

Spreading out protein intake is important to accommodate the body's limited capacity to assimilate protein in any given setting, maximizing protein synthesis.

What is the role of post-workout nutrition in muscle protein synthesis and recovery?

Post-workout nutrition, including both nutrition and supplementation, is crucial for facilitating muscle protein synthesis and recovery after a hypertrophy-inducing workout.

Has the concept of the post-training feeding window changed over time?

Yes, the understanding of the post-training feeding window has evolved from being within the first 30 to 90 minutes to a much broader timeframe, although the exact duration is still debated.

What is the equivalent of 1 gram of protein per pound in grams per kilogram?

1 gram of protein per pound is equivalent to approximately 2.2 grams per kilogram.

Why does Andy Galpin agree with Layne's recommendation on protein intake?

Andy Galpin agrees with Layne's recommendation because a higher protein intake simplifies other nutritional considerations like protein quality, type, and timing.

How does nutrient timing differ between carbohydrates and proteins according to Andy Galpin?

Nutrient timing is somewhat irrelevant for proteins, assuming total protein intake is high, but it is very specific and important for the replenishment of muscle glycogen with carbohydrates.

What is the recommended protein to carbohydrate ratio post-exercise for strength work?

For strength work, a one to one post-exercise protein to carbohydrate ratio is recommended, like 35 grams of protein to 35 grams of carbohydrate.

How does Andy Galpin suggest adjusting carbohydrate intake based on the type of workout?

For hard conditioning workouts, the carbohydrate to protein ratio should increase to three or four to one. For a mix of strength and conditioning, a two to one ratio is suggested.

Outlines

00:00

🏋️‍♂️ Protein Intake Guidelines for Hypertrophy

This paragraph discusses recommended protein intake ranges for hypertrophy goals. Dr. Layne Norton suggests 1.6-2.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily is optimal. This depends on factors like diet type. The key is spreading intake throughout the day within protein assimilation limits.

05:00

👍🏻 Post-Workout Nutrition Tips

This paragraph provides workout nutrition tips. For strength goals, a 1:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio post-exercise is recommended, like 35g of each. For endurance, up to 4:1 carbs to protein. For hypertrophy, carbs and protein pre, mid or post workout helps maximize growth and recovery.

Keywords

💡Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy refers to the increase in muscle size through exercise, particularly strength training. In the context of the video, it is the primary goal of the training regimen discussed. The conversation touches on how nutrition, specifically protein intake, plays a crucial role in maximizing hypertrophy post-workout. Examples include discussions on the importance of consuming a certain amount of protein relative to body weight to facilitate muscle growth and recovery.

💡Protein Intake

Protein intake is discussed as a critical factor for muscle synthesis and recovery, especially in the context of hypertrophy. The video suggests a range of 1.6 to 2.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day as optimal for muscle growth. This is highlighted as a higher range than most people might expect, emphasizing the importance of adequate protein consumption for athletes and individuals focused on muscle building.

💡Protein Synthesis

Protein synthesis is the process by which the body creates new proteins to repair and build muscle tissue. In the video, this process is mentioned as being crucial for hypertrophy, with a specific focus on how to optimize protein intake and timing around workouts to enhance protein synthesis, thereby improving muscle recovery and growth.

💡Post-Workout Nutrition

Post-workout nutrition is highlighted as a key factor for recovery and hypertrophy. The conversation includes recommendations for protein and carbohydrate intake following a hypertrophy-inducing workout to stimulate protein synthesis and replenish muscle glycogen. This demonstrates the broader nutritional strategy that should accompany physical training for optimal results.

💡Leucine

Leucine is mentioned as an important amino acid in the context of protein quality and its impact on muscle protein synthesis. The discussion suggests that while the total amount of protein intake is paramount, the presence of leucine in the protein source can be less critical if overall protein consumption is high enough. This emphasizes the flexibility in protein sources, as long as total intake meets recommended levels.

💡Nutrient Timing

Nutrient timing is discussed in relation to the effectiveness of protein and carbohydrate consumption around the workout session. It suggests that while the timing of protein intake might be less critical if total protein goals are met, the timing of carbohydrate intake remains important for replenishing muscle glycogen stores. This distinction underlines the nuanced approaches to nutrition based on different macronutrients.

💡Macronutrient Intake

Macronutrient intake, encompassing proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, is considered in the context of overall diet for supporting hypertrophy. The video touches on the importance of not only meeting protein targets but also ensuring adequate caloric and macronutrient intake to provide the necessary energy and building blocks for muscle growth and recovery.

💡Caloric Surplus

A caloric surplus is mentioned as a requirement for hypertrophy, indicating that consuming more calories than the body expends is necessary to provide the energy and raw materials for muscle growth. This concept highlights the balance between nutritional intake and energy expenditure in the pursuit of muscle building.

💡Glycogen Replenishment

Glycogen replenishment refers to restoring the primary energy reserve in muscles, which is depleted during exercise. The video discusses the importance of carbohydrate intake for glycogen replenishment, particularly in relation to the timing and amount post-workout, to maintain training quality and facilitate recovery.

💡Training Quality

Training quality is indirectly referenced through the discussion on nutrition, indicating how proper nutrition and nutrient timing can affect the effectiveness of a training session. Specifically, maintaining high training quality may require a strategic approach to nutrition, including pre, mid, or post-workout intake, to ensure the body has the necessary fuel and nutrients for performance and recovery.

Highlights

Protein intake of 1-2 grams per pound of body weight is a good target for muscle growth

Total daily protein intake matters more than protein timing and quality if intake is high enough

Carbohydrate timing does matter for replenishing muscle glycogen which impacts training quality and endurance

For strength training, a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs is a good post-workout nutrition target

For endurance/conditioning training, aim for a 3:1 or 4:1 carb to protein ratio post-workout

For general hybrid training, target a 2:1 carb to protein ratio post-workout

For hypertrophy training, maximizing nutrient availability pre/during/post workout has advantages

No clear benefit to avoiding fueling around workouts for hypertrophy goals

Spreading nutrient intake throughout day tends to work better than just pre/post workout

Some personal preference on timing of peri-workout nutrients based on hunger, fatigue, etc.

Target a 3:1 carb to protein ratio peri-workout for maximizing hypertrophy potential

Peri-workout nutrition jumpstarts growth and recovery between training sessions

35g protein + 35g carbs post-strength workout is a reasonable starting point

If consuming 35g protein, 60-70g carbs reasonable post general hybrid workout

Pre/during/post workout fueling tends to enhance performance for most people

Transcripts

ANDREW HUBERMAN: I'd like to talk a little bit

about nutrition and supplementation

as it relates to hypertrophy.

Dr. Layne Norton, who's been a guest on the Huberman Lab

podcast, and we both know.

Throughout a number of range related to protein intake

on the backdrop of how much protein synthesis can occur

by meal across the day, et cetera, a lot of research

done there and some important work by him in particular.

And then the value that he threw out

was 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight

being the lower end of the range, up to,

I believe it was as high as 2.4--

maybe even as high as 2.7--

grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

That's a pretty broad range, but it's

on the higher end of what I think most people think

of in terms of protein intake.

And then again, some people might already

be right there, or maybe even above that value.

Now, of course, this all depends on

whether or not people are omnivore, vegan, meat-based, et

cetera.

We won't even go there.

But assuming people are getting enough protein per day,

so somewhere in that range, and they are spreading out that

protein intake to accommodate the fact that the body can only

assimilate a certain amount of protein in any given setting,

what do you like to see people ingest, at some point,

post-hypertrophy-inducing workout in order to get

the protein synthesis advantage, if you will--

ANDY GALPIN: Yeah.

ANDREW HUBERMAN: --that is stimulated by that workout?

Earlier you mentioned the post-training feeding window,

that in the 90's and probably earlier,

people were talking about, oh, within the first 90 minutes you

have to get--

ANDY GALPIN: It was 30 minutes for a while, yeah.

ANDREW HUBERMAN: --X amount of--

Oh, wow.

Oh, was it?

30 minutes of-- excuse me, a certain number

of grams of carbohydrate and protein, et cetera.

I think now the understanding is that window is much broader.

And how broad, et cetera, is still a matter of debate.

But when somebody is training specifically for hypertrophy,

assuming they are getting enough protein

from quality sources in their other meals

and assuming that their overall macronutrient

intake and caloric intake is high enough--

that is they have enough of a caloric surplus

that they have the raw materials for hypertrophy--

what do you like to see people ingest,

at some point, post-workout, in order

to facilitate muscle protein synthesis and recovery?

And this could include nutrition and supplementation.

Or if you want to divide those answers out,

feel free to do so, of course.

ANDY GALPIN: Yeah. OK, great.

So ton of work came out of Don Lehman's lab--

It was actually Layne's mentor, as well as

Stu Phillips at McMaster.

So a ton of work there.

And we can answer a number of things here.

So Layne's numbers that he recommended,

also known as about a gram of protein

per pound of body weight.

It's a great start.

Now once you slide below--

ANDREW HUBERMAN: That's per pound, right?

ANDY GALPIN: 1 gram per pound.

ANDREW HUBERMAN: Right, and earlier--

ANDY GALPIN: Which is also--

ANDREW HUBERMAN: Just to make sure, because we're

changing units here.

It was 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight, all the way up to,

I think it was 2.4, but maybe as high as 2.7 grams of protein

per kilogram of body weight.

ANDY GALPIN: So 2.2 in that unit would be the same thing.

So 2.2 grams per kilogram is the same as 1 gram per pound.

ANDREW HUBERMAN: Right.

ANDY GALPIN: So depending on which--

where you're listening at, to this at, one of those

may be easier than the other for you.

If you start getting below that number now

you do start running into questions

of protein quality, protein type, and protein timing.

And this is one of the reasons why I actually fully agree

with Layne, is just get that number higher than you think,

And then all those other variables don't matter.

If that number is low, then you need

to start paying attention to a bunch of other stuff.

You've added now complexity to your program, things

you've got to pay attention to.

Just stay high and it doesn't matter.

And so you can just leave a lot of those things off the table.

That seems to be fairly clear in the work of some

of those gentlemen I just mentioned.

That as long as you get to that total number, the question

about timing and types and quality,

it seems to matter a lot less.

In fact, Stu's recent work in non-animal based proteins

really showed that, to be fairly clear, that those

are quite effective, assuming total protein intake

is high enough.

The amount of leucine and other amino acids

in those actual proteins matter less

if the total threshold is just super high.

So just do that and you're fine.

Now the other caveat we have to say here

is, timing of macronutrients seems

to be somewhat irrelevant for protein

but that is not the case for carbohydrates.

So that timing does matter replenishment of muscle

glycogen is very specific.

And you want to make sure that is around a lot,

if you're doing either maintaining training quality

or you're sliding into endurance type of work.

And so nutrient timing does matter with carbohydrates.

Maybe less so with protein-- and certainly less so

with protein, if the total protein ingestion

is high enough.

So it depends on what we're going after in terms

of a training goal and where we want

to get with all these things.

In general, the way that we like to think about this

is if you're doing a strength type of work, where you're

truly targeting that, then a one to one

post-exercise protein to carbohydrate ratio

is generally what we're going to go after.

So this would be something like 35 grams of protein

and 35 grams of carbohydrate.

It doesn't have to be post.

It can be pre, or my favorite is actually mid.

Or post.

But somewhere in that range, especially

if you're training in the morning and you

have not consumed anything prior to your workout.

ANDREW HUBERMAN: And that's not necessarily

eating in the middle of the workout.

That's drinking calories.

ANDY GALPIN: Yeah, it's going to be--

ANDREW HUBERMAN: I, yes, to see someone

eating a sandwich in the gym.

Although, I'm sure it's happened.

ANDY GALPIN: Yeah.

So one to one is that sort of standard number here.

If you're going to do sort of more

of a really hard conditioning workout,

that number slides up to something like three

or even four to one, which would be

carbohydrate to protein ratio.

So if we want to stay at 35 grams of protein,

we're going to go maybe as high as like 100 or 140 grams

of carbohydrate, depending on what type of training

we're sort of doing.

If you're going to do a little bit of a combination,

then you-- like a little bit of strength,

a little bit of conditioning, and kind of a standard workout,

which is probably something that a lot of people will do,

then you maybe want to go to something like two to one.

So 35 grams of protein, 60, 70 grams of carbohydrate.

And those are kind of just like rough numbers

that you can go by.

ANDREW HUBERMAN: And for pure hypertrophy training,

would you like to see people ingest

some carbohydrate post-training?

ANDY GALPIN: For pure hypertrophy training,

I want to see that-- as many of those nutrients

around the training is generally possible.

Now again, I may change my mind when

our fasting study comes out.

But as it stands now, there is no advantage

to not fueling around the training.

And there are some known and some other potential advantages

to fueling.

So I just see no reason to not do it.

In fact, most people are generally going to do better.

Now this is not science, this is just my coaching experience.

And this is with our athletes and all of our non-athletes

that we've worked with and do work with.

They're just going to be better spreading those meals out

generally throughout the day.

And they're going to be better if they have those nutrients

either pre, mid, or post.

And so they're going to get-- even for hypertrophy-- they're

going to get something like that three to one

ratio of carbs of protein.

Personal preference.

Some people don't like to eat before they train,

some people have to eat before they train,

some people can't put in food in their belly immediately after.

Work around that.

You can play based on personal preference.

But we want that feeling in there

because we want to maximize the potential growth.

And we want to just get a jumpstart on recovery

because we're going to be training again pretty soon.

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