Nutrition

This guide examines the benefits and dosages of soy protein and will show you the different types of soy protein available and how they can help you achieve your goals.

This guide will cover the following topics:

• What is soy protein and where does it come from?
• The four types of soy protein
• Soy protein concentrate
• Soy protein Isola
• Soy flour
• Soy protein hydrolyzate
• Why is it beneficial to consume soy protein?
• Is soy protein a viable option compared to other protein sources?
• How and when should you use a soy protein supplement?
• Which soy protein supplement is right for which needs?

Soy protein is a fairly esoteric supplement for many competitive bodybuilding and figure class athletes, weight trainers, athletes and even general health & fitness enthusiasts. Soy protein often gets the short end of the stick compared to other protein sources as it has lower bioavailability and lower essential amino acid content than whey protein, casein and egg proteins. Nevertheless, soy protein is a useful alternative protein source that has a place in everyone's diet to some extent, especially for vegans.

Scientific research continues to provide further evidence that protein requirements are generally higher in active people, particularly those who train with weights. For understandable reasons, many people see the use of protein supplements as a convenient and useful way to meet their protein needs.

The following guide will show you exactly what soy protein is, where it comes from, how it is produced, how you can benefit from its use and what side effects it may have. You will also find answers to some frequently asked questions about this protein source.

What is soy protein and where does it come from?

The term "soy" generally refers to the soybean, a common legume originally from East Asia. Soy protein powder is made from defatted soy flakes/defatted soybean meal and is available in four forms:

• Soy protein concentrate
• Soy protein isolate
• Soy flour
• Soy protein hydrolyzate

Soybeans contain a whole range of different protein fractions, of which globulins make up the largest proportion (1). For the sake of simplicity, we will simply use the term soy protein as a collective term for all the protein fractions contained in soy in the rest of this article.

Unlike other plant proteins, soy protein is a complete protein source, meaning that it contains all 9 essential amino acids (more on why this is important later). Soy protein is extremely heat stable and is highly soluble in warm water. Due to its relatively neutral taste, it can be used as a substitute or addition to a variety of different food products.

The production of soy protein

The production of soy protein from soybeans can be achieved using different extraction and filtration methods, depending on the desired protein content. Like other protein powder supplements, the extracted product is spray-dried together with soy lecithin to achieve the desired product in powder form, which can then be further modified by supplement manufacturers by adding flavors, colors and more.

Different types of soy protein

Soy protein concentrate

Soy protein concentrates contain around 70 to 80% protein, while the rest consists of carbohydrates and fats. This product is made from coarse soy grits by extraction through heat treatment or mixing with organic solvents (2)

Soy protein isolate

Soy protein isolate is produced from defatted soy flakes by means of alkaline extraction. The finished product often has a protein content of over 90%, whereby most of the carbohydrates and fats contained in soy have been removed.

Soy flour

Soy flour consists of defatted, coarsely ground soy flakes. Of the four types of soy protein described here, soy flour contains the lowest proportion of protein. The typical protein content of soy flour is in the range of 40 to 60% (3).

Soy protein hydrolyzate

Soy protein hydrolyzate is produced from soy protein concentrate or soy protein isolate by means of enzymatic hydrolysis. Basically, this treatment "pre-digests" the protein by breaking down peptide bonds in the protein. This makes soy protein hydrolysate faster and easier to absorb in the small intestine due to the shorter amino acid chain length (4).

How does soy protein work and what are its benefits?

Proteins are essentially macromolecules that play a crucial role in muscle development and maintenance (and many other physiological processes). Proteins are made up of amino acid peptides that are linked together. So basically, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.

Proteins act as building blocks for muscle tissue and muscle tissue is the richest reservoir of amino acids in the human body (5). From a physiological perspective, amino acids play a role in a myriad of processes, including neurotransmission, energy production, brain metabolism, cardiovascular function, immune system function and many others (6).

The consumption of soy protein has a variety of benefits associated with the biological role of the amino acids and phytochemicals contained in soy protein.

As mentioned above, soy protein is a complete protein (i.e. it contains all 9 essential amino acids) with a nominal content of L-leucine, which is critical for stimulating the mTor pathway, which regulates protein synthesis, among other things. Thus, soy protein plays a role for individuals who want to improve their muscle development, fitness or just the general function of their body (7).

In addition, it has been suggested that a nominal dose of soy protein (approximately 25 grams) per day may play a role in reducing the risk of heart attack, lowering cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure and protecting against osteoporosis (8, 9, 10). This is probably related to the isoflavones contained in soy protein.

An overview of the benefits of soy protein:

• It is a complete protein source that is also suitable for vegans
• It is easily absorbed and digested
• It can be conveniently added to the diet and is suitable for baking/cooking
• It increases the anabolic response to training with weights
• It improves the function of the immune system, especially in physically active people (11)
• Helps maintain muscle mass and prevent age-related muscle atrophy
• It may reduce the risk of heart disease and high cholesterol levels (8, 9)
• It could prevent degeneration of bone tissue/osteoporosis (10)

A comparison of the quality of soy protein with the quality of other protein sources

The two most important and popular indicators for determining the overall quality and efficiency of a protein source are the biological value and the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS).

The biological value of a protein source refers to a practical measurement that determines the degree to which an organism is able to utilize a protein. This value is calculated by analyzing the nitrogen retention in the living organism after consumption of the protein source being tested (12).

The PDCAAS is a number between 0 and 1, which evaluates the protein quality based on the amino acid content in relation to the human requirement for these amino acids. Basically, the higher the biological value and PDCAAS of a protein source, the more efficiently it can be used by a living organism.

Who can benefit from using soy protein supplements?

Those who can most obviously benefit from supplementing with soy protein are those who are physically active and looking for an alternative to animal protein sources. Soy protein is also definitely a useful addition to whey protein and casein supplements. Here is a short list of people who may consider supplementing with soy protein (always assuming they are not allergic to soy products):

• Bodybuilders & strength athletes
• Competitive athletes
• Vegetarians/vegans
• People who suffer from a milk allergy or lactose intolerance
• Recreational athletes
• Anyone looking for an easy way to increase the protein content of their diet

Are there other foods that contain soy protein?

Yes, a whole range of foods contain soy protein. These include soy flour, soy sauce, soybeans, soy nuts, soy milk, tofu, edemame, tempeh, miso and more.

If you are not sure whether a food contains soy, a quick look at the list of ingredients will tell you.

Does soy protein have any side effects?

Soy protein is generally a safe and well-tolerated food as long as you do not suffer from a soy allergy. However, under certain circumstances there may be some risk of the following side effects:

• A bloated feeling, stomach cramps and stomach upset
• Nausea
• Increased intestinal activity/flatulence
• Allergic reactions
• Increased estrogen receptor activity and lower testosterone levels (14)

Note: The significance of the hormonal impact of regular soy consumption is a topic that requires further investigation.

These side effects can generally be easily alleviated by controlling overall soy consumption. If a nominal dose of soy protein consistently results in digestive discomfort, then the use of another protein supplement or possibly another protein source should be considered.

How and when should I use a soy protein supplement?

Soy protein supplements are usually a little more bitter and grainy than whey protein supplements. However, with a little creativity, it is still possible to prepare some delicious protein-rich shakes and foods with soy protein powder.

Soy protein supplements, like other protein sources, do not have to be restricted to certain times of the day. Soy protein is a protein source like any other: it can and should be used whenever you are looking for a protein source to add to your diet.

How much soy protein should I use?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as protein requirements vary from person to person. The first thing you should do is determine your protein and nutrient requirements, which you can do with the help of numerous calorie calculators available on the internet.

In addition, your soy protein consumption will likely vary based on what type of diet you follow. A vegan may need more soy protein to meet their daily protein requirements.

For other people - and especially men - the officially recommended daily amount of about 25 grams of soy protein per day should be a safe and healthy dose that should not have significant effects on endocrine function.

Choosing the right soy supplement

It should be noted that soy protein, like any other protein source, is technically a food source. Choosing the right soy protein supplement depends on a number of factors, including your budget, protein quality, taste, desired nutrient content and intended use. Below you will find a list of the different types of soy protein supplements with additional information that will help you decide which of these protein types best suits your needs:

Pros and Cons of Soy Protein Concentrate:

Soy protein concentrate is usually the most cost-effective soy protein supplement that can be used in a variety of situations. Depending on the protein concentration of the powder (generally 70 to 80%), soy protein concentrate can be an excellent option for those on a budget who don't mind a little more fat and carbohydrates in their soy protein supplement. Soy protein concentrate is also great for cooking and baking.

Advantages and disadvantages of soy protein isolate:

Soy protein isolate has high bioavailability, is easily digestible, low in fat and carbohydrates and contains a high protein content (generally over 90%). The main disadvantages of soy protein isolate are that it is more expensive and slightly "grittier" in texture than soy protein concentrate. Just like soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate is also an excellent ingredient for various recipes.

Advantages and disadvantages of soy protein hydrolyzate:

Even though soy protein hydrolysate is the purest form of soy protein, it is more expensive and less available than soy protein concentrate and isolate. The main advantage of soy protein hydrolysate is that it is very well tolerated and easy to digest. In fact, many infant formulas contain soy protein hydrolysate because it is so easily absorbed. If you're willing to pay the higher price, soy protein hydrolysate is certainly worth the money, especially if you don't tolerate soy protein concentrate and isolate as well.

Soy protein - frequently asked questions:

Q: Does soy protein really increase estrogen levels in men while lowering testosterone levels?

A: As mentioned above, the significance of soy protein consumption on hormonal status in men has not been fully researched. Most studies have examined consumption of 50 to 60 grams of pure soy protein per day, which is twice the officially recommended amount. Therefore, if you are worried about effects on your endocrine system, it is recommended that you stick to a conservative amount of 20 to 30 grams of soy protein per day.

Q: I suffer from lactose intolerance. Can I still use soy protein supplements?

A: Soy protein powder does not contain milk sugar (lactose) and is therefore a suitable source of protein for people who suffer from lactose intolerance.

Q: I am allergic to milk. Is a soy protein supplement safe and harmless for me?

A: Soy protein does not contain milk ingredients and should therefore be a safe alternative to milk protein sources.

Q: Is it true that a high protein diet is bad for the kidneys?

A: This misconception is related to the problems that people with impaired kidney function suffer from when they chronically consume high amounts of protein. Assuming you don't go way over your protein requirements on a daily basis and have healthy kidneys, you don't need to worry about your kidneys.

Q: Can I combine a soy protein supplement with other supplements in powder form such as creatine, glutamine, etc.?

A: Yes, that is perfectly fine.

Q: Does it matter what liquid I mix my soy protein powder with?

A: No, but I would try to use matching flavors unless you are trying to create some "Frankenstein" shakes like cinnamon flavored protein mixed in grapefruit juice.

Q: Will cooking/baking denature protein?

A: Yes, but this has no significant effect on how your body uses the protein because a denatured protein is basically a hydrolyzed protein: You're still consuming all the amino acids that were in the protein to begin with.

References:

1. Derbyshire,E. et al.1976. review: Legumin and vicilin, storage proteins of legume seeds" Phytochemistry 15:3.
2. Lawhon JT, Mulsow D, Cater CM & Mattil KF. 1977. production of protein
3. Isolates and concentrates from oilseed flour extracts using industrial ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis systems. Journal of Food Science 42(2):389-394.
4. Lennon AM, Ramsey HA, Alsmeyer WL, Clawson AJ & Barrick ER. 1971. soy flour as a protein source for early-weaned pigs. J Anim Sci 33(2):514-519.
5. Zorin SN & Baiarzhargal M. 2009. preparation of food proteins enzymatic hydrolysates of dietary proteins using some commercial enzyme preparations and various schemes of hydrolysis. Biomed Khim 55(1):73-80
6. Timmerman KL, Volpi E. Amino acid metabolism and regulatory effects in aging. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008 Jan;11(1):45-9.
7. Reidy PT, Walker DK, Dickinson JM, Gundermann DM, Drummond MJ, Timmerman KL, Fry CS, Borack MS, Cope MB, Mukherjea R, Jennings K, Volpi E, Rasmussen BB. Protein blend ingestion following resistance exercise promotes human muscle protein synthesis. J Nutr. 2013 Apr;143(4):410-6. doi: 10.3945/jn.112.168021. Epub 2013 Jan 23. PubMed PMID: 23343671
8. Drummond MJ, Dreyer HC, Pennings B, Fry CS, Dhanani S, Dillon EL, Sheffield-Moore M, Volpi E, Rasmussen BB. Skeletal muscle protein anabolic response to resistance exercise and essential amino acids is delayed with aging. J Appl Physiol. 2008 May;104(5):1452-61.
9. Zhou JR, Yu L, Zhong Y & Blackburn GL. 2003. soy phytochemicals and tea bioactive components synergistically inhibit androgen-sensitive human prostate tumors in mice. J Nutr 133(2):516-521.
10. Anderson JW, Johnstone BM & Cook-Newell M. 1995. Meta-analysis of the effects of soy protein intake on serum lipids. New Engl. J. Med 333:276-282.
11. Anthony MS, Clarkson TB, Hughes CL, Jr, Morgan TM & Burke GL. 1996.
12. Soybean isoflavones improve cardiovascular risk factors without affecting the reproductive system of peripubertal rhesus monkeys. J Nutr 126(1):43-50.
13. Cassidy A. 2003. Potential risks and benefits of phytoestrogen-rich diets. Int J Vitam.
14. Martin CJ, Robison R. The Minimum Nitrogen Expenditure of Man and the Biological value of various Proteins for Human Nutrition. Biochem J. 1922;16(3):407-47. PubMed PMID: 16743096; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC1259089.
15. Nutr Res 73(2):120-126.BV of Protein Sources. N.d. NA, Online. Cut and Jacked. Web. 1 Apr. 2013.
16. Hamilton-Reeves, J. M., Rebello, S. A., Thomas, W., Slaton, J. W., & Kurzer, M. S. (2007). Isoflavone-rich soy protein isolate suppresses androgen receptor expression without altering estrogen receptor-β expression or serum hormonal profiles in men at high risk of prostate cancer. The Journal of nutrition, 137(7), 1769-1775.

Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/soy-protein

Many people believe that a vegan diet and bodybuilding are mutually exclusive. But these people are wrong - you can also build muscle with a purely plant-based diet. However, you need to know what you are doing.

One of the reasons that vegan bodybuilding has such a bad reputation is that it's much easier to mess things up compared to the traditional "carnivore approach". This is also the reason why studies show that carnivores tend to have more muscle than vegetarians or vegans (1).

There are also some dietary myths that persist among vegans that make it harder to build muscle. We will identify and debunk these myths in this article.

The bottom line is this: If you don't know and address the disadvantages and limitations of a vegan diet in the context of bodybuilding, then you will only achieve disappointing results.

However, if you are aware of these points and plan and adapt your diet accordingly, then you will have no problem building muscle, losing fat and getting strong.

And that's what this article is all about. It will show you the most common mistakes vegans make when trying to build muscle and show you how to get the most out of your plant-powered training.

Let's start with the first hurdle that trips up so many would-be vegan bodybuilders: protein intake.

The truth about protein and vegan bodybuilding

When it comes to building muscle, decades of anecdotal and scientific evidence have shown that certain elements of your diet and training are more important than others.

For example, if you want to maximize your muscle growth, you should...

• Ensure you are not in a calorie deficit.
• Progressively overload your muscles.
• Focus on multi-joint exercises.
• Limit your cardio training.
• Eat plenty of carbohydrates.
• Consume adequate amounts of protein.

The last point is particularly important.

Dozens of well-designed and well-executed studies have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that a high-protein diet is superior to a low-protein diet for building muscle and losing fat. As for exact amounts of protein, scientific research shows that an optimal protein intake for bodybuilding purposes is between 2 and 2.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

And this is where many would-be vegan bodybuilders will falter.

Where many vegans go wrong with their protein intake

In terms of macronutrients, the biggest difference between a carnivore's diet and a vegan's diet is protein intake. Most people who eat a reasonably healthy diet already get a large percentage of their carbohydrates and fats from plant-based foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and oils.

Switching to a vegan diet will not change this.

What will change is your protein intake as you replace your favorite protein-rich animal foods like meat, eggs and dairy with lower protein plant foods like beans, grains and nuts.

But that's not all - many people are replacing these protein sources that are particularly good for building muscle with protein sources that are less so. (More on this shortly).

Instead of acknowledging the fact that a vegan diet requires a little more intelligent planning than an omnivorous diet to get enough protein, many vegans choose to propagate myths. Instead of admitting that their diet is not perfect and unique in every way, they embellish.

And they usually rely on the following untruths to do so:

1. you don't need a lot of protein to maximize your muscle growth

This is categorically false. A low protein diet is popular among vegans and this type of diet is almost solely responsible for the misconception that they cannot build muscle to the same extent as meat eaters.

2. there is no such thing as a protein deficiency

Here is the dictionary definition of a protein deficiency:

"Reduced or inadequate consumption of dietary protein and/or amino acids or excessive protein excretion due to impaired kidney function."

3. all/most vegetables are excellent sources of protein

Vegetables are an excellent source of carbohydrates and micronutrients, but protein? Not really. Here are a few examples:

• Broccoli contains about 13 grams of protein per pound.
• Brussels sprouts are slightly better, providing about 15 grams of protein per pound.
• A cup of green peas contains only 8 grams of protein.
• A cup of cooked spinach contains a meager 5 grams of protein.

As you can see, it takes a few buckets of these types of vegetables per day if you need to eat about 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

4. all plant protein sources are just as good for building muscle as animal proteins

Not all proteins are created equal - and this is especially true when it comes to building muscle. To understand why this is the case, we first need to talk about amino acids.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and the tissues of the body, including muscle tissue. The body needs 21 amino acids to stay alive and 9 of these need to be supplied through food.

These 9 amino acids are also known as essential amino acids and one of them is particularly important in connection with muscle building. It is called leucine and stimulates protein synthesis directly by activating an enzyme responsible for cell growth known as the mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR (2).

This is the reason why scientific studies show that the leucine content of a meal directly influences the amount of protein synthesis that occurs in response to that meal (3). In other words, leucine-rich meals have a higher muscle-building potential than lower protein meals.

So when it comes to evaluating a protein source, we need to consider two things:

1. How well the protein is absorbed by the body.
2. What the amino acid profile of that protein source looks like.

And while it's not true that plant proteins are "incomplete" proteins that lack essential amino acids (4), it is true that some plant proteins are not as well absorbed by the body and contain lower amounts of certain essential amino acids than other proteins. Hemp protein, for example, is relatively poorly absorbed by the body (5), while rice protein and pea protein are quite well absorbed (6, 7).

The point is that bioavailability is important, as consuming 100 grams of hemp protein is not the same as consuming 100 grams of rice and/or pea protein. The former has a lower muscle-building potential than the latter two.

To understand the importance of the amino acid profile, let's compare the protein found in broccoli to the protein found in a steak. Here's what 275 kcal of both (120 grams of steak vs. just over 9 cups of broccoli) will give you in essential amino acids:

As you can see, broccoli doesn't even come close to steak. You'd have to eat an insane 18 cups of broccoli to get the amount of essential amino acids contained in 120 grams of steak.

You'll have the same problem with most other plant-based protein sources (bioavailability and amino acid profile), which brings us to our first important aspect that needs to be considered to make vegan bodybuilding work:

You need to make sure you're getting enough protein that is both well absorbed and rich in essential amino acids.

This is the main reason that it's easier to mess up vegan bodybuilding than it is with a diet that includes animal protein.

The most popular sources of protein in the non-vegan western diet (meat, eggs and dairy) are very well absorbed by the body and are also very rich in essential amino acids (and leucine in particular). This alone makes a non-vegan diet very conducive to muscle growth.

And based on my experience, having spoken to hundreds of people who have struggled to build muscle on a vegan diet, I have found that the average vegan eats too little high quality protein to build muscle efficiently. This makes it much harder for vegans to build muscle than it should be.

However, many don't realize this and think that a vegan diet as a whole is responsible for their inability to get strong and muscular without animal foods.

Well, these people are wrong. You just need to know how to put together a suitable vegan bodybuilding diet plan.

How to put together a vegan bodybuilding diet plan

Meal planning is very simple. It involves just four steps:

1. Determine your calorie requirements
2. Determine your macronutrient amounts
3. Work out your meal timing and portion sizes
4. Compose your food for each meal

In this article, we will focus on step number four, as this is the point that trips up many vegans. They face two problems in particular:

1. adequate protein intake

For many, a protein level of 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight seems unattainable.

2. a balanced ratio of macronutrients

The wrong food choices can make it very difficult to meet not only protein requirements, but also carbohydrate and fat requirements. Many vegans, for example, struggle to get anywhere near the standard bodybuilding macronutrient breakdown of 40% of calories in protein, 40% of calories in carbohydrate and 20% of calories in fat.

You often find that reaching one macronutrient goal makes another hopelessly unattainable. Fortunately, these problems are quite easy to overcome.

Let's talk about protein first.

What are the best vegan protein sources?

As we've already seen, the best vegan protein sources are those that are both easily absorbable and rich in essential amino acids, with a particular focus on leucine content.

There is a whole range of protein sources that meet these requirements:

• Cereals such as wheat, rice and oats
• Vegetables and pulses such as peas, beans and potatoes
• Nuts such as almonds, peanuts, walnuts and pistachios
• Seeds such as quinoa and buckwheat (unfortunately, most of these seeds are difficult to digest if they are not finely ground)

The whole thing is quite simple:

If you consume the majority (70%+) of your daily protein intake in the form of high quality protein sources like these, you're in the clear. On the other hand, if you consume the majority of your protein intake in the form of lower quality protein sources, you will struggle to build muscle.

One popular protein food is missing from this list: soy.

Here's why...

The problem with soy protein

Soy protein is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's a well-rounded source of protein for building muscle (8), but it's also a source of ongoing controversy. According to some research, regular consumption of soy foods has feminizing effects in men, which is attributed to estrogen-like molecules found in soybeans called isoflavones.

A study conducted by scientists at Harvard University, for example, analyzed the sperm of 99 men and compared the results with their soy and isoflavone consumption over the previous 3 months (9). The scientists came to the conclusion that both the consumption of isoflavones and the consumption of soy were associated with a reduction in sperm count. Men in the group who ate the most soy products had an average of 41 million fewer sperm per milliliter than men who did not eat soy products.

Another study conducted by researchers at the University of Guelph, in which 32 men consumed either high or low levels of isoflavones from soy protein for 57 days, found no effect on sperm quantity or semen quality (10).

In addition, several study reviews suggest that neither soy foods nor isoflavones alter male hormone levels (11-13). There is even evidence that isoflavones can help normalize estrogen levels by either suppressing or increasing estrogen production when needed (14)

So what is the answer? So far there is no simple answer to this question. What we do know so far is that the effects may vary depending on the presence or absence of certain gut bacteria (15). These bacteria, which are present in 30 to 50% of the population, metabolize a soy isoflavone called daidzein into an estrogen-like hormone called equol.

This is also the result of a study conducted by scientists at Peking University, which found that when equol-producing men ate large amounts of soy foods, their testosterone levels decreased while estrogen levels increased. These effects were not observed in women - regardless of whether they produced equol or not.

So that's the overview of soy and men? And what about women?

Well, scientific research shows that soy is even less likely to negatively affect their hormone levels (17). However, there are a few things that should be considered.

Studies have shown that soy protein contains substances that inhibit the digestion of protein molecules and the absorption of other nutrients (18, 19). In addition, there are several known allergens (20).

While there are studies suggesting that soy may have specific benefits for women, such as reducing the risk of heart attack and other diseases (21, 22), other studies cast doubt on these results (23).

Taking all of these factors into consideration, I would say that completely avoiding soy products is probably unnecessary. If I were a vegan, I would probably limit my soy consumption to 30 to 40 grams of soy protein per day (and if I'm being completely honest, I would probably choose rice or pea protein instead).

In the second part of this article, I'll talk about the rest of the nutrients and give you example nutrition plans for vegan muscle building and fat loss.

Source: https://www.muscleforlife.com/vegan-bodybuilding/

By Michael Matthews

I was in the lab yesterday, playing researcher, when an aggressive and confident undergraduate student burst in through an unlocked door.

"Excuse me, is there anyone here I can talk to about protein?"

Since the sign on the outside of our door reads "University of Western Ontario, Exercise Nutrition Lab," it's pretty obvious to everyone that this is an exercise and nutrition counseling office that is only concerned with giving anyone who barges in unasked all the answers to their questions right then and there.

"I guess that's me" I replied shyly, fearing what was to come. "What would you like to know about protein?"

"My question is this: Why do all the magazines say that athletes need more protein when it's clear that they don't?"

Take a deep breath...

Rather than start a discussion with him, I simply wrote him the name of the weight training and nutrition site on the internet that I occasionally write articles for on a scrap of paper and sent him away. I have long since given up on the idea that I could somehow change the wrong nutritional ideas in front of anyone. When I get into a situation like this, I try not to get carried away into a full-blown nutritional tirade highlighting the fact that arrogance and ignorance should not be combined together in one meal. Or was that protein and carbs? I can never remember.

Instead, I usually try to remind myself that at some point along the way, each of us has asked the most famous protein question of all: "How much protein do athletes need?" And at some point, despite our initial preconceptions, we all learn that athletes should probably eat more protein than their sedentary counterparts.

Unfortunately, many simply believe that just because Dr. Lemon said so, they should just eat 1.6 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass and be done with it.

After correcting their protein intake in this way, these people usually don't give their protein intake a second thought until the time comes to chastise these ignorant simpletons who eat less protein. But can correcting our protein intake be as easy as so many believe?

Personally, I don't think so. And that's what this article is all about - figuring out the difference between protein needs and optimal protein intake. Ultimately, in this article I will convince you that athletes might actually need less protein than sedentary people. That's right, I said "less". In addition to this, I will convince you that even if athletes actually need less protein than sedentary people, they should still eat more protein - a lot more.

Need vs. optimization

Let's take a moment and examine the most commonly asked protein question addressed above - How much protein does an athlete need?

When someone asks this question, they are usually trying to figure out how much protein the athlete in question should eat to optimize their body composition and athletic performance. But the question "How much protein does an athlete need" is very different from "How much protein should an athlete eat to improve their body composition and athletic performance?" It is therefore important to differentiate between what someone needs and what is optimal.

In the realm of science, the word "need" has no relationship to optimization. Instead, it is defined as the minimum amount needed to prevent deficiency. Therefore, when you ask how much protein an athlete needs, you are really asking "What is the minimum amount of protein an athlete can get away with to prevent physical decline and death?"

Since most athletes have access to enough protein and usually consume enough protein to prevent death and decline, the common question of how much protein an athlete needs is a bad question. This question does not address the issue that really matters - the question of what an athlete should consume to improve performance and body composition.

Do athletes need more protein?

While it's obvious that the question of protein needs is purely academic, I want to address it here because the answer will probably shock you.

Before we talk about specific numbers, I need to give you some background on how protein requirements can be measured. Measuring the protein requirements of different populations is usually achieved using the nitrogen balance technique. This technique involves measuring the amount of nitrogen consumed (protein sources) and the amount of nitrogen excreted in urine, sweat and feces.

If the amount of nitrogen entering your body is higher than the amount of nitrogen leaving your body, then we speak of a positive nitrogen balance or positive nitrogen status. In this case, it is assumed that the excess protein retained by the body has been used to build body tissue.

If the amount of nitrogen supplied is equal to the amount of nitrogen excreted, then we speak of a balanced nitrogen balance. In this case, it is assumed that the person in question eats just enough protein to prevent a deficiency, but not enough to build additional body tissue.

If the amount of nitrogen entering the body is less than the amount of nitrogen leaving the body, this is called a negative nitrogen balance. In this case, it is assumed that the person in question is suffering from a protein deficiency and that the body will initially break down muscle tissue and ultimately organ mass in order to ensure its basic supply of amino acids.

It is therefore important to recognize that most studies on protein requirements look for the amount of protein at which a person is nitrogen balanced - or the amount of protein that is just enough to prevent protein deficiency.

Based on the results of these nitrogen balance experiments, it was recommended that untrained individuals should consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass to meet their needs. And to reiterate, this is the amount of protein needed to keep their nitrogen balance in balance while preventing a dreaded negative nitrogen balance (which can lead to protein malnutrition, muscle and organ breakdown and ultimately death).

As for the needs of athletes, the work of Lemon, Tarnopolsky and colleagues has provided some evidence that athletes need more protein (Lemon et al 1981, Tarnopolsky et al 1988, Tarmonpolsky et al 1992, Lemon et al 1997). This classic research suggests that during intense training, strength and endurance athletes need protein in the range of 1.4 to 2 grams per kilogram of body mass to maintain a neutral nitrogen balance.

But what about all the athletes and weightlifters out there who consume less protein than the recommended 1.4 to 2 grams per kilogram of body mass? If they really needed those 1.4 to 2 grams per kilogram of body mass, wouldn't they suffer from physical deterioration and die? Since this is not the case, it cannot be that they need all this protein. So what's the deal?

As Rennie and colleagues have pointed out, there are several problems with trying to apply Lemon and Tarnoposky's data to recreational and casual athletes. First of all, Lemon and Tarnoposky's studies were conducted with athletes who were following training programs that were new to them.

Even if the subjects were physically active before the study began, the training stimulus (strength training in some studies, endurance training in others) was new to them, which almost certainly resulted in a short-term increase in protein requirements - an increase that is not sustained over the long term (Rennie et al 1999, 2000). In other words, Rennie argues that although a new training program (whether strength or endurance training) may result in an acute increase in protein requirements, chronic training is unlikely to increase protein requirements at all.

Now before you start hating Rennie, it's important to understand that this guy is a legend in the field of protein research. Type his name into Medline and you'll find several hundred protein-related research publications. Aside from his excellent reputation, his ideas have both theoretical and investigational support.

In particular, research by Butterfield and colleagues suggests that athletes may actually need less protein due to increased protein efficiency that may accompany chronic training (Butterfield and Calloway 1984). In other words, this means that athletes may become more efficient in their protein use (i.e., increased anabolic efficiency) and therefore may require less than the 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight required by sedentary people!

Is this Rennie guy crazy? Probably not. And why do his statements contradict everything athletes and weightlifters know - namely that a higher protein diet helps build muscle mass and promote a more desirable body composition? Well, in truth, these statements don't really contradict the experiences of athletes. If you think this, then you haven't been paying attention to what we talked about earlier - i.e. you're still confusing need and optimization.

An athlete may need less protein to stay alive, but they should consume more protein to optimize performance and body composition. So when I am asked how much protein an athlete needs, my best answer is that it doesn't matter! Asking how much protein an athlete needs is like asking how much a student needs to study for an exam. Since a student only needs to pass their exam to remain a student, the correct answer would be "as much as is necessary to answer more than 60% of the questions correctly." However, very few students will only want to achieve this low score. Therefore, the best question would be "How much does a student need to study to ace their exam?"

Optimizing protein intake

In the section above, I suggested that athletes may actually need less protein per day than the typical dose of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight that is considered the minimum for physically inactive people. The Butterfield study even gives an exact figure for this: 0.65 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Using this figure to calculate the exact amount of protein needed to maintain a neutral nitrogen balance, a 90 kilogram athlete would need around 60 grams of protein per day to prevent muscle breakdown and protein malnutrition.

So those who still strictly believe that they only need to eat enough protein to meet their needs can reduce their protein intake from 2 grams to 0.65 grams per kilogram of body weight from now on. In the meantime, I will encourage everyone else to increase their protein intake even beyond the current recommendation of 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

If this recommendation seems excessive, it's because you have too narrow a view of how protein fits into your dietary strategy. You're looking at protein from the same narrow perspective that people used to look at vitamin C - essential at a specific dosage, but with no added benefit at a higher dosage.

With vitamin C, we all know how important it is to consume enough of it (at least 10 mg per day) to prevent scurvy. However, it is also widely known that there are a variety of health benefits to consuming larger amounts of vitamin C (200 mg per day or more), including an increase in good HDL cholesterol levels, a reduced risk of coronary artery disease and a reduction in the symptoms and duration of the common cold.

As with vitamin C, if we stop thinking of protein as a macronutrient with no benefits other than preventing protein deficiency, we can see numerous benefits of consuming protein (in any dose). These include the following benefits

Increased thermic effect of food

Although all macronutrients require metabolic processing for digestion, absorption and storage or oxidation, the thermic effect of protein is roughly twice as strong as that of carbohydrates and fat. Therefore, the consumption of protein is thermogenic and can lead to a higher metabolic rate. This means increased fat loss during a diet and less fat build-up in the event of a calorie surplus.

Increased glucagon levels

Protein consumption increases the plasma concentrations of the hormone glucagon. Glucagon has the opposite effect of insulin in adipose tissue, which results in increased mobilization of body fat. In addition to this, glucagon also reduces the quantity and activity of the enzymes responsible for the build-up of adipose tissue and the storage of fat in adipose tissue and liver cells. This also leads to increased fat loss during a diet and less fat storage in the case of excessive calorie intake.

Increased IGF-1 levels

Protein and amino acid supplementation has been shown to increase the IGF-1 response to both exercise and food intake. Since IGF-1 is an anabolic hormone associated with muscle growth, another benefit associated with higher protein consumption is increased muscle growth in the event of a calorie surplus and a muscle-protective effect during a calorie-restricted diet.

A reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease

Several studies have shown that increasing the percentage of protein intake in the diet (from 11 to 23%) while reducing the percentage of carbohydrates (from 63 to 48%) lowers LDL cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels while increasing good HDL cholesterol levels.

Improved weight loss profile

Groundbreaking new research by Layman and colleagues has shown that reducing the carbohydrate ratio from 3.5 to 1.4 to 1 increases body fat loss, protects against muscle breakdown, lowers triglyceride levels, improves satiety and improves glycemic control. (Layman et al 2003 - If you are interested in protein intake, then you need to read the January and February 2003 issues of the Journal of Nutrition. These contain three interesting articles by Layman).

Increased protein turnover

As I described in an earlier article, all tissues in the body, including muscle tissue, go through a regular renewal process. Since the ratio of protein breakdown to protein synthesis determines protein turnover, you need to increase your protein turnover rates to improve your muscle quality the most. A high protein intake does just that. By increasing both protein synthesis and protein breakdown, a high protein diet will help you get rid of old muscle tissue faster and build new, more functional muscle to replace that old muscle tissue.

A more positive nitrogen balance

I have already explained in one of the previous sections that a positive nitrogen balance means that more protein enters the body than protein leaves the body. High protein diets create a more positive nitrogen balance and when this increased protein availability is combined with a training program that increases the body's anabolic efficiency, the growth process of muscle tissue is also accelerated.

Increased availability of additional nutrients

Although the benefits mentioned above are specifically related to protein and amino acids, it is important to recognize that we don't just eat protein and amino acids - we eat food. Therefore, high-protein diets often also provide additional nutrients that can promote performance and/or muscle growth. These nutrients include creatine, branched-chain amino acids, conjugated linoleic acid and/or additional nutrients that are important but have not yet been discovered. This highlights the need to consume protein in the form of food and not just supplements.

Looking at the list of benefits, it is clear that consuming plenty of protein is beneficial to any athlete's training goals. Since a high protein diet can lead to a better health profile, increased metabolic rate, better body composition and improved training response, it makes no sense whatsoever to ever try to limit protein intake to the bare minimum necessary to prevent malnutrition.

In my opinion, protein is the nutrient that you should consume too much of rather than too little, regardless of whether you are on a calorie restricted diet or a calorie surplus. Instead, the bias against protein leads most exercisers to consume the amount of protein they consider to be the bare minimum and instead consume too many carbohydrates and too much fat. This is a big mistake in terms of performance and body composition.

I have yet to meet a healthy man or woman who couldn't have done with a little more protein in their diet. It's time we rethink our preconceptions about protein and start giving this macronutrient the respect it deserves.

Now get out of my lab - I have work to do and you need to eat some protein.

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/protein-prejudice

By John Berardi, PhD