How many fats do I need a day to build muscle?

January 12, 2026 •

3 min read

According to sports nutrition guidelines, dietary fats are typically recommended to make up 20-35% of an athlete's total daily caloric intake. Understanding how many fats do I need a day to build muscle is essential for proper hormone function, energy supply, and overall health to maximize your gains.

Quick Summary

This article explains the role of dietary fats in muscle building, from fueling workouts and regulating hormones to aiding vitamin absorption. It provides clear guidelines for calculating daily fat needs and prioritizing healthy fat sources, emphasizing that a balanced diet is key for success.

Key Points

Optimal Range: Aim for 20-35% of your total daily calories to come from dietary fats for effective muscle building.
Hormone Production: Adequate fat intake is essential for maintaining optimal levels of testosterone, a crucial hormone for muscle protein synthesis and growth.
Fuel for Workouts: Fats provide a calorie-dense and long-lasting energy source, particularly important for endurance and prolonged, intense training sessions.
Vitamin Absorption: Healthy fats are necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are important for bone health, recovery, and overall bodily function.
Healthy Sources are Key: Prioritize monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and oily fish, while minimizing saturated and eliminating trans fats.
Avoid Low-Fat Diets: Severely restricting fat can negatively impact hormone levels and hinder muscle growth, making a balanced approach more effective.
Calculation is Simple: You can calculate your daily fat needs by first determining your total calorie target, then taking 20-35% of that, and dividing the calories by 9 to get your target grams.

The Underrated Role of Fat in Building Muscle

While protein and carbohydrates often take center stage in muscle building discussions, fats (lipids) are a vital macronutrient that support muscle growth, recovery, and performance. Adequate fat intake is necessary for hormonal balance, which is crucial for muscle hypertrophy. To effectively build muscle, you need the right amount and types of fat.

The Science Behind Fats and Muscle Growth

Fats contribute significantly to a physique focused on muscle building.

Hormonal Regulation

Dietary fat is essential for hormone production, including testosterone, which promotes muscle protein synthesis and reduces muscle protein breakdown. Low fat intake can lower testosterone levels, potentially hindering muscle mass development. Healthy fat sources like omega-3s support optimal hormonal health.

A Sustained Energy Source

Fats provide a dense and lasting energy source for extended exercise, containing 9 calories per gram. This is particularly useful during long training sessions.

Vitamin Absorption

Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K require dietary fat for proper absorption and storage. These vitamins are important for functions like bone health and recovery, and insufficient fat can impair their absorption.

How to Calculate Your Daily Fat Needs

For muscle growth, a fat intake of 20-35% of your total daily calories is generally recommended. This fits within a calorie surplus needed for muscle gain.

Here's a simple step-by-step guide:

Calculate Your Total Daily Calorie Needs: Estimate your TDEE using an online calculator and add a 10-20% surplus for muscle growth.
Determine Your Fat Calorie Goal: Multiply your total daily calorie target by your desired fat percentage (e.g., 25% or 0.25).
Convert to Grams: Divide your fat calorie goal by 9 (calories per gram of fat) to find your target grams of fat per day.

Example for a 3000-calorie diet:

Total Calories: 3000 kcal
Fat Percentage: 25%
Fat Calories: 3000 * 0.25 = 750 kcal
Fat Grams: 750 / 9 ≈ 83 grams of fat per day.

Prioritizing Healthy Fat Sources

The type of fat consumed significantly impacts health and muscle-building. Prioritize healthy unsaturated fats and limit saturated fats, while completely avoiding trans fats.

Good Fats vs. Less Optimal Fats


Feature	Monounsaturated Fats	Polyunsaturated Fats	Saturated Fats	Trans Fats
Sources	Olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds	Oily fish, walnuts, flax seeds	Red meat, full-fat dairy, coconut oil	Processed foods, fried goods, margarine
Benefits	Heart-healthy, supports testosterone	Essential omega-3s, reduces inflammation	Necessary for hormone synthesis	None. Extremely detrimental to health
Consumption	Prioritize	Prioritize	Consume in moderation	Avoid completely

Building Muscle with Quality Fats: A List

Avocados: Provide monounsaturated fats and potassium.
Nuts and Seeds: Good sources of healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
Oily Fish: Rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A heart-healthy source of monounsaturated fats.
Eggs: Contain healthy fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the yolk.

The Risks of Drastically Reducing Fat Intake

Severely restricting fat intake when trying to build muscle can be detrimental, potentially reducing testosterone levels and hindering muscle growth and recovery. Low fat intake can also impair the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, affecting various bodily functions. A moderate, consistent intake of quality fats is a more effective strategy for long-term muscle development.

Incorporating Healthy Fats into Your Diet

Here are some simple ways to include healthy fats daily:

Add avocado to meals.
Use healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil for cooking and dressings.
Snack on nuts and seeds.
Eat oily fish like salmon regularly.
Include nut butter in shakes or on toast.

Conclusion: Finding Your Optimal Fat Balance

Fats are essential for building a stronger physique, not an obstacle. Aiming for 20-35% of daily calories from healthy fats supports crucial hormone production, provides sustained energy for workouts, and aids in vitamin absorption. Balance and consistency are vital. Monitor your intake and adjust based on your goals. Avoiding very low-fat diets is key for maintaining the hormonal environment needed for muscle growth and overall health. For more information on nutrition for muscle growth, refer to scientific literature like the study in Nutrients(https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6680710/).

Frequently Asked Questions

No, consuming fat does not inherently make you gain fat. Weight gain results from consuming more calories than you burn, regardless of the macronutrient. The key is to consume healthy fats within your target calorie surplus to build muscle mass, not excessive fat.

Optimal fat sources include avocados, oily fish (salmon, mackerel), nuts (walnuts, almonds), seeds (chia, flax), and healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil. These provide healthy unsaturated fats and often other beneficial nutrients.

Yes, a very low-fat diet can have negative consequences. It can lead to decreased testosterone levels, negatively impacting muscle protein synthesis and hindering your muscle-building efforts.

For a 2000-calorie diet, aiming for 20-35% of calories from fat would mean 400-700 calories from fat. This translates to approximately 44-78 grams of fat per day (400/9 ≈ 44g; 700/9 ≈ 78g).

Saturated fat is not entirely 'bad' and is even necessary for hormone synthesis, but it should be consumed in moderation. The focus for overall health and performance should be on prioritizing unsaturated fats from healthy sources.

Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat found in oily fish and flax seeds, can support muscle growth by reducing inflammation. This aids in muscle recovery and can help improve training performance.

Insufficient fat intake can lead to hormonal imbalances, particularly reduced testosterone, which can stall muscle growth. It can also impair the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), affecting bone health and overall bodily function.