mTOR and Muscle Building on Carnivore: What Actually Matters
mTOR gets a lot of hype. People talk about "activating mTOR" and "suppressing mTOR" like it's the master control switch for everything. It's not. But it is important for muscle building, and carnivore interacts with it in interesting ways.
Let me be direct: mTOR is a protein that helps your body build muscle. More mTOR activation, more muscle growth potential. Less mTOR, less muscle building. On carnivore, you have leverage to control mTOR pretty effectively. Here's how.
How mTOR Actually Works
mTOR is activated by three things: protein intake, amino acids (specifically leucine), and carbs (via insulin). On carnivore, you're high protein and low carbs. That's a specific mTOR profile.
High protein activates mTOR. Low carbs don't suppress it as much as you'd think because you're eating meat, which is protein-rich. The result: mTOR stays active enough for muscle building, without the insulin spike that normally comes with carbs.
Why This Matters
Traditional bodybuilding wisdom says you need carbs to build muscle because carbs spike insulin, which activates mTOR. On carnivore, you get mTOR activation from protein alone. You build muscle without needing the carb-insulin mechanism. This is one of the biggest advantages carnivore has for strength athletes.
How to Actually Leverage This
Eat protein. Specifically, eat enough that you're hitting 1.0-1.2g per pound of target body weight. This matters more than anything else.
Beef is perfect because you get protein plus creatine naturally. Fish is good. Eggs are good. Organ meats add nutrients that support muscle building.
Fat doesn't directly activate mTOR, but you need fat for hormone production, which supports muscle building indirectly. Eat plenty of it.
Strength Training Still Matters Most
mTOR activation means nothing without the stimulus. You still need to lift. Progressive overload still matters. If you're not training hard, mTOR activation can't do anything. Carnivore doesn't replace the work.
The mTOR Timing Question
Should you eat right after training to spike mTOR? On carnivore, eating raises protein and mTOR steadily because of the protein content. It's not a dramatic spike like carbs would cause. Eating within 2-3 hours of training is probably fine. Having to eat right immediately isn't as critical on carnivore as traditional nutrition science suggests.
What You Don't Need
You don't need leucine supplements. You're eating meat. Meat is loaded with leucine. You don't need special timing. You don't need to manipulate mTOR cycling (activate, suppress, repeat). Just eat enough protein and train hard.
One Thing People Get Wrong
They think mTOR activation is all that matters for muscle. It's one piece. You also need: enough total calories, enough sleep, adequate training stimulus, consistency. mTOR is just the mechanism your body uses to build muscle, not the whole game.
The Performance-Focused Take
Carnivore gives you natural mTOR activation through protein without needing the carb spike. If you're training hard and eating enough protein, you're set up well for muscle building. Don't overthink it. Eat meat, lift heavy, sleep enough, repeat.
—Marcus