A professional athlete trains up to six hours a day, six days a week, and 12 months a year. They workout about 10 times harder than an average person. And while in most cases, it’s not hard to see where all of that protein goes, the much-debated question still remains: do athletes need to eat more protein? If so, by how much?
Using the latest research and expert consensus, we try to answer that question here. Whether you are an athlete, or someone who is helping plan meals for an athlete, we hope this article clears up a few questions in your mind.
Protein’s Role In Physical Activity
For all individuals, protein plays an important role in muscle growth and preservation. But for athletes, the need to maintain those muscles becomes even more important. Not only do they use their muscles more, but due to prolonged strenuous physical activity, athletes are also more likely to lose muscle mass and suffer injuries if they do not consume enough protein.
Professional weight trainers know that pre-workout fuel should contain protein. This is because when you exercise beyond 2–3 hours, and don’t have enough protein in your bloodstream, your body will “borrow” amino acids from your hard-earned muscle tissue. This is also known as muscle cannibalization. When this happens, the degree of soreness and stiffness intensifies after a long period of workout. This is why adding protein to your fuel mix is very helpful for a better workout experience.
Aside from prevention of tissue cannibalization, protein also helps a great deal in muscle recovery. The Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) found in many protein sources are needed in repairing muscle damage during physical activity. BCAA’s also help initiate muscle production for building lean muscles. It’s the reason why you see many protein shakes that highlight BCAA’s as a selling point.
How Much Protein do Athletes Need?
Now to the real question, how much protein do athletes need? The protein intake of an athlete depends on the intensity of their training or workout. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommended 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Protein intake should be consumed throughout the day, but especially around the time of physical training.
What Types of Protein do Athletes Need?
Of course, not all proteins are created equal. If athletes need to consume a greater amount of protein, they also need to be more selective with their protein sources. There are many benefits to choosing protein sources that fit specific needs, such as muscle growth, maintenance, and recovery. Some characteristics or high-quality proteins you should look for are:
- BCAA – BCAA or Branched Chain Amino Acids, are a group composed of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Due to their chemical structure, these amino acids were proven to be the most effective in preventing muscle loss, reducing muscle fatigue, and increasing protein absorption.
- Complete Proteins – are protein sources that contain all the nine essential amino acids that the body cannot make. Most complete proteins can be found in animal sources, but there are also some plant sources that have complete proteins. You can also combine two incomplete proteins so that you have all the nine essential amino acids when you eat them together.
- High Biological Value – Unfortunately, not all protein from our food can be metabolized efficiently by the body. Those protein sources can be readily absorbed by the body are called “bioavailable” protein.
In choosing your preferred protein source, choose foods that have at least one of the properties mentioned above. There are some high-quality protein sources that even have all of these characteristics. These foods can be very helpful to athletes when planning their meals. Examples of these high-quality protein sources are eggs, chicken breast, lean beef, tuna, salmon, and quinoa.