Barbell Medicine
Do You Need a Calorie Surplus to Build Muscle? | Dr. Eric Helms
New
17 Sept 2026 · 2h 1m
Muscle growth
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About this episode
Most lifters have been told they need to eat in a Calorie surplus to build muscle. That rule has always come with a list of exceptions: unless you're new, unless you're carrying extra body fat, unless you're coming back from time off. Dr. Eric Helms joins Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum to work out what the rule is actually tracking, starting from a question with a real number attached: what does a pound of muscle cost to build? And then, do you need to be in a surplus to build muscle? Timestamps:0:00 The