- Training and protein demand
- How much protein to eat to increase muscle mass?
- How much protein is there to gain weight (ectomorph diet)?
- How much protein to eat for reduction?
- Can you overdose on protein?
- Protein demand depends on the discipline
- Do you eat more protein? You may have bad B vitamins
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People who exercise are recommended to consume 1.2-1.8 g of protein per kg of body weight, depending on the discipline they are practicing. They need more protein as their activity is associated with an accelerated breakdown of proteins during and immediately after training. It is also necessary for the regeneration and growth of muscle mass.
Based on research conducted in the 1980s, scientists noticed that increased protein intake by athletes was beneficial, so their protein requirements were higher than for the general population. Proteins play a large role during exercise, so their amount should be properly matched to the needs.
Training releases an enzyme that uses protein from the muscles as an energy source. The longer and more intense the training, the more energy the body obtains from the breakdown of protein. When the stocks of muscle glycogen are low (glycogen is a complex sugar stored in the muscles and the liver and serves as a back-up source of energy for the body; it is used in large amounts during physical activity), the branched chain amino acids can be converted into energy. As a result of this process, leucine (branched amino acid) is converted into alanine, and the one in the liver - into glucose. Glucose is released back into the bloodstream and supplies energy to the muscles. Branched chain amino acids known as BCAAs are a popular supplement among athletes because they work anti-catabolic and support the growth of muscle mass.
The body, instead of taking energy from muscle proteins, uses it from free branched chain amino acids provided in the form of a supplement. With a small amount of muscle glycogen, the energy derived from proteins can account for as much as 15%, while with a large amount of it, it does not exceed 5%. The increased amount of protein is also used by the body to repair microdamages in muscles and regenerate them. The exact protein needs depend on the type, intensity, and length of exercise.
Training and protein demand
Endurance trainingrequires increasing the proportion of protein in the diet to 1.2-1.4 g per kilogram of body weight, because you need to replace the losses resulting from the breakdown of proteins converted into energy ( this happens with a low amount of glycogen after approx. 60-90 minutes of endurance training) as wellregenerate muscle tissue after exercise.
In strength disciplinesthe demand for protein is even higher and amounts to 1.4-1.8 g / kg b.w. The breakdown of proteins after resistance training is greater than after endurance training. In addition, protein from food stimulates the growth of muscle mass.
For people who want to build muscle mass, an increased amount of protein in the diet is essential. The nitrogen balance (i.e. the difference between the daily amount of nitrogen supplied to the body and nitrogen excreted) in their bodies must be positive, which means that the body retains more protein from food than it excretes and uses for energy. However, it should be remembered that a high-protein diet alone does not provide more strength or more muscle mass - resistance training is necessary for this.
To minimize protein breakdown during exercise and limit their use as an energy source of energy substrate, start intense training with plenty of liver and muscle glycogen. For this purpose, carbohydrates in the diet should provide about 60% of the energy of the entire daily menu and should be eaten with meals before and after training, to immediately start replenishing glycogen losses.
To get the most out of your post-workout muscle growth, eat a protein meal within an hour after exercise, preferably with a 1: 4 ratio of carbohydrate. This stimulates the building of muscle mass and supports its regeneration. Experts suggest, however, not to focus on protein in just one meal, but spread it over the day in the amount of 15-25 g with each meal, as well as after training.
How much protein to eat to increase muscle mass?
So if you work out in the gym to gain muscle mass, the amount of protein you should consume is 2-2.5 g per kilogram of body weight. It is important to multiply the amount of protein by the number of kilograms you want to weigh, not by your current body weight. There is no need for a fat man weighing 120 kg to consume 240-300 g of protein per day. This amount will not be fully utilized because a large part of your body weight is not muscle.
CHECK: Whey protein - types, action, dosage
How much protein is there to gain weight (ectomorph diet)?
If you want to gain weight by increasing muscle mass, have a realistic goal, e.g. 5 kg more than your current weight and use this target weight as a protein multiplier. If your goal is to lose weight and lose body fat, you should increase your dietary protein to a level of 1.8-2.0 g per kg of body weight.Intense physical effort with a reduced amount of calories may result in the loss of muscle mass, which is used as a source of energy. To prevent the effects of too much protein breakdown, you should increase your daily protein intake. In addition, protein increases postprandial thermogenesis, i.e. speeds up the metabolic rate. Thanks to this, the rate of burning the accumulated fat tissue is higher.
How much protein to eat for reduction?
During the so-called "Sculpting" the principles of selecting nutrients and caloric content of the menu are similar to those of weight reduction. We already have muscles. You just need to make them visible by getting rid of fatty tissue. Gym trainers recommend that the amount of protein per kilogram of body weight should be similar to that when building muscle mass (2-2.5 g). Some say it was raised to 3 g, but the positive effect of such large amounts of protein in the diet has not been scientifically substantiated. High protein intake carries the risk of poisoning the liver and kidneys with nitrogen compounds, which are products of protein breakdown in the body. It can also lead to acidification of the body.
Can you overdose on protein?
Research and nutritional surveys show that people who practice sports who eat a varied diet provide protein in excess of their requirements. This suggests, therefore, that the use of protein supplements is not necessary. However, it is worth including them in your diet when you are on a reducing or vegan diet or in the case of lactose intolerance. Then there is a probability that it will not be possible to meet the body's needs with a diet alone.
Increasing the proportion of protein in the diet "indefinitely" probably does not bring the effects of increasing muscle mass and strength. In a 1992 study at the University of Onatrio, strength athletes were divided into 3 groups and fed differently for 13 days. The first group consumed 0.86 g of protein per kg of body weight per day, the second group - 1.4 g, and the third group - 2.3 g. muscle mass, but the increase was of the same order. This means that the excess protein consumed does not convert into muscle mass. Similar conclusions were drawn by specialists from Kent State University in Ohio on the basis of similar studies.
Protein demand depends on the discipline
The exact need for protein and other nutrients is strictly dependent on the sports discipline, but also on the individual characteristics of each person, such asage, height, weight, sex or type of work. Taking all these factors into account, you should calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (PPM) - the amount of calories your body needs to function, then your total metabolism (CPM) - the amount of calories for your normal daily activities without taking into account the calories you use for training, and finally the energy used for training. training. Knowing the total amount of energy consumed during the day and using the table below (which determines the percentage of nutrients in the diet depending on the sports discipline), we can calculate the amount of protein, fat and carbohydrate in grams per day.
| TYPE OF SPORTS | % ENERGY FROM PROTEIN, FAT AND CARBOHYDRATE |
| Endurance and strength sports, requiring precision: gymnastics, horse riding, modern pentathlon, fencing, shooting, archery, speedway sport |
Protein 14-15% Fat 29-32% Carbohydrates 53-57% |
| Speed-power sports with speed advantage: short runs, jumps, speed skating, downhill skiing, slalom, ski jumping, swimming - short distances |
Protein 13-14% Fat 27-31% Carbohydrates 55-60% |
| Strength and speed sports: weightlifting, javelin throw, decathlon, ball throwing, discus throw |
Protein 14-15% Fat 30-31% Carbohydrates 54-56% |
| Long-term speed sports: road cycling, track cycling, rowing, canoeing |
Protein 13% Fat 26-27% Carbohydrates 60-61% |
| Endurance sports: marathon, long runs, walking, steeplechase, long runs, sailing, motorcycling |
Protein 12-13% Fat 25-27% Carbohydrates 60-63% |
| Sports that require speed, strength and endurance - short-term: boxing, judo, wrestling |
Protein 14% Fat 30% Carbohydrates 56% |
| Sports that require speed, strength and endurance - long-term (team play): volleyball, basketball, handball, soccer, football, water polo, ice hockey, field hockey, tennis, table tennis |
Protein 14% Fat 29% Carbohydrates 57% |
Do you eat more protein? You may have bad B vitamins
Eating protein above the RDA (Recommended Daily Intake) increases the body's need for vitamins from the groupB that are involved in the control of energy processes and protein metabolism. The most important of these are riboflavin (B2), pyridoxine (B6), and cyanocobalamin (B12). Each of these three vitamins is involved in a variety of ways in the numerous biochemical processes involved in metabolizing protein, fat, and carbohydrates. The more macronutrients we consume, the more vitamins are needed for their proper use.
With increased protein intake, it is necessary to take more calcium. Calcium is an extremely important element in the diet of athletes. In addition to building the skeleton, calcium has many other functions - it regulates muscle contraction, is an element of metabolic enzymes, is responsible for the conduction of nerve stimuli, blood clotting and the proper functioning of the heart. The diet of active people is usually low in calcium and rich in phosphorus. Phosphorus additionally inhibits calcium absorption and increases its excretion from the body, aggravating the deficiency. A similar effect is caused by high protein consumption, especially in a highly purified form, e.g. protein preparations. Magnesium and zinc are also essential for the effective development of muscle tissue and its better regeneration.