Learn why you don't need to go over-board with your protein consumption to build muscle and burn fat.
By Craven
Okay, people.
Enough is enough.
Somewhere between ridiculous supplement recommendations and "brosicence" locker room talk, protein intake has gotten out of hand.
Go around and ask anyone who weight trains what it takes to build muscle, and they'll immediately respond with PROTEIN.
This is mostly correct, but when it comes to the consumption of protein, people seem to think MORE=BETTER.
"Well clearly if you eat more protein, then you'll build more muscle!" is what you might hear these bros commonly recite.
Sorry to tell you, but this couldn't be more factually inaccurate.
If gaining muscle tissue was all about who could eat the most protein, we’d all be having 500 grams and walking around looking like Arnold.
Increasing muscle mass isn't high on our bodies to do lists.
An overly high protein intake will actually result in higher protein breakdown and potentially desensitize the body to certain amino acids. (we definitely don't want this)
So much of your expensive protein, and hard earned cash, is just being wasted.
Sorry, bro.
Okay, people.
Enough is enough.
Somewhere between ridiculous supplement recommendations and "brosicence" locker room talk, protein intake has gotten out of hand.
Go around and ask anyone who weight trains what it takes to build muscle, and they'll immediately respond with PROTEIN.
This is mostly correct, but when it comes to the consumption of protein, people seem to think MORE=BETTER.
"Well clearly if you eat more protein, then you'll build more muscle!" is what you might hear these bros commonly recite.
Sorry to tell you, but this couldn't be more factually inaccurate.
If gaining muscle tissue was all about who could eat the most protein, we’d all be having 500 grams and walking around looking like Arnold.
Increasing muscle mass isn't high on our bodies to do lists.
An overly high protein intake will actually result in higher protein breakdown and potentially desensitize the body to certain amino acids. (we definitely don't want this)
So much of your expensive protein, and hard earned cash, is just being wasted.
Sorry, bro.
Don't throw away cash on excess protein!
Muscle growth is a pretty complex adaptation that involves interactions between insulin, amino acid availability, growth hormone, androgenic hormones, androgens, exercise, metabolic metabolites, and other factors. For muscle gain to occur, muscle protein synthesis must be greater than muscle protein breakdown.
At the micro biological level, this shit is extremely complicated and I don't pretend to know every exact intricate processes and pathways involved. But I will pretend to have common sense.
At the micro biological level, this shit is extremely complicated and I don't pretend to know every exact intricate processes and pathways involved. But I will pretend to have common sense.
How much do you need?
Tough question. There are so many factors at play like age and lean body mass.
There are a good amount of studies suggesting that 40 grams of protein is too much and that 20 grams is all that’s needed to maximize muscle protein synthesis.
I’m not saying don’t have any meals with protein more than 20 grams.
This is only in regards to muscle protein synthesis. Protein has plenty of other uses in the body. It just helps to put things into perspective. I don’t believe that a perfect amount exists.
Tough question. There are so many factors at play like age and lean body mass.
There are a good amount of studies suggesting that 40 grams of protein is too much and that 20 grams is all that’s needed to maximize muscle protein synthesis.
I’m not saying don’t have any meals with protein more than 20 grams.
This is only in regards to muscle protein synthesis. Protein has plenty of other uses in the body. It just helps to put things into perspective. I don’t believe that a perfect amount exists.
So what do we know?
- Eating is anabolic but only if there is sufficient essential amino acids (10 grams needed for MPS).
- Twenty grams of whey is sufficient to maximally stimulate MPS
- Leucine is a very potent anabolic stimulator and a certain amount is required to maximally stimulate MPS (learn more about LEUCINE in my article on Supplements You Should Be Using)
- The type of exercise (volume, intensity) can influence muscle protein synthesis.
- Eating every two hours not only won’t increase your metabolism, but it won’t increase protein synthesis either. Another hole in that myth.
Tell me How Much I Need All Ready!
I wish I could tell you PRECISELY, but once again, IT DEPENDS.
What I can do is give you a general recommendation that will suit almost everyone's individual weight loss/ muscle gain programs, male or female.
From seeing how I respond to protein, people I've worked with, and reading lots of anecdotal and research articles, I say it's safe to recommend ONE gram of protein for every pound of body weight. Sometimes, in most cases actually, less is needed, especially if you're someone who maintains body mass (muscle and body fat) relatively easily. Higher recommendations are made for thinner, "hard gainers."
I wish I could tell you PRECISELY, but once again, IT DEPENDS.
What I can do is give you a general recommendation that will suit almost everyone's individual weight loss/ muscle gain programs, male or female.
From seeing how I respond to protein, people I've worked with, and reading lots of anecdotal and research articles, I say it's safe to recommend ONE gram of protein for every pound of body weight. Sometimes, in most cases actually, less is needed, especially if you're someone who maintains body mass (muscle and body fat) relatively easily. Higher recommendations are made for thinner, "hard gainers."
Wrapping It Up
If gaining muscle is your goal, please understand that this is a long-term process.
You can’t rush it.
Your body will gain tissue at its own pace.
Going overboard with protein won’t increase your muscle mass. Time, proper lifting, and adequate, well-rounded nutrition will.
So don’t be afraid to spread your meals out.
Make sure that you’re getting leucine and don’t be an idiot with three times your body weight in protein.
As my dear mentor Mike Samuels says,"HAPPY LIVING. HEAVY LIFTING, EVERYONE!"
If gaining muscle is your goal, please understand that this is a long-term process.
You can’t rush it.
Your body will gain tissue at its own pace.
Going overboard with protein won’t increase your muscle mass. Time, proper lifting, and adequate, well-rounded nutrition will.
So don’t be afraid to spread your meals out.
Make sure that you’re getting leucine and don’t be an idiot with three times your body weight in protein.
As my dear mentor Mike Samuels says,"HAPPY LIVING. HEAVY LIFTING, EVERYONE!"
References
- Julien Bohe (2001) Latency and duration of stimulate of human muscle protein synthesis during continuous infusion of amino acids. J Phys.
- Duncan, Fred (2011) The Protein Con. www.elitefts.com/articles/theproteincon
- Atherton PJ (2010) Muscle full effect after oral protein: time-dependent concordance and discordance between human muscle protein synthesis and mTORC1 signaling. Am J Clin Nutr.
- Atherton PJ (2012) Muscle protein synthesis in response to nutrition and exercise. The Journal of Physiology.
- Witard OC (2014) Myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis rates subsequent to a meal in response to increasing doses of whey protein at rest and after resistance exercise. Am J Clin Nutr.
- Padden-Jones D (2004) Amino acid ingestion improves muscle protein synthesis in the young and elderly.Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab.
- Tipton KD (1999) Post-exercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids. Am J Physiol.
- Churchward-Venne TA (2014) Leucine supplementation of a low-protein mixed macronutrient beverage enhances myofibrillar protein synthesis in young men: double-blind, randomized trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
