What you need to know about protein
What Is Protein?
It isn't just part of what's on your plate or in your shaker bottle. It's a major part of who you are, and the same goes for every other living thing.
Proteins have existed on earth for billions of years and are the primary building blocks of most forms of life, from the simplest bacteria to the most sophisticated life forms.
In fact, it isn't really a thing, as much as it is a category of things. There are millions of different types of protein molecules, all containing different combinations of 20 standard amino acids. But proteins are also by far the most complicated molecules in the human body, and can contain anywhere from 50-2,000 amino acids including the essential 20. To date, about 10,000 different proteins have been identified in the human genome. There are thought to be nearly one trillion different variations on earth.
The body of a 154-pound man contains about 24 pounds of protein. Almost half is in the form of skeletal muscle, with another 3-4 pounds in the form of skin and blood. Bone and organs make up the rest.
In nutritional terms, protein is one of the three primary macronutrients our bodies need to survive. It is a "macro" nutrient because, like carbohydrates and fats, we consume a significant amount of it and use it for fuel. We need a comparatively small amount of vitamins and minerals every day, so they are referred to as "micronutrients."
Protein is contained in various combinations and quantities in every food we eat—even vegetables. Unlike all these other macro and micronutrients, your body can't store it, so you have to get it consistently through the foods you eat, and/or the supplements you take.
Protein
Protein is necessary for muscle repair/growth, as well as normal function and is sometimes used as an energy source. Protein is not "stored" in humans like fat (in adipose) or carbohydrates (glycogen).
Due to this increased efficiency in nutrient partitioning there have developed two trains of thoughts when it comes to protein intake.
The first is that, because consuming 1g protein/lb (2.2g/kg) of bodyweight is more than enough for natural athletes, consuming more than that amount of protein for AAS users is seen as a waste of calores/money. The increased nutrient partitioning will allow the body to build more muscle off of less of this macronutrient.
The second is that due to the increased efficiency it makes sense to increase protein intake because the body will be able to utilize more of the macronutrient than it could normally.
Try out both methods and decide for yourself what works best or you like the most.
Varied Protein Types
From this article:
Protein intake that exceeds the recommended daily allowance is widely accepted for both endurance and power athletes. However, considering the variety of proteins that are available much less is known concerning the benefits of consuming one protein versus another. The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze key factors in order to make responsible recommendations to both the general and athletic populations. Evaluation of a protein is fundamental in determining its appropriateness in the human diet. Proteins that are of inferior content and digestibility are important to recognize and restrict or limit in the diet. Similarly, such knowledge will provide an ability to identify proteins that provide the greatest benefit and should be consumed. The various techniques utilized to rate protein will be discussed. Traditionally, sources of dietary protein are seen as either being of animal or vegetable origin. Animal sources provide a complete source of protein (i.e. containing all essential amino acids), whereas vegetable sources generally lack one or more of the essential amino acids. Animal sources of dietary protein, despite providing a complete protein and numerous vitamins and minerals, have some health professionals concerned about the amount of saturated fat common in these foods compared to vegetable sources. The advent of processing techniques has shifted some of this attention and ignited the sports supplement marketplace with derivative products such as whey, casein and soy. Individually, these products vary in quality and applicability to certain populations. The benefits that these particular proteins possess are discussed. In addition, the impact that elevated protein consumption has on health and safety issues (i.e. bone health, renal function) are also reviewed.
TL;DR Vary your protein intake types for best results.
Bio-availability of Protein
Bio-availability of Protein
| Protein Type | Bio-Availability Index |
|---|---|
| Whey Protein Isolate Blends | 100-159 |
| Whey Concentrate | 104 |
| Whole Egg | 100 |
| Cow's Milk | 91 |
| Egg White | 88 |
| Fish | 83 |
| Beef | 80 |
| Chicken | 79 |
| Casein | 77 |
| Rice | 74 |
| Soy | 59 |
| Wheat | 54 |
| Beans | 40 |
| Peanuts | 43 |
Do Men And Women Need The Same Amount Of Protein?
Men often consume much more per day than women, but this is generally due to the fact that men tend to weigh more than women. A 150-pound woman would need to consume the same amount of protein as a 150-pound man, assuming they both had the same physical goals in mind.
Women and men are far more similar than they are different, both genetically and in terms of their nutritional needs. This applies to all other nutrients as well.
Bill Campbell, Ph.D., the director of the Performance & Physique Enhancement Laboratory at the University of South Florida, has studied how varying amounts of protein in the diet influence body composition in resistance-trained women. In the article "How Much Protein to Women Really Need?" he explained that adding an additional 400 or more calories of protein foods to the diets of women who were strength training several times a week had a surprising effect.
Not only did the women gain lean weight, but as Campbell writes, "The women on the higher-protein diet actually lost more body fat than women on the lower-protein diet, even though they consumed more calories!"
That said, women may have different goals and want different things from their protein powder, like lower carbs, extra collagen, and so on. The best protein powders for women are created to address these other nutritional considerations as well.
Max usable protein
It is often claimed that "anything over 30g of protein in one hour is unusable by the body." This is untrue.
There really is no literature to indicate this number as a 'holy grail' of protein absorption.
It may have arisen from looking at the rate of amino acid transporters, assuming 10g/hour as a standard, and applying that to the typical mini-meal approach to bodybuilder nutrition (with a meal every three hours).
and
Research done on Intermittent Fasting supports the theory that your body can cope with far more protein than most people think, with two studies showing that the consumption of an average of 80-100g of protein in 4 hours yielded no differences in lean mass.
28.06.2021