
MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS: THE SCIENCE OF MUSCLE BUILDING Proteins play a central role in building muscle through a process known as muscle protein synthesis (MPS). When you consume protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids, which are then used as the building blocks to repair and grow muscle tissue—especially after resistance exercise or weight training. The combination of resistance exercise and increased protein intake is the most effective strategy for promoting muscle hypertrophy, or growth in muscle size (Nutrients, 2020) [ https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/7/2023 ]. Research has shown that muscle protein synthesis is maximized in young adults with an intake of about 20–25 grams of high-quality protein per meal (Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2018)[ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1 ]. Spreading protein intake evenly across meals throughout the day stimulates greater 24-hour muscle protein synthesis compared to ...