The Great Protein Debate

Many people (men in particular) believe that extra protein in the forms of powder, shakes, or food is essential to fuel muscle growth, but this is not the case for the average athlete.

According to Protein Researcher Peter Lemon, from the University of Western Ontario, the research he has conducted shows that exercisers looking to build muscle mass need around the same amount of protein as an average adult.

The average person should consume .8 g of Protein for every kilogram of body weight. Those wishing to build muscle, or those who partake in prolonged or arduous exercise need, anywhere from .8-1.7 g of Protein per kilogram of body weight. Most body builders consuming protein shakes and extra sources of protein in their diet consume 4 to 5 times this amount, believing it will fuel their muscle growth.

“There is some debate about the types of protein in different shakes or supplements. But the bottom line is, you probably don’t need added protein. And even if you do, it’s probably healthier to get it from real foods, not processed supplements,” said Lemon

The average man hoping to build muscle consumes protein shakes, powders, and foods that can add as much as 200 grams or 300 grams of protein (800 to 1,200 calories) a day, according to Lemon.

Extra protein consumption is not automatically stored as muscle- extra protein causes an increase or excess in Calories. These Calories are stored as fat. Therefore, exercisers consuming 6 grilled chicken breasts (600 Calories), along with Protein Shakes (About 270 Calories), will only add girth to their waistline, which must then be converted to extra muscle.

“If you don’t need it (which most athletes do not), the body stores all those extra calories as fat. Also, if these shakes are taking you to the high end of the protein spectrum, you may be increasing health risks—high-protein diets may cause bone loss and kidney damage,” said Lemon

Beginning weight-lifters trying to build muscle only need a little more protein than the RDA. If you are extremely active—such as an endurance exerciser going on long runs (10 miles or more), for example, you may need about 50 percent more than the RDA, 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

A “little” more protein does not mean an entire protein shake- it may be as small an amount as an extra few pieces of lunchmeat on a sandwich, or an extra hard-boiled egg.

The muscle growth process starts immediately following a workout. Afterward, the insulin triggered by eating shuttles glucose (Carbohydrates) into tired muscles, fueling the muscles so that they may rebuild and be ready for tomorrow’s workout. The insulin created by your post-workout snack also triggers Protein Synthesis to begin-the process of your muscles pulling Protein into their fibers to reconstruct.

So, the type of food you eat afterward is important to help fuel this process.

However, once again, it’s not as much protein as you may think.
Your post-workout snack should consist of as much as four times as many Carbohydrates to Protein, or approximately 2-to-1ratio, according to John Ivy, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of Nutrient Timing.

Try a slice of whole grain toast (20 g Carbohydrates) with Two Tbsp of Natural Nut Butter (8 g Protein) or a single egg (6.3 g Protein).

If you’re intent on a less-natural item than the whole food options listed above, try a Natural Brand bar instead, such as Clif Mojo Bar Peanut Butter Pretzel Flavor (21 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Protein), Kashi GoLean Oatmeat Walnut Roll (27 g Carbohydrates, 12 g Protein), or Odwalla Super Protein Bar (31 g Carbohydrates, 16 g Protein).