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The Greyhound's Track Review: June 8th, 2007
A bi-weekly column by a well-orientated fitness guru & Kinesiology grad, Tyson Kochan

Protein nutrition is also one of the most talked about subjects in any gym or supplement store. In fact it is amazing how much talk and attention it gets from strength athletes and bodybuilders alike. For decades, serious strength trainers have recognized the importance of a good nutrition plan and how it can essentially make or break their endeavors to achieve their own personal goals. Most literature focuses on protein nutrition and the fine balance of juggling the correct amount of protein intake to meet the needs of the athlete. Deservingly so, protein intake has abundant sources of scientific research and to a certain degree can often contradict itself. I am going to give out some simple guidelines to help shed some light on the following questions: What protein should you buy/take? What store bought food contains high-quality protein? When should you take protein to optimize your workouts? Is there a difference of protein intake for the beginner and for long time strength trainers?

The RDA (recommended dietary allowance) for adults is 0.8 grams/kilogram of bodyweight per day. For example, if you weigh 200 lbs or roughly 90 kgs you would take approximately 72 grams of protein a day. However strength trainers have significantly higher protein requirements as per their activity level and generally would need in the range of 1.5-2.0 g/kg of body weight per day. So that 200 lbs man, who is now training, would need to ingest roughly 135 –180 grams each day. As you can see a dramatic difference of protein consumption is required between the two individuals. What do these recommendations represent? First the amino acids that are catabolized during exercise, and second the amount of amino acids that is required for protein synthesis following exercise. These recommendations include aerobic trainers, since the use of protein as a fuel source increases as the duration of exercise increases. So how does one make these recommendations to ensure their workout program is optimized?

Protein supplements have been marketed to strength trainers for years in many forms: powder, liquid, bars, etc. These supplement products are derived or engineered from other natural sources found in your supermarket and the most common ones are milk, eggs (egg whites only), cottage cheese or soy. The most common supplement is whey protein. Whey protein is a by-product from cow’s milk and whey is readily able for your body to use in protein synthesis (a reminder to check The Strength Center’s glossary for any definitions you might want to read up on). Whey is a lactose-free or reduced lactose protein loaded with nutrients and essential amino acids. Whey comes in typically three forms: concentrate, isolate, and hydolysate. The first noticeable difference is the cost, with the latter being the most expensive. The second difference is how easy the body absorbs the protein. Concentrate whey contains fat and lactose and the protein by weight ranges from 29%-89%. Isolate has the fat and lactose removed and 90%+ protein by weight. Hydolysate is pre-digested and is more easily to absorb. Concentrate is the least easiest to absorb and can lead to frequent and urgent trips to the restroom (and we are not talking about number 1 here!).

If supplements are derived from natural sources, is there a benefit from using supplements compared to a regular balanced diet? According to the majority of research the answer is NO! However, with that said there is a huge exception and it comes down to the convenience factor. Protein supplements are easy to prepare and are readily available to eat/ingest. Let’s face if you are away from home and just had a decent workout you don’t want to race to the frying pan to cook an omelet! High quality proteins such as skim milk, fish, yogurt, and chicken are just as effective for promoting muscle anabolism for strength trainers but again do not have a long expiration date sitting in your gym locker. Having protein powder to make a shake after a work out is viable solution to ensure proper recovery. Basically, a well-balanced diet plan can easily provide the RDA of protein strength trainers need but how many of us have the time or talent to whip up a perfectly proportioned protein enriched meal and be viably aware of how much protein is in that particular chicken breast you just prepared?

Is there an ideal time to take in protein? Yes. For an effective strategy to promote muscle accretion strength trainers should consume 0.1-0.2g of protein per kilogram of body weight either immediately prior to training or during the first couple of hours during recovery so approximately 20-40 grams if you weigh 200lbs. This should be followed up with repeated small doses of essential amino acids from high-quality protein sources. What about protein ingestion during the workout? Recent studies have shown that first there is no advantage to recovery compared to ingestion immediately prior or after the work out; and second the performance was not improved for endurance exercise when compared to a carbohydrate loaded sports drink. What about too much protein? Excess protein is broken down into nitrogen, which is excreted in urine, and the remaining ketoacids are converted to carbohydrates or body fat and are used as sources of energy. So after the amount protein that is needed for anabolism is used, the excess is just calories that can add unwanted mass. Please keep in mind with large amounts of protein intake; your kidneys are working overtime and are trying hard to break up the protein to use for synthesis. Fluid intake (water most importantly) must also be increased to help keep your kidneys healthy. Having a good water intake everyday is beneficial for strength trainers for many reasons, and this is just one of them. High protein intake should not be recommended for anyone with impaired renal (kidney) function or who are restricting fluid intake. And finally caution should be applied when protein supplements are taken as a substitute rather than a supplement. Too much focus on protein can lead to neglect of other important areas of your diet and this can lead to an inability to have a productive workout.

To summarize, we all know protein nutrition is important for all strength trainers. An optimal protein nutrition diet can be achieved with natural sources, but protein supplements do provide a practical source of protein for workout recovery. Protein supplements are not cheap, and the higher quality proteins are more expensive but may be worth it. A good supplement store should be equipped with staff that knows which protein works well and which protein is a good bang for its buck. Trust me, the staff listens to testimonials from strength trainers all day and know what works well. But mostly, its up to you to not stick with a particular brand of protein supplement and see what works or tastes better. Do not be afraid to try different brands and types of protein, as you never know what results maybe lurking in your next shake!

And the winner is…Greyhound by a nose,

Side Bet: I want to write an article on gym etiquette. There are a lot of things that go on in a gym that really get me upset. If there is anything that really upsets you while you workout let me know. With a few suggestions and a little effort we might be able to make the world a better place; one gym at a time. Email me at tyson@thestrengthcenter.com and let me know what gets your heart rate going in the gym without any exercise.

Tyson Kochan

BSC Kinesiology

tyson@thestrengthcenter.com

Supplied by: “Sports & Exercise Nutrition” William D McArdle, Frank I Katch, & Victor L Katch. ©1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Pg 157.

“Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioniong” Thomas R Baechle, Roger W Earle. © 2000 National Strength and Conditioning Association. Pg 234

“Sports Science Exchange: Nutritional Supplements for Strength Trained Athletes” M. H. Williams. SSE#47, Volume 6, Number 6. 1993.

“Do Extra Amino Acids and Protein Build Bigger Muscles?” M. J. Gibala. Gatorade Sport Science Institute. 2006.

“Protein Nutrition and Endurance Exercise: What Does Science Say?” M. J. Gibala. Gatorade Sport Science Institute. 2006.

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