THIS SOUNDS STUPID, BUT WHAT IS PROTEIN? A: Proteins are large molecules made up of chains of smaller molecules called amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids the body uses to make protein, and when you eat protein, your body breaks apart the aminos and sends them to whichever part of your body needs whichever type of amino. Protein in general is an extremely important nutrient, and not just because you like big muscles. In all cells of the body, proteins perform crucial functions and are present in numerous forms, says Tabatha Elliott, PhD, who has studied protein extensively at the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston). Proteins form structural tissue [such as muscle fibers], blood plasma, enzymes, hormones, antibodies, hemoglobin, you name it. Protein is also responsible for a host of other things, from making your muscles move to transporting other substances (such as vitamins and minerals) throughout your body. Without it, you would be practically unable to function. In fact, people who dont eat enough protein suffer a host of problems, namely wasting, where the body basically attempts to feed the protein hunger by breaking down muscles and other organs. SO EXACTLY HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES FOR PROTEIN? A: There are a lot of ways to determine how much protein the average person should eat to remain healthy. It can get really complicated, so well spare you the details and just tell you that, according to the FNB, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein is 0.8 gram per kilogram of bodyweight per day. UM, YEAH. MOST BODYBUILDERS WEIGH IN AT A LOT MORE THAN 154 POUNDS, DONT THEY? A: Exactly. The recommendations applied to the general public just dont apply to bodybuilders who eat specialized diets and live radically different lifestyles than the average person. Occasionally, a nutritionist whos more enlightened about the dietary needs of trained individuals will recommend around 0.8 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. That more realistic number comes primarily from the work of Dr. Peter Lemon, who reviewed research about protein intake and athletes dietary needs and concluded, in a paper published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism in 1998, that dietary protein need increases with rigorous physical exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine backs that recommendation, and it actually comes closer to the M&F-approved minimum recommendation of 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. Then again, we wouldnt argue if you wanted to eat up to 2 grams per pound. IS TOO MUCH PROTEIN HARMFUL? IF NOT, WHAT IS EVERYONE SO WORRIED ABOUT? A: Thats a really good question, for one main reason. Theres yet another recommendation the FNB releases: the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), the amount of something you can ingest before experiencing negative results (anything from nausea to toxicity, or poisoning). However, and this is important, there is no UL established for protein. Why? Because, as the FNB reports, There was insufficient data to provide dose-response relationships to establish a Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for total protein or for any of the amino acids. See that? They had no proof that eating more protein caused any problems. Dr. Lemon said something similar in the same review we quoted above: Despite the frequently expressed concern about adverse effects of high protein intake, there is no evidence that protein intakes in the range suggested will have adverse effects in healthy individuals. The more muscle you have, the more protein youll use and the more calories youll burn overall. Plus, theres a reason why we tell you to eat lean protein such as chicken and turkey breasts and top sirloin. WHY DOES M&F RECOMMEND SUCH COMPARATIVELY HIGH AMOUNTS OF PROTEIN? A: We have a lot of reasons, but probably the most important one is this: It works to give you the physique youre looking for. Muscle growth happens when protein synthesis exceeds protein breakdown, Elliott says. The availability of protein plays an important role in that process, so it follows that increased amino acid availability—such as what is provided by the intake of dietary protein—will result in a greater anabolic response. It has been proven that the more protein you eat, the more protein synthesis occurs in your muscles. In a study published in The Journal of Physiology in 2003, researchers found that subjects who had been given an infusion of amino acids experienced a boost in muscle protein synthesis. No surprise, right? The amazing thing was that the rate at which subjects built muscle protein increased as the amount of protein in their bloodstreams increased. Therefore, the more protein you eat, to a degree, the more muscle youll build—all day long, with or without exercise. We have other reasons for our recommendations, too. One of them is pretty basic: Youre most likely taking supplements (branched-chain amino acids, beta-ecdysterone) that boost protein synthesis, but if you dont have a well of protein for your muscles to draw on, those supplements arent going to do much. Another reason is because theres evidence that eating protein can keep you lean. For one thing, its the hardest macronutrient for your body to digest, which means your body has to use more energy (calories) to break it down. Protein also increases the amount of a hunger-blunting peptide called PYY in your bloodstream, meaning you wont be hankering for munchies soon after eating a high-protein meal. Now! Stop the excuses and order your Protein shake today. Inbox me or mail me at H24Endurance@gmail to place your order.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 10:53:10 +0000
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