Nutrition

In the first part of this article, we looked at the topic of supplements when traveling in general, as well as the supplements that are considered essential by the author for frequent travelers - and especially athletically active people who travel a lot. In this part of this article, we will take a look at other supplements that are not essential but can still prove beneficial in many situations.

The optional supplements

What is caffeine and why should you use it?

Caffeine is a stimulant that can increase anaerobic capacity and performance release. Excessive intake of caffeine can increase blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels. As frequent travelers, we often have to get up at 5am or earlier to catch a flight, spend 12 hours or more with a client, or endure long drives to our accommodation. Caffeine can help us stay awake, alert and productive during these long days.

How much caffeine should you use?

The dosage of caffeine depends heavily on your goals, the frequency of your planned caffeine intake and your physiological responses to caffeine. The values given below are only starting values that should be adjusted up and down depending on your needs:

• People who are not used to caffeine - 100mg dose
• Fat burning - 200mg dose
• Strength enhancement - up to 500mg dose

It is recommended to avoid caffeine completely for a few weeks if you are too used to it or if you feel dependent on it.

Author's opinion - I take 200 to 300 mg of caffeine 30 minutes before training, but I have spent years trying to determine this dosage. When in doubt, start with a low dosage and slowly increase as needed.

What are adaptogens and why should I use them?

Adaptogens are plant extracts that can help improve the negative effects of stress and fatigue by improving concentration, performance and endurance. As frequent travelers, we are constantly faced with stressful environments and scenarios such as tight travel schedules, sleeping in unfamiliar places such as (uncomfortable) hotel beds, long and stressful client meetings and the like.

How much should you use?

When it comes to dosing adaptogens, you should start at the lower end of the dosage range and adjust the dose based on your reactions and the expected amount of stress and fatigue. With this information in mind, the following are typical dosage ranges of some popular adaptogens:

• Rhodiola Rosea - 170 to 185 mg per day, which equates to a dosage of about 4.5 mg of the active ingredient salidroside- Ginseng (more specifically Panax Ginseng) - 1 to 2 of the raw root or 200 mg of a ginseng extract, which provides 4 to 7% of the ginsenosides considered active ingredients.
• Tribulus Terrestris - 5 to 6 grams of root powder or 200 to 450mg of a Tribulus Terrestris extract, which provides 60% of the active ingredient saponin. - Bacopa Monnieri - 300 mg of Bacopa Monnieri extract which provides 55% of the active ingredient bacoside.
• Indian Basil (Holy Basil) - 500mg leaf extract, twice daily
• Ashwagandha - 1 to 2 grams of ashwagandha root or the equivalent amount of an extract three times daily, preferably with meals

Some people combine several adaptogens, as each of these products may have different effects on different people.

What are greens products and why should you use them?

Greens products is a collective term for a class of supplements that contain one or more of the following ingredients in dried, powdered form: Fruits, vegetables, adaptogens, and digestive aids such as probiotics and fiber. Greens products are usually offered in powder form, although there are also products in capsule form, where a serving is often in the range of up to 5 capsules. Depending on the product, Greens products can contain trace elements, fiber, significant amounts of vitamins and numerous phytonutrients.

When traveling, consuming fresh fruits and vegetables can be difficult and expensive, if not nearly impossible. Although nothing can replace high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables, Greens products provide a kind of nutritional "back-up" or emergency supply that you can easily take with you wherever you go.

How much should you use?

As the ingredients of Greens products vary greatly from product to product, I would follow the dosage recommendation on the label. Most products recommend one serving per day, but if you feel your diet is seriously lacking in healthy plant nutrients, I believe two servings are acceptable for healthy individuals. Please do not use Greens products - like any other supplements - as a substitute for regular consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. Greens products are an excellent support in situations where you do not have the opportunity to consume fresh fruit and vegetables and can also be a useful addition to a healthy diet. What are pre-workout products and why should you use them?

Pre-workout products contain one or more ingredients that are taken before training to increase power release, muscle strength, muscle endurance and muscle resistance to fatigue. Many manufacturers offer ready-made products, but some exercisers prefer to create their own formula from a combination of different ingredients.

As frequent travelers, we need to make a conscious and significant effort to make time to take care of our health and our bodies. It's far too easy to sleep until the last possible minute, or go to happy hour after work instead of working out. Pre-workout products can give you an extra boost of energy to get you out of bed in the morning, or to help you push through a training session after a 12 hour day at a client.

There are a few things to consider with pre-workout formulas:

• Caffeine/stimulant content: if you're working out just before bedtime, it might make sense to use a caffeine and stimulant-free pre-workout product. Taking caffeine or stimulants in the last few hours before bedtime could cause you problems falling asleep and reduce your sleep quality.
• Creatine content - If you are already taking creatine in powder or capsule form, then you may not need the creatine contained in many pre-workout products. If you are using a pre-workout formula that contains creatine, then you may want to consider reducing your creatine intake from other sources accordingly.

What are digestive support products and why should you use them?

For frequent travelers, adequate hydration - i.e. fluid consumption - and sufficient amounts of fiber are not always enough to maintain a healthy digestive tract. Supplements to aid digestion can help support the absorption of nutrients from food in the stomach and intestines, minimize bloating and a bloated feeling, and regulate the elimination of waste products from the body.

Often, greens products and digestive support products are combined into one product to make it more convenient and cost-effective for the user. However, the disadvantage of such combination products is that specific ingredients cannot be dosed individually and additional supplements must be purchased.

How much should you use?

Typical dosages of popular supplements to support digestion are as follows:

• Fiber powders (such as psyllium) - using these supplements increases the volume of food pulp and feces in the digestive tract. Typical dosages are 5 grams with meals and adequate amounts of liquid, one to three times daily.
• Probiotics - follow the recommended dosage on the label and start with one full dose per day. Increase or decrease the dosage depending on your personal response. Many probiotic products contain the following healthy probiotic bacteria: Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium brevis and Bifidobacterium longum.
• Digestive enzymes: follow the recommended dosage on the label and start with one full dose per day. Increase or decrease the dosage depending on your personal reaction. Products of this type usually contain one or more of the following digestive enzymes: papain, bromelain, amylase (for breaking down carbohydrates into individual glucose molecules), lipase (for breaking down fats into fatty acids), lactase (for breaking down lactose), pancreatin (for breaking down complex proteins into short peptides and amino acids), cellulase (for breaking down fiber)
• Ginger - Ginger is used to speed up digestion. The average dosage is 1 to 3 grams of ginger extract per day, 240 ml of ginger ale made from ginger root or 4 cups of ginger tea steeped for 5 to 10 minutes with ½ teaspoon of grated ginger per cup.
• Betaine Hydrochloride (HCl) - Betaine HCl is used to increase the acidity of the stomach. The typical starting dosage is 650 mg per protein-containing meal and can be adjusted up and down depending on how your stomach feels. Some people take three 650 mg tablets per meal. Pepsin appears to work synergistically with betaine HCl.

What are branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and why should you use them?

The branched-chain amino acids - BCAAs for short - consist of the three amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. Adequate BCAA intake will promote and accelerate muscle growth and repair over time and can reduce post-workout muscle soreness. With BCAAs, the law of diminishing returns comes into play when you use BCAAs in addition to a daily protein intake above 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Pure BCAA products contain no additional carbohydrates or fats, but due to the isolation process, they are typically more expensive than the same amount of total protein in the form of protein powder.

Author's opinion - as a frequent traveler with limited luggage space, I would recommend supplementing with a complete protein source such as a protein powder before investing money in BCAAs.

How much should you use?

The following guidelines are just a starting point and can be adjusted based on your daily protein consumption and budget:

• Leucine - 2 to 10 grams per serving
• Isoleucine - 48 to 72 mg per kilogram of body weight
• Valine - 20 mg per kilogram of body weight

Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/supplements-frequent-traveler

Are you looking for ways to optimize your fat burning? Increasing your protein intake could be the answer you're looking for. Learn 8 ways protein can help you lose fat.

It seems like more and more fad diets are finding their way into the fitness realm. Many claim to be the perfect solution for fat loss. However, even though some of these diets seem to show some effectiveness, most do not have a positive impact on the majority of people who try them (mostly because these diets are difficult to stick to in the long term).

This is unfortunate as many people are really desperate to lose body fat and will try anything that promises quick fat loss results.

The reasons for wanting to lose fat are varied and include the desire for better health, increased energy, better performance, a hard and defined body for competitive athletes or simply the desire to feel and look better.

Whatever the reason, fat loss is a goal that most of us share. And whether we plan to cut a better figure on the competition stage in our posing briefs or simply look better in our new jeans, shedding a few excess pounds will go a long way.

Forget those fad diets and increase your protein intake!

There is no one diet that is best for everyone interested in lowering their body fat percentage. Anyone who offers you a one-size-fits-all approach to effective fat loss is either ill-informed or oversimplifying a very complex topic. However, there is a "universal truth" when it comes to fat loss diets. The effectiveness of this undisputedly essential fat loss component has been proven time and time again through scientific studies and real life experience. The real secret to fat loss success is protein.

Yes, increased protein intake is almost always the most important component of any successful fat loss program.

Let's take a look at the multitude of reasons why eating more protein is so effective when it comes to reducing body fat and positively changing body composition.

1. protein has the strongest thermic effect of all nutrients

The thermic effect of food - also known as food-induced thermogenesis - refers to the amount of energy required to process food for use and storage (5, 21). Compelling scientific evidence suggests that higher protein intake increases food-induced thermogenesis to a far greater extent than diets with lower protein consumption (20, 24, 26, 27).

Consuming protein increases the amount of calories burned relative to the amount of calories consumed in the form of protein by 20 to 30%, whereas this value is only 10% for carbohydrates and 0.3% for fats (15).

In other words, for a 200 kcal intake of protein, the body will consume an astonishing 40 to 70 kcal to digest this protein. In contrast, consuming an identical amount of calories in the form of carbohydrates and fat will only burn 20 kcal and 6 kcal respectively due to the thermic effect of these nutrients.

While the average thermic effect of food is estimated to be around 10% of total calorie intake, this value can be significantly increased by increasing protein intake (23). When it comes to food-induced thermogenesis, protein is the undisputed leader. In fact, it has been shown that postprandial thermogenesis (thermogenesis after a meal) increases by 100% in healthy subjects on a high protein/low fat diet compared to a high carbohydrate/low fat diet (13).

Bodybuilders training for a competition will often increase their protein intake while reducing their carbohydrate and fat intake. As total calorie intake gradually decreases over the course of contest preparation, the increased protein intake will ensure sustained fat-burning thermogenesis at a higher level.

2. better satiety

Protein promotes a feeling of satiety. This is due to the fact that protein stabilizes blood sugar levels for longer, preventing the sharp fluctuations in blood sugar levels associated with hunger and food cravings. Indeed, numerous scientific studies suggest that higher protein meals lead to reduced calorie intake at subsequent meals, which can be attributed in large part to a reduction in hunger (1, 12, 28, 30).

Research has also shown that different protein sources affect satiety differently (22). While animal protein has a 2% greater satiating effect compared to vegetable protein, it has been shown that whey protein has the strongest satiating effect of all protein sources (18, 29).

This effect is attributed to the faster gastric passage of whey protein. The faster the gastric transit and the subsequent increase in plasma amino acid levels after consumption of a specific protein source, the stronger the satiating effect due to the increased stimulating effects on hormones of the digestive tract (10).

Staying on plan nutritionally is the most difficult task for otherwise dedicated exercisers and whenever whey protein is used, the extreme hunger associated with calorie restriction can be significantly reduced.

Digestion of protein also increases circulating levels of the digestive tract hormones peptide tyrosine (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), signaling satiety to the body and reducing appetite (6 21, 25). Because these hormones play a critical role in the subsequent reduction of food intake, protein-rich meals make it much easier to continue eating smaller meals and consume fewer total calories throughout the day.

3. increased protein synthesis

Increased protein intake promotes a higher rate of muscle protein synthesis, which is primarily fueled by energy supplied in the form of fats and carbohydrates. Thus, by consuming more protein and the energy required for protein synthesis, you can force your body to burn more calories at rest and thus become a more efficient fat-burning machine (3, 14).

In fact, the energy cost of protein metabolism will most likely result in a disproportionate increase in energy requirements (14).

Provided that sufficient protein is consumed to supply the raw material required for the growth of all body tissues, this adds up to an increased metabolic rate, higher calorie consumption and increased fat burning.

4. protein promotes gluconeogenesis

Gluconeogenesis is a metabolic pathway that results in the formation of carbohydrates from non-carbohydrate carbon substrates (16).

When you follow a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet plan, gluconeogenesis is induced to a greater extent, which helps maintain stable blood glucose levels and results in a reduction in hunger (and lower calorie consumption).

Innermitochondrial membrane antiporters (integral membrane proteins involved in the secondary active transport of two or more different molecules or ions across the phospholipid membrane) are required for gluconeogenesis to occur. These innermitochondrial power plants are required for the production of energy and optimization of the fat-burning reaction.

Without sufficient amounts of dietary protein, glucose can also be produced from existing protein stores (muscle tissue) via the process of gluconeogenesis. In order to prevent this - and thus also muscle breakdown in the absence of sufficient amounts of blood sugar (e.g. during a calorie-restricted diet) - sufficient protein consumption is absolutely essential.

Gluconeogenesis is a process driven by demand and not by the availability of the substrate (protein). This means that, depending on the specific energy needs (which can change from hour to hour), the body uses the amino acids circulating in the bloodstream either for the process of muscle protein synthesis (for muscle building and repair) or to stabilize blood glucose levels.

We therefore need to ensure that we have a sufficient intake of dietary protein so that both energy production is efficient and muscle protein stores remain full.

5 Protein keeps insulin levels low

Protein consumption is not associated with unhealthily high insulin levels. High protein intake coupled with controlled lower carbohydrate intake can therefore keep insulin secretion under control, keeping blood glucose levels more stable and less likely to lead to fat storage (7, 17).

As a storage hormone that transports nutrients from the bloodstream to different cells in the body, insulin is considered to be highly anabolic and of great importance for muscle building (9). However, large amounts of insulin in the bloodstream are associated with the synthesis and storage of body fat, based in large part on the higher concentrations of circulating blood glucose that cause this insulin secretion.

Supporting the control of insulin secretion may therefore be an important way to promote fat loss (17).

In addition to its role in storing nutrients, insulin can also inhibit the breakdown of body fat stored in fat cells and promote the accumulation of more body fat. Although the overall picture of fat burning and blood glucose levels is about more than simply lowering insulin levels by reducing total carbohydrate intake and increasing protein intake accordingly, it is generally accepted that protein does not have the same insulinogenic effects as carbohydrates.

Excessively and chronically elevated blood glucose levels are associated with fat storage, obesity and reduced energy levels.

Although protein can be converted to carbohydrate via the process of gluconeogenesis, and although excessive protein levels can potentially contribute to glucose production, the amounts of protein included in a typical bodybuilding diet require only small amounts of insulin and will only minimally raise blood glucose levels (8).

Thus, a diet rich in high quality protein and low in carbohydrates can help stabilize blood glucose levels and help prevent fat storage.

6. protein increases feelings of overall well-being

Scientific research has shown that people who follow a higher protein fat loss diet regularly report an increased sense of relaxation (without insomnia), a greater sense of satisfaction and are generally calmer compared to people who follow a lower protein, higher carbohydrate diet. In addition to this, people who consume more protein tend to have more energy and increased mental clarity.

The more relaxed and calm and less stressed we are, the less likely we are to binge on high calorie/high fat/high sugar foods. Whenever we are stressed, the body releases a hormone called cortisol. One of the functions of cortisol is to increase appetite in conjunction with the motivation to eat more.

Along with cortisol release, an emotionally stressed person tends to develop a preference for foods high in fat and sugar, which cause a feedback response that deactivates parts of the brain that produce stress (11).

Although these foods may temporarily control stress, eating them for feel-good reasons is a sure path to diet disaster. Diets that are higher in protein can promote an emotionally balanced state and clearer thinking (4, 19). By eating more protein-rich foods, we can better control our stress levels and prevent stress-induced bingeing.

7 Protein repairs muscle and builds muscle

A higher protein intake is associated with an increase in lean muscle mass in the form of muscle. More muscle results in higher total energy expenditure and more calories burned throughout the day.

As a metabolically active tissue, muscle tissue has rightfully earned the reputation of being a metabolic booster that delivers consistent fat burning results. The more muscle mass we have, the more calories we burn at rest and the leaner we will ultimately become.

Trying to get lean without emphasizing muscle development is an extremely difficult task.

Cardio training and a strict diet can actually lower the metabolic rate due to the body's genetic predisposition to maintain body fat for the purpose of survival. However, by building more muscle and thus increasing the amount of energy needed to maintain your muscles, you can jump-start the fat loss process.

Without adequate dietary protein intake, there can be no muscle protein synthesis and no protein synthesis equals no muscle gains and a very slow metabolic rate.

8. improvement of fat oxidation

Due to several factors such as lower levels of fat mobilizing hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine, overweight people generally suffer from impaired fat oxidation after meals.

However, studies have shown that an increased protein intake can greatly alleviate this problem and allow the body to lose body fat more easily (2).

Build muscle and lose fat

If you want to get lean fast, there's one thing you should do immediately and without delay if you haven't already: increase your protein intake. Fat burning and muscle building are both dependent on an adequate amount of dietary protein.

Without a solid portion of protein at every meal, you will achieve minimal muscle gains and suffer from a sluggish metabolism, poor concentration, low motivation and overconsumption of nutritionally worthless junk food.

Anyone interested in improving their body composition should increase their protein intake by consuming high quality foods and supplements such as whey protein, lean meats (including poultry, beef, pork and fish) low-fat cottage cheese (which also provides a mega dose of bone-building calcium) and eggs (the best of all protein sources among whole foods).

Fat loss can be significantly enhanced by an increase in thermogenesis, an increased feeling of fullness after meals, lean muscle mass, mental well-being, adherence to an appropriate diet and control of insulin secretion. Protein does all this and more.

So forget all those fad diets and extreme fat loss approaches. To drastically reduce your body fat you should simply increase your consumption of high quality protein!

References

1. Astrup, A. The satiating power of protein-a key to obesity prevention? Am J Clin Nutr 2005;82:1-2.
2. Batterham, M. Et al. High-Protein Meals May Benefit Fat Oxidation and Energy Expenditure in Individuals With Higher Body Fat. Nutrition & Dietetics. 2008-12; 65(4):246-252.
3. Bier, D. The Energy Costs of Protein Metabolism: Lean and Mean on Uncle Sam's Team. [Online] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK224633/ - retrieved on 7/27/17
4. Brody, J. HOW DIET CAN AFFECT MOOD AND BEHAVIOR. New York Times. [Online] http://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/17/garden/how-diet-can-affect-mood-and-be... - retrieved on 27.7.17
5. de Jonge, L. et al. The thermic effect of food and obesity: a critical review. Obes Res. 1997;5:622-31.
6. De Silva, A. et al. Gut Hormones and Appetite Control: A Focus on PYY and GLP-1 as Therapeutic Targets in Obesity. Gut Liver. 2012 Jan; 6(1): 10-20.
7. Franz, M., J. Protein: metabolism and effect on blood glucose levels. Diabetes Educ. 1997 Nov-Dec;23(6):643-6, 648, 650-1
8. Gannon, M. et al. An increase in dietary protein improves the blood glucose response in persons with type 2 diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr. October 2003 vol. 78 no. 4 734-74
9. Giorgino, F. et al. Regional differences of insulin action in adipose tissue: insights from in vivo and in vitro studies. Acta Physiol Scand. 2005;183:13-30.
10. Gustafson D., R. et al. Appetite is not influenced by a unique milk peptide: caseinomacropeptide (CMP). Appetite. 2001;36:157-63.
11. Harvard Health Publications. Why stress causes people to overeat . [Online] http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/why-stress-causes-peopl... - retrieved on 7/27/17
12. Halton, T., L. et al. The effects of high protein diets on thermogenesis, satiety and weight loss: a critical review. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Oct;23(5):373-85.
13. Johnston C., S. et al. Postprandial thermogenesis is increased 100% on a high-protein, low-fat diet versus a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet in healthy, young women. J Am Coll Nutr. 2002, 21 (1): 55-61.
14. Kafri, M. The Cost of Protein Production. Cell Rep. 2016 Jan 5; 14(1): 22-31.
15. Kollias, H. A Calorie Isn't a Calorie. [Online] http://www.precisionnutrition.com/digesting-whole-vs-processed-foods - retrieved on 27.7.17
16. Larry R. Engelking, in Textbook of Veterinary Physiological Chemistry (Third Edition), 2015. Academic Press.
17. Margolis, L. et al. Calorie Restricted High Protein Diets Downregulate Lipogenesis and Lower Intrahepatic Triglyceride Concentrations in Male Rats. Nutrients. 2016 Sep; 8(9): 571.
18. Millward, W., L. et al. Casein and whey exert different effects on plasma amino acid profiles, gastrointestinal hormone secretion and appetite. Br J Nutr. 2003;89:239-48. (whey satiety)
19. Majumder, B. Role of Protein Vibration in Emotion, Attention, Learning and Memory. International Journal of Biophysics. 2015; 5(1): 1-11
20. Parker, B.. Effect of a high-protein, high-monounsaturated fat weight loss diet on glycemic control and lipid levels in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2002;25:425-30
21. Pesta, D., H. et al. A high-protein diet for reducing body fat: mechanisms and possible caveats. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2014; 11: 53.
22. Paddon-Jones, D. et al. Protein, weight management, and satiety. Am J Clin Nutr. May 2008 vol. 87 no. 5
23. Reed G. W., Hill, J., O. Measuring the thermic effect of food. Am J Clin Nutr. 1996, 63 (2): 164-9.
24. Raben A., et al. Meals with similar energy densities but rich in protein, fat, carbohydrate, or alcohol have different effects on energy expenditure and substrate metabolism but not on appetite and energy intake. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77:91-100.
25. Van der Klaauw, A., A. et al. High protein intake stimulates postprandial GLP1 and PYY release. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2013 Aug;21(8):1602-7.
26. Westerterp, K., R. Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2004; 1: 5.
27. Westerterp-Plantenga M., S, et al. Satiety related to 24 h diet-induced thermogenesis during high protein/carbohydrate vs high fat diets measured in a respiration chamber. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1999; 53:495-502.
28. Westman E.,C. Effect of 6-month adherence to a very low carbohydrate diet program. Am J Med. 2002;113:30-6.
29. Wren A., M. et al. Ghrelin enhances appetite and increases food intake in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86:5992-5.
30. Yancy W., S. et al. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2004;140:769-77.

Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/8-ways-you-can-optimize-fat-loss-with-protein

NPB = MPS - MPA

What does this equation mean?

Net protein balance (in our case muscle mass) = muscle protein synthesis - muscle protein breakdown.

Bring this equation to a positive result and you will be on your way to true greatness.

Muscle remodeling

You need to eat right to rebuild your muscle tissue after you've destroyed it in the gym. This is a foundation of muscle building. Under normal circumstances, skeletal muscle has a high turnover rate - about 1 to 2% of muscle protein is broken down and rebuilt each day.

Both exercise and nutrient intake are potent activators of protein synthesis, although diet-induced increases are short-lived. Exercise has a greater impact - it increases the rate of protein synthesis for 24 hours after exercise.

The problem here, however, is that training also activates muscle protein breakdown. Without the right nutritional intake at the right time, any potential gains from increased protein synthesis can be negated by protein breakdown. You can see how this works in the illustration below. Without a training stimulus, muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown cancel each other out in their overall magnitude.

Figure 1: Changes in muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown in the fed and fasted states in the absence of a training stimulus.

But add an intense training session with the right nutrient intake at the right time and things will change. Protein synthesis is activated and protein breakdown is suppressed. The result is an accumulation of muscle protein over time, as shown in the figure below.

Figure 2: Changes in muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein degradation in the fed and fasted states in the presence of an exercise stimulus.

The activator of protein synthesis: it's all about mTOR

To understand protein synthesis, it is important to familiarize yourself with mTOR. Scientific research shows us that when you force a muscle to contract against a heavy resistance, the primary response is an activation of protein synthesis. In turn, the activation of protein synthesis is controlled by a series of phosphorylation events that are fine-tuned by a protein called Mammalian Target of Rapamycin, or mTOR for short.

mTOR is undoubtedly the most important cell signaling complex for muscle growth. It is the master controller of protein synthesis in the cell and there is a direct relationship between muscle growth and mTOR activation - the more a training session activates mTOR, the more proteins the protein synthesis machinery makes for muscle growth and repair.

mTOR is activated by three things:

• Mechanical stress (through heavy training loads)
• Growth factors (IGF, growth hormones, insulin, etc.)
• Amino acids (especially leucine)

The "anabolic time window"

So what can we do nutritionally to achieve more than simply replacing the muscle tissue you've just broken down in the gym with a comparable amount of new muscle protein?

You use the anabolic window to your advantage: To get as muscular as possible, you need to use the anabolic window for maximum effect. It's time to talk about what you should eat and when you should eat it.

There are three times to increase protein/amino acid availability to amplify the acute increase in protein synthesis caused by training:

• Pre-workout: within an hour or so before your training session begins
• During the workout
• Post-workout: Less than 2 hours after your workout

The $10,000 question is which of these time(s) is best to achieve the maximum growth response from your workout.

Scientists have investigated this further and the results of several studies can be seen in the figure below.

Figure 3: Effects of resistance training on the timing of nutrients (leucine-enriched essential amino acids + carbohydrates) on muscle protein synthesis in young human subjects. The data are presented as a percentage change in fractional synthesis rate (FSR) from baseline.

The conclusion of this plot is that post-exercise food intake increases the acute, exercise-induced increase in protein synthesis more than pre-exercise food intake. This is good information, but there is more.

Before training

During exercise, ATP is used to provide energy for muscle contractions, which increases AMP levels. This activates a protein called AMP kinase (AMPK). AMPK reduces protein synthesis by inhibiting mTOR.

You can think of it this way - if mTOR is like the gas pedal for protein synthesis, then AMPK is like the brake. Even though it has been shown that pre-workout nutrition does not increase post-workout protein synthesis more than training alone, pre-workout amino acid intake does reduce AMPK-mediated inhibition of mTOR.

Conclusion: Don't forget to eat before training. It prevents the protein synthesis machinery from being switched off during training.

During training

Scientific studies have compared the effects of food intake during training with the effects of food intake after training on protein synthesis. The results of these studies are similar to the results of the studies on pre-exercise nutrition: protein intake during exercise resulted in increased protein synthesis, although this increase was much lower than with protein intake after exercise. Even though amino acids taken during exercise have only a subtle effect on protein synthesis, this protein intake still elicits an insulin response. This is important as insulin is a powerful inhibitor of protein breakdown.

This insulin response is also the reason why it makes sense to consume carbohydrates as well as amino acids during training. It has not only been shown that carbohydrates consumed during training inhibit protein breakdown - they also reduce the inhibition of mTOR mediated by AMPK.

Conclusion: Carbohydrates consumed during training not only inhibit protein breakdown, but also help to keep the protein synthesis machinery running.

After training

The post-workout meal is most important for increasing the rate of protein synthesis after training. Muscle cells are primed for protein synthesis during the hours after exercise, but this only occurs when the right food is available.

To build more muscle mass we need protein and it has been shown that the type and timing of protein intake during the post-workout phase controls the overall increase in protein synthesis that occurs immediately after exercise.

Importantly, the short-term activation of protein synthesis appears to ultimately determine how well we respond to training in the long term. This means that not only are intense training sessions needed to maximally activate protein synthesis, but the right nutrition must be there at just the right time for this to happen. This window of opportunity is only open for a short period of time and long-term gains can be compromised by delaying protein intake for just two hours after training. If you hit this window right, you'll grow significantly more - and if you miss it, you may not grow at all! There is a huge amount of research that has looked at exactly what types of nutrients are needed to maximally activate the protein synthesis process. We will go into the specifics later. At this point, it is sufficient to know that it has been shown that only the essential amino acids (EAAs) can activate protein synthesis, with leucine in particular being the most important for activating the protein synthesis machinery.

The scientific literature also shows quite clearly that carbohydrates are not needed to activate protein synthesis after training, but that there are other reasons to add carbohydrates to the post-workout meal, which we will discuss later.

How much protein should you eat?

It would be great if we could simply consume 1000 grams of protein or amino acids before, during or after training and achieve maximum growth. Unfortunately, in reality, excess amounts of protein are simply burned for energy or converted into body fat.

Protein acts synergistically with weight training to stimulate protein synthesis, but just as there is an upper limit to the amount of training we can productively recover from, there also appears to be an upper limit to the amount of protein we can use to maximize protein synthesis.

This topic has been investigated several times in scientific studies, but the amounts of protein or amino acids used in these studies are not necessarily transferable to real-world scenarios. Scientists have rarely used a training stimulus that comes anywhere close to what most exercisers do in the gym, making it difficult to extrapolate and make specific recommendations regarding the amount of protein needed.

For example, one study found that whey protein-induced increases in protein synthesis after exercise peaked at 20 grams of protein and that higher amounts of protein failed to further increase protein synthesis rates. Similar dose-dependent studies have been conducted to determine maximum leucine requirements. It is important to recognize that the type of intense training that many exercisers do in the gym likely activates protein synthesis to a greater extent than what these scientists used in the lab.

used in the lab. For this reason, it's possible that most exercisers could need more than 20 grams to achieve a maximum response. So what is the optimal amount and when should it be consumed? We can only give rough recommendations on this, although it is important to experiment and find the right formula for yourself.

Arguments in favor of carbohydrates

The scientific literature has conclusively shown that an insulin signal is not needed to activate exercise-induced protein synthesis - only leucine is needed, suggesting that carbohydrates are not important.

This initially came as a surprise as insulin is a potent activator of protein synthesis. Insulin activates mTOR via PI3K/akt signaling, which parallels the pathway used by amino acids and mechanical stress to activate mTOR.

While insulin signaling may not be needed for protein synthesis during the hours after exercise, that's not the whole story. Insulin is also a powerful inhibitor of protein degradation.

Studies have found that both hyperinsulinemia and carbohydrate consumption inhibit protein breakdown without having a significant effect on protein synthesis. When this was looked at specifically in the post-workout phase, it was found that eating glucose after exercise, even if it did not activate protein synthesis, had a strong inhibitory effect on protein breakdown.

This means that we should not ignore carbohydrates simply because they have no direct effect on protein synthesis. They increase insulin levels, which can be important. Muscles are primed for increased protein synthesis over a 24+ hour period after exercise, but the actual increase in protein synthesis that occurs as a result of exercise or amino acid supplementation only lasts for a few hours. Mechanical stress resulting from exercise, amino acid intake and insulin/growth factors all activate mTOR via different but complementary pathways, suggesting that we may benefit from a synergistic effect when multiple mTOR activating pathways are activated.

It is well established that mechanical stress induced by exercise and leucine/EAAs synergistically enhance protein synthesis. Similarly, insulin may contribute to the overall increase in protein synthesis via activation of mTOR through the PI3K/akt pathway.

Although some studies that have looked specifically at resistance training-induced protein synthesis have shown that the addition of carbohydrates to amino acids did not result in an additive effect on protein synthesis when sufficient amounts of amino acids were consumed, one must look closely at the experimental model when translating scientific research to the real world.

More recent studies that have looked at a more general model of protein synthesis have concluded that insulin + amino acids may very well have a synergistic positive effect on protein synthesis and together produce the greatest possible mTOR activation. Taking all these studies together, it is safe to say that even though insulin does not appear to increase exercise-induced protein synthesis, carbohydrates may help keep the protein synthesis machinery running longer after exercise.

If insulin really is capable of enhancing or prolonging the increase in protein synthesis rates after exercise, then adding carbohydrates to a post-workout plan would obviously have huge benefits.

Let's put it all together

Studies and scientific literature are the backbone of the scientific method, but all of this is worthless if you don't have a way to put this information into practice. With that in mind, here's an example of how you can put what you've learned in this article into practice:

Pre-workout (30 to 60 minutes before starting your workout)

• Protein source: 30 to 50 grams of any medium or fast digesting protein source. Whole foods are fine, but in this case you should consume the protein 60 minutes rather than 30 minutes before your workout. Examples of fast-digesting protein sources include whey protein isolates, concentrates and hydrolysates.
• Carbohydrate source: Carbohydrates are optional, but if you plan to train hard, you should consume 26 to 75 grams of medium GI carbohydrates. Examples of this would be a cup of oatmeal or a cup of blueberries.
• John's favorite pre-workout meal: Lean animal protein, 30 grams of carbohydrates (oatmeal) and 1 to 2 tablespoons of almond or peanut butter mixed with the oatmeal.
• Bill's favorite pre-workout meal: Whey protein isolate with about 45 grams of carbohydrates from ½ cup of oatmeal mixed with ½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce.

During the workout

• Protein source: 10 to 20 grams of BCAAs or 20 to 30 grams of a whey protein isolate/hydrolyzate
• Carbohydrate source: Optionally 35 to 50 grams of high-glycemic carbohydrates, which are drunk in sips throughout the workout.

The insulin response to these carbohydrates may synergistically enhance protein synthesis in the presence of amino acids. Insulin is also a powerful inhibitor of protein breakdown.

For exercisers during race preparation or those who have poor insulin sensitivity, keeping insulin levels low could have a fat-burning benefit, meaning that some people may be better off avoiding these carbohydrates. During the off-season or for hardgainers, however, this insulin response can be very helpful.

• John's favorite intra-workout meal: 30 to 50 grams of whey protein hydrolysate and 40 grams of potato starch during the off-season.
• Bill's favorite intra-workout meal: 20 grams of BCAAs and 40 to 50 grams of dextrose/glucose polymers during the off-season.

Post-workout (up to 60 minutes after training)

• Protein source: 30 to 50 grams of fast-digesting protein such as whey protein isolate or hydrolysate
• Carbohydrates: Optional but highly advisable if you are not in a drastic fat loss phase.

The type of carbohydrate intake strongly depends on the individual, the goals and the training phase.

Use 25 to 75 grams of carbohydrates with a medium to low GI. Off-season exercisers or hardgainers can use a 50 to 100 gram mix of medium to high GI carbohydrates. True hardgainers can benefit significantly from the protein degradation inhibiting effects of insulin at this point. The strong insulin spike from the high-glycemic carbohydrates and the sustained increase in insulin levels from the medium GI carbohydrates could keep protein synthesis rates high for longer.

If you are preparing for a competition or have poorer insulin sensitivity, then you can occasionally avoid these carbs completely.

- John's favorite post-workout meal: 50 grams of whey protein isolate 10 minutes after training, mixed with 1 to 2 cups of raw milk during the off-season. An hour later, fish and Ezekiel toast with jam.
- Bill's favorite post-workout meal: 50 grams of whey protein isolate. During the off-season, an additional 1 cup of oatmeal with 1 cup of blueberries. One hour later a regular meal.

Summary

Nutrients have a potent effect on the protein synthesis machinery and the right timing can make the difference between success and failure in your training progress. While there is no ideal solution for everyone, as it depends on individual insulin sensitivity, individual metabolism, individual body type and individual goals, in this article we have put together a strategy for nutritional intake around training that is based on the latest scientific evidence and can be easily modified to suit your individual needs. Use this strategy to maximize your protein synthesis and grow like never before.

References

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by John Meadows, Bill Willis, PhD