Protein Requirements and the Athlete

By
Joel Giacobbe
Published: May 27, 2010Posted in: NutritionTags: athletes, giacobbe, Nutrition, protein
Nutrition is an important factor influencing physical performance. Ive hear it sai that
training is 20 percent of physical performance !hile nutrition an recovery are "0
percent. I ont #no! if those percentages are correct, but I o #no! that nutrition an
recovery are of e$ual importance an a missing ingreient in toays athletes. %ompare
to 20 years ago, there is far less controversy regaring protein re$uirements an
strength&po!er athletes.
'here are si( essential nutrients critical for humans)protein, carbohyrates, fats,
vitamins, minerals, an !ater. *roteins are an essential structural component of the
human boy. +(cluing !ater, protein is the most abunant substance in the human boy
!ith s#eletal muscle its largest epot. *roteins are mae of smaller, basic units calle
amino acis. ,mino acis are mae of basic elements of carbon, hyrogen, o(ygen, an
nitrogen. 'here are 222 amino acis an nine are consiere essential, meaning they cant
be mae by the boy an must be obtaine through iet. -hen the essential amino acis
arent obtaine in the iet, the boys protein prouction ability is seriously impaire an
many negative sie effects .eficiency iseases/ incluing eath can occur, epening on
the length an egree of eficiency.
0ietary proteins containing all the essential amino acis are complete proteins an
consiere to have a high biological value. *roteins of animal origin .meat, airy
proucts, eggs, an fish/ are complete !ith eggs having the highest biological value.
*roteins lac#ing one of the essential amino acis are incomplete an have a lo!er
biological value. Incomplete proteins are usually of plant origin .grains, legumes, nuts,
an sees/. 'his may pose ifficulty for both vegetarian athletes an non1athletes. -hen
all the essential amino acis arent consume in the same meal or !ithin one hour of each
other, the boys ability to ma#e ne! protein .buil muscle/ is aversely effecte. ,s a
result, other amino acis cant be use optimally, !hich causes increase nitrogen
e(cretion .possible&probable cannibali2ation of lean muscle tissue/. 'he boy thrives on
homeostasis .steay state or balance/. It has an increible ability to aapt an heal itself
!hen functioning optimally. 'his balance is a tension of opposites. 'oo much on either
en of the spectrum can create ysfunction or illness. 'he boy !ill get the amino acis it
nees by iet or cannibali2ing lean muscle tissue.
3ver the past 20 years, there has been consierable investigation into the effects of
e(ercise on the use of protein an branch chaine amino acis .leucine, isoleucine, an
valine/. ,ccoring to the literature, the branch chaine amino acis are use as an energy
source uring e(ercise. 'he percentage of branche chain amino acis use is epenent
on the glycogen stores .sugar store in the liver an s#eletal muscle/ an the type of
e(ercise .aerobic or strength&po!er/. 4esearch also sho!s that appro(imately 1 gram of
protein per poun of boy !eight supports protein synthesis, resulting in increase
muscle mass along !ith elevations in the en2ymes associate !ith the anaerobic
metabolism use in strength&po!er sports .!eight training, boybuiling, an
po!erlifting/. 'his is ma(imi2e !hen sufficient calories are consume !ith a balance
iet of the lo! glycemic carbohyrates an goo fats. , rule I tell my stuents is if man
ma#es it, be cautious. Nature tens to be more balance. Both aerobic an strength&po!er
athletes appear to benefit from more protein !hen combine !ith a balance iet.
5o!ever, on a practical level, boybuilers have #no!n for years that high protein iets
!or#. , sie benefit is that !ith an increase in protein, there is an increase in creatine ue
to the animal source .beef, chic#en, or fish/.
, summary of the research sho!s that all athletes nee more protein compare !ith the
regular population. .6or most athletes, this can be obtaine through iet as long as calorie
restrictions arent in place. +(ceptions are boybuilers, !restlers, ancers, an
gymnasts/. ,ppro(imately 1 gram per poun of boy !eight is neee. 'his is
ma(imi2e !hen combine !ith a balance iet containing the si( nutrients. %omplete
protein sources are best because they have a high biological value .meat, airy, eggs, an
fish/. If you are a vegan, ma#e sure youre properly combining complementary
incomplete proteins an consuming them !ithin an hour of each other.
Ne! research sho!s a nutrient timing component. It isnt 7ust the right foos but also the
right foos at the right time. 6or e(ample, to improve athletic performance, recovery, an
muscular gro!th, consume a complete protein high in 81glutamine an 81leucine, one to
t!o hours before training an !ithin 90 minutes immeiately after training for ma(imum
results, accoring to 0r. Ivy an :tout. 'here is also a carbohyrate, vitamin .vitamin %
an +/, mineral .calcium, magnesium, soium, potassium/, an hyration component. I
tell my athletes to consume appro(imately 0.; ounces of !ater per poun of boy !eight,
especially in the 6loria heat.
6inally, an overloo#e aspect for proper protein utili2ation is sleep consistency. <o to be
an !a#e up at appro(imately the same time each ay. Its uring the sleeping hours
!hen recovery an gro!th ta#e place .physical an psychological !ellness/. Bruce 8ee
ha a philosophy, !hich state, ='a#e !hat is useful an iscar !hat is useless.>