You need to eat protein to build muscle…

Pretty simple…

You’ve heard that one since your first woosy meeting with a barbell and a bench press.

You also need testosterone to build muscle…

Common sense, right?

But this is where the conversation gets tricky…

There’s a lot of distress in the relationship between protein and testosterone.

They’re like a couple of friends that, if they hang out too much…

Get irritated with one another…

And you’re awkwardly stuck in the middle of the two.

So what’s the beef between protein and testosterone?

Well, that’s why I’m writing you today…

Here’s the truth about protein and testosterone, and what to do about it.

High Protein Diets = Low Testosterone

I can hear the protests now…

“Wait, so you’re saying that all of those massive bodybuilders that slug down 20 oz. bottles of banana crème whey are low in testosterone?”

No.

I’m not saying that at all…

Because, well, they’re taking synthetic testosterone boosters…

But for someone who is trying to boost their testosterone naturally, like you are, 200 grams of protein per day is simply too much for your testosterone levels to handle.

So let me ask you a question…

How much of your daily caloric intake is protein?

Are you the guy at work with the shaker bottle and the gallon of Gold Standard?

Does your life’s motto sound something like, “The more protein, the better!”

I want to tell you that mindset is minimizing your testosterone levels.

When it comes to protein and testosterone, the more, the littler.

One study from Volek et al, measured the hormonal effects that protein had on men who performed resistance training.

In the study, researchers had the subjects consume different diets with varying macronutrient profiles…

For instance, one guy would have a high fat, low carb, low protein diet…

Another would have a low fat, low carb, high protein diet…

And so on.

The conclusion?

Studies confirmed that the higher the subjects went in their total protein intake, the lower their testosterone levels fell.

They also found that when protein intake is higher than carbohydrate intake (say you eat 150 grams of protein and 120 grams of carbs), testosterone levels also decrease.

The same result is also true of men who don’t participate in exercise.

Another study tested the protein and testosterone relationship by keeping fat and overall caloric intake the same in a group of untrained men…

The only variable in the study was the protein and carbohydrate ratios.

Again, the study concluded that testosterone levels were significantly suppressed for those participants on the high protein side of the spectrum.

The evidence is pretty clear…

Testosterone can only handle so much of protein before getting annoyed and saying, “Peace out.”

So how much protein can your testosterone handle?

How Much Protein You Really Need To Build Muscle

So too much protein causes your testosterone levels to plummet…

But you need protein in order to build muscle…

So where’s the balance?

Studies have disproved the guy in the gym who insists on drinking 200-250 grams of protein a day in order to build muscle.

In fact, the old adage of 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight has been proven to be an old wives’ tale.

In reality, 0.8 grams of protein is all you need for protein synthesis.

And when it comes to finding the macronutrient sweet spot that you need in order to build muscle while also boosting testosterone, I’d recommend a 20/40/40 split.

20% of your daily calories come from protein. 40% of your daily calories come from carbohydrates. And the remaining 40% of your daily calories come from fat.

For example, if you want to gain muscle, you can consume 3,500 calories per day: 175g protein/350g carbs/155g fat.

If you want to lose fat, consume 2,500 calories per day: 125g protein/250 carbs/110g fat.

I’ve written an example of a full day of anabolic eating here.

With this type of macronutrient profile, the bond between the protein and testosteronerelationship is at its best, optimizing both protein synthesis and testosterone production.

But there’s still a problem…

You’re cutting down your protein intake in order to boost your testosterone levels.

But how do you ensure that the protein you’re consuming is actually acting to build muscle so that your testosterone-boosting goal isn’t counter-productive to your muscle-building goal, but rather, works together?

The Solution

When you cut your protein intake into smaller chunks in order to boost testosterone and build more muscle, absorption is crucial…

Where does absorption take place?

In your digestive system.

And if your digestive system is covered with bad bacteria, you won’t get the maximum amino acid absorption that you need to put your 20% protein intake to optimal use.

So basically, you need a better probiotic.

One that breaks down food quickly and efficiently to ensure that your muscle fibers get fed…

So that your protein and testosterone relationship works in harmony.

And as always, I have a recommendation for you…

It’s called P3-OM Probiotic.

These digestive enzymes will help your body to absorb the amino acids that you need for muscle growth and repair so that you can eat less protein and put it to use more effectively.

This way you can keep your protein intake at 20% of your daily caloric intake to get the best testosterone-boosting results out of your diet, which is also beneficial for muscle growth and repair.

What’s the secret here?

Well, P3-OM contains a digestive enzyme called proteases, which helps you to build muscle faster and recover better simply by cleaning out your gut faster and better…

And by adding this digestive enzyme to your day-to-day, you’ll absorb more amino acids with only 80 grams of protein than most guys who are trying to slug down 300 grams of protein without the help of proteases.

P3-OM can bring unity back to the protein and testosterone relationship so that you can build more muscle with better amino acid absorption and higher testosterone levels.

Check it out for yourself here.

– Joe LoGalbo