Same amount of protein to build and then maintain muscle?

Diet and Nutrition
1

I just thought of this today;

Let’s say I’m right at a caloric balance (not cutting, not bulking) at 2500 calories, and 200g protein. I then up it to 2600 calories and 225g protein. I gain 5 lbs of muscle (this is all hypothetical obviously). I then go back to 200g protein, but up my carbohydrates by 25g, so that I’m still at 2600 calories. Will I lose that 5 lbs of muscle I just built?

Basically what I’m asking, does it take more protein to build muscle or maintain it?

2

[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
I just thought of this today;

Let’s say I’m right at a caloric balance (not cutting, not bulking) at 2500 calories, and 200g protein. I then up it to 2600 calories and 225g protein. I gain 5 lbs of muscle (this is all hypothetical obviously). I then go back to 200g protein, but up my carbohydrates by 25g, so that I’m still at 2600 calories. Will I lose that 5 lbs of muscle I just built?

Basically what I’m asking, does it take more protein to build muscle or maintain it? [/quote]

I mean you can apparently only digest a certain amount of protein per x amount of time anyway. Plus, I’ve been reading this trend going on lately about calories in vs calories out, soo technically if you have your diet in check and still getting a maintenance level of protein while training you will build muscle.

But your hypothetical is completely absurd, 25 grams up or down isnt going to kill 5 pounds of muscle.

3

[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
Basically what I’m asking, does it take more protein to build muscle or maintain it? [/quote]

Well, obviously it takes more protein to build muscle than to maintain it. But how much dietary protein is used for net protein synthesis is a separate issue. Consider this hypothetical situation: you gain on 500g of protein, then reduce to 400g, compensating for calories with carbohydrate. Clearly you’re not going to lose your gains, because you’re without a doubt meeting dietary protein requirements for maximum synthesis. Personally, I would stick with a generous amount of protein (1g/lb BW) year-round, and manipulate the other macros depending on goal.