Protein
Our third edition to the macronutrient series is all about protein. Protein is the macronutrient that everyone tends to focus on, especially if they are trying to gain muscle. Whenever I think about protein, this taco bell commercial pops in my head. Many companies, including large supplement companies and taco bell, have propagated the idea that we need a lot of protein to gain muscle. Their marketing was so effective that many people still believe a lot of these twisted truths. A lot of the research on protein directly contradicts these beliefs. Before we address some of these myths, let's talk about what protein is.
Quick side note: The website I tried to use to manage my newsletters is having trouble reviewing my account. I'll likely have to go with another service.
What is protein?
Protein is a macronutrient that contains 4 kcals of energy per gram (similar to carbohydrates). There are thousands of different proteins that can be found throughout our body. These proteins are found in our muscles, hair, skin, chemical enzymes, and in our blood. Adequate amounts of protein are needed to maintain healthy bodily function. Inadequate protein consumption could lead to depression, anxiety, weakness, growth stunting, insomnia, fatigue, and many other symptoms.
Amino Acids are the building blocks…
Just like carbohydrates and fats, proteins are made up of smaller building blocks. For proteins, these components are called amino acids. There are 22 amino acids that are used by the human body. Your body is able to produce 13 of them, as long as the other 9 are consumed in adequate quantities from your diet. The amino acids our body can produce are called nonessential amino acids (13) and the ones we need to consume are called essential amino acids (9).
The essential amino acids consist of: phenylalanine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, leucine, and lysine. A complete protein contains all essential amino acids. Complete proteins can be found in most animal products and soy. Incomplete proteins, proteins that don’t contain every essential amino acid, are extremely common. Incomplete proteins include wheat flour, rice, nuts, legumes, and corn. Incomplete proteins should be consumed with complementary incomplete proteins. Consuming them together ensures that all essential amino acids are consumed. A well-balanced diet should contain naturally complementing proteins (rice and beans is a classic example of complementing proteins). For vegetarians or vegans, as long as complementing proteins are consumed from various vegetables, protein needs should be the same.
Fact or Fiction.
You should consume 1g of protein per pound (2.2g/kg) of bodyweight. -Since high school I have been told that I need to eat 1g of protein per pound (1g/lb) of body weight to gain muscle. Many different people have told me I need to eat that much protein and many more have told me that this is how much protein they try to eat. 1g/lb of protein is a lot. For sedentary individuals, the National Academy of Medicine recommends about .35g/lb of protein per pound of bodyweight. However, the research is still out on individuals that participate in regular aerobic or resistance training. The daily recommendation can be anywhere from .60g/lb to 1g/lb depending on the individual's needs. This is a huge range. Ultimately, it is up to you to test what works best for you based on your genetics and physical activity. Don’t be suckered into getting a protein supplement to get an extra 20g of protein a day, you might not need it.
You need more protein if you are trying to gain weight. – It makes sense that if you are bulking up, you need to eat more and subsequently consume more protein. If you are gaining weight, you should be in a caloric surplus. This means you will spend more time in an anabolic state (building) and less time in a catabolic state (breaking down). Part of the job of consuming protein is to provide amino acids to counteract the breakdown of muscle. If you are constantly anabolic, then you will need less protein (relatively). Therefore, you would actually need more protein if you are losing weight in order to maintain muscle mass. If you are in a caloric deficit, you should consume an extra 20-40% of protein per day to counteract your body’s breakdown of muscle.
You need to drink a protein shake right after your workout or you will lose your gains. -Another common thing I hear is that you need to drink a protein shake or a high protein meal immediately after a workout (anabolic window). If you wait more than 30 minutes, your muscles will continue to breakdown and you won’t build muscle. This is not true. An individual’s anabolic window, just like most things, is largely based on genetics. Your anabolic window can be anywhere from 2 to 6 hours post workout. Protein consumption is important during this time, especially for resistance training. However, carbohydrates are even more important. It is recommended that a post training meal with a ratio of 3:1-4:1 of carbohydrates to protein should be consumed. This helps restore the depleted muscle glycogen stores and signal muscle synthesis. Your anabolic window is much longer than 30 minutes, and a carb and protein rich meal would be better than a protein shake.
You can only absorb 20g of protein at a time. -The common belief is that if you consume more than 20g of protein in a single sitting, you won’t use the excess protein and it would be wasted. This is not true. Your body will still break down the protein into amino acids. However, the anabolic effect after 20g of protein does decrease. Consuming protein sends a signal to your body to build muscle (anabolic response). If you consume more than 20g of protein in a single sitting (plus or minus depending on genetics and environmental factors) the body will have approximately the same anabolic response as if you consumed 20g of protein. In other words, there is a diminishing return on the anabolic response from consuming over 20g of protein in a single sitting. It is recommended to consume 4 or more meals a day to maximize your anabolic response from eating protein.
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