Do we need to eat more protein to build muscles ?

Building more muscle does seem to require some extra dietary protein. The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for adults calls for about 0.36 grams of protein for each pound of body weight. Thats about 47 grams of protein daily for someone who weighs 130 pounds, or about 61 grams of protein daily for someone weighing 170 pounds.

For people engaged in endurance types of exercise (such as walking, swimming and bicycling) who hope to add more muscle, research suggests consuming 0.45 to 0.6 grams per pound. Those who are working out with weights or resistance training seem to need a little more protein for greater muscle-building activity, about 0.7 to 0.77 grams per pound. These increased levels of protein may account for about 20 percent of calories. That still leaves plenty of room for carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans important for overall health as well as to provide glycogen in the muscles for energy.

The very high protein diets (about 70 percent of calories) used by some body-builders have not been shown to offer any additional benefits, and do alter body chemistry in ways that may be unhealthy.