Tarnopolsky et al. They concluded that the lowest intake compromised protein synthesis when compared to the moderate and high intakes and that while the moderate protein intake amounted to a neutral protein balance, they recommended one standard deviation above at 1.

Other studies have also suggested that protein intakes ranging from 1. The International Society of Sports Nutrition ISSN has also published position statements on the protein requirements of athletes, and they note 1.

And a consensus statement from ACSM et al. A fascinating and recent study was a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression by Morton et al.

Data from the review, including 49 previous studies and participants, showed that protein supplementation significantly improved fat-free mass gains, maximal strength, muscle fibre diameter, and cross-sectional area of femur thigh mass The authors also noted that a protein intake higher than 1.

Two other studies by Antonio et al. Their first intervention had 30 resistance-trained individuals continue following their typical exercise training program alongside either a control or high-protein diet 4.

While the 30 participants were at a caloric surplus for 8 weeks, no changes in body mass, fat mass, fat-free mass, or per cent body fat were found when compared to the control group.

The participants followed either their normal diet of 2. Ultimately, the researchers found similar changes in strength, and the control group saw a significant increase in body mass. In contrast, the high-protein group saw a greater decrease in fat mass and per cent body fat 3. They theorised that those changes in fat-free mass they saw in both of the groups were the result of a different training stimulus.

Intermediate Strength Athletes 6 months — 2 years training : 1. And what is also important to consider is the speed at which an athlete loses body mass. To read the Research Review on making weight the wrong way, click here. They found that the higher protein diet lost significantly less fat-free mass, and both groups lost similar amounts of fat mass and performed similarly in all physical tasks assessed.

Pasiakos et al. Following the week intervention, the two groups that consumed higher amounts of protein 1. Lastly, a more recent study conducted by Longland et al. Following 8 weeks, those in the higher protein group were able to gain more fat-free mass and lose fat mass simultaneously often called body recomposition.

Now that daily protein requirements across many studies have been thoroughly analysed and noted, what is next important is protein intake on a per-meal basis as well as timing around training.

The most common strategy involves consuming protein in and around a training session to repair muscular damage and enhance post-exercise strength and hypertrophy-related adaptations Furthermore, pre-training nutrition may function as both a pre- and immediate post-exercise meal as digestion can persist well into the recovery period following exercise The effects of protein timing for increasing muscle protein synthesis related to exercise is a hotly debated subject in the literature.

Borsheim et al. Tipton et al. As well as their notion of the next scheduled protein-rich meal whether it occurs immediately or hours post-exercise is likely sufficient for maximising recovery and anabolism 4.

Lastly, within a meta-analysis of 20 studies and participants by Schoenfeld et al. They note that if an anabolic window does exist, it would appear to be greater than the currently held allotment of one hour.

They go on further to state that any positive effects they saw within the studies they analysed were most likely due to overall daily protein intake and not the timing of protein intake Alex holds a BSc in Kinesiology from the University of Ottawa Canada.

He is now completing an MSc in Diabetes Medicine He is type 1 myself at the University of Dundee Scotland. Learn how to improve your athletes' agility. This free course also includes a practical coaching guide to help you design and deliver your own fun and engaging agility sessions.

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Pricing FAQs Reviews Free trial. Blog Newsletter Community Podcast Tools. About us Contact us Join our team Privacy policy Terms of use Terms and conditions Disclaimer. Contents Determining Protein Requirements Protein Requirements for Athletes Energy Restriction Protein Timing Main Takeaways About the Author References Comments.

Alex St. John Alex holds a BSc in Kinesiology from the University of Ottawa Canada. More content by Alex. American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, and Dietitians of Canada. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. The effects of consuming a high protein diet 4. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition , 11 1 , A high protein diet 3.

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12 1 , Nutrient timing revisited: Is there a post-exercise anabolic window?

We have to notice the different types of hypertrophy occurring and what type of training can stimulate each type of hypertrophy which then leads to greater levels of muscle protein synthesis, which then leads to individual goals.

Hypertrophy is actually growing the muscle belly. Take the pecs. Satellite cells play into the entire role of hypertrophy. There are three means of increasing muscle hypertrophy.

Myofibrillar hypertrophy , connective tissue hypertrophy, and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Connective tissue hypertrophy collagenous hypertrophy plays a significant part in how much the actual body and muscle belly grow.

All three forms of hypertrophy play a part in muscle protein synthesis. Think of bodybuilders with sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.

Think of weightlifters with myofibrillar hypertrophy, which helps with contractile force within the muscles. Now we need to think of the role of exercise with hypertrophy and its impact on muscle protein synthesis. Brad Schonfeld and Alan Aragon deserve a lot of credit for their research on daily protein distribution.

They have broken down the concept of muscle protein synthesis and the types of hypertrophy that occur to determine how much protein is needed for compound movements versus isolation movements. For example, a back squat compared to leg extensions makes a difference. Will the protein be localized to an area or will there be a greater impact from doing more compound movements?

Schonfeld had some experimentees rest for 12 hours after doing some moderate leg extension protocol. Each participant had 80 grams of whey protein ingested. The ingestion was done in three ways: eight servings of 10 grams of protein throughout the day, four servings of 20 grams of protein every three hours, and two servings of 40 grams of protein every six hours.

Which one is more effective when using leg extensions? Remember, this study focused entirely on leg extensions. Schonfeld points out that there is one trial where subjects received 20 grams of protein immediately out after performing a training bout.

During another trial, they did this with 40 grams of a protein bolus. The results showed that the myofibrillar fractional synthetic rate was 20 percent higher in the 40 grams than the 20 grams. Meaning, if training a full-body, compound movement, something using multiple joints, there is a bigger payoff in myofibrillar hypertrophy taking 40 grams of protein.

A little bit more protein payoffs in this scenario with compound movements. Do their bodies use protein differently? Do the bodies adapt differently from an isolation movement or compound movement? Does the body need more protein?

We have seen in research that the training status of an individual does indeed impact the amplitude and duration of the acute response of muscle protein synthesis to resistance-based exercises. Their body recovers quicker. The untrained individual the body is figuring out how to use the amino acids.

Over a longer period of time, the untrained body figures out how to partition the amino acid. The research also shows us that things can alter over the training process.

More advanced athletes probably need protein within a 30 to minute window, but for an untrained individual, it takes more time with the synthesis rate.

The compound movement plays a big factor. Athletes with a younger training age, just starting out to train, maybe doing move isometric work on machines. Individuals who train longer have a bigger spike in their overall reaction to partitioning the amino acids in their bloodstream; it happens faster, it is more rapid.

For people with a younger training age, it takes longer but happens over a greater duration. Training age matters, but in most cases, trained athletes and untrained athletes will use the protein over a 24 to hour timeframe.

Because muscle protein synthesis is a balance between synthesis and degradation, both variables must be considered in any discussion with dietary usage of protein.

The results showed that higher protein intake drastically improved the anabolic response. This reveals a massive, muddied area. The massive amount of protein points us to the science that the thermic effect of food is real.

It will take 20 calories just to break down the 70 grams of protein. It will be used. Higher protein diets lead to more lean individuals. Strength athletes believe more protein is important to build muscle. It turns out that strength athletes actually require a slightly higher carbohydrate intake to build adequate glycogen stores to fuel their workouts.

It is the strength training workout that leads to increased muscle mass and strength. This is because all high intensity, powerful muscle contractions such as weightlifting are fueled with carbohydrates.

Neither fat nor protein can be oxidized rapidly enough to meet the demands of high-intensity exercise. Adequate dietary carbohydrate must be consumed daily to restore glycogen levels.

This is how many grams of protein are found in different foods:. Mariotti F, Gardner CD. Dietary protein and amino acids in vegetarian diets—A review. Kato H, Suzuki K, Bannai M, Moore DR. Protein requirements are elevated in endurance athletes after exercise as determined by the indicator amino acid oxidation method.

PLoS One. Jäger, R. et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise.

J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14, 20 By Elizabeth Quinn, MS Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics. Use limited data to select advertising.

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But how much do athletes need? Several research papers have attempted to answer this question, and one of the key researchers in this field is Professor Stuart Phillips from McMaster University. In a paper from , Phillips explained that many studies support the notion that athletes of all kinds have higher protein requirements than sedentary individuals.

In a paper , Lemon and colleagues reported that, in a group of twelve resistance training males, protein requirements were 1.

There appeared to be no benefit regarding muscle strength or size with higher protein intake the researchers tested 2. These results were mirrored by Tarnopolsky and colleagues in another paper finding that 1.

Increased protein intake by athletes also supports immune function and guards against overtraining. From time to time, athletes are also interested in losing weight and fat.

In non-weight category sports, athletes usually want to decrease fat mass while maintaining or gaining muscle mass to improve the crucial power to weight ratio. In sprinting, for example, during the general preparation period, athletes need to consume sufficient calories to support training adaptations.

In weight category sports, athletes tend to live day to day at weights well above their category and then cut their weight before a competition.

Higher than normal protein intakes give them an advantage. Several studies of non-athletes suggest that higher protein intake helps with fat loss by increasing thermogenesis as protein requires greater energy to metabolize than required by fats and carbohydrates.

Protein also improves diet adherence by increasing satiety , keeping you feeling full longer. During periods of caloric restriction, increased protein intakes appear to successfully maintain lean mass levels , allowing athletes to keep their hard won muscle mass.

Can Athletes Consume Too Much Protein? Is there such a thing as too much protein? We often hear too much protein can damage the kidneys, but research indicates that protein intakes of up to 2.

In an 80kg athlete, this would equal close to calories of protein g of protein , the equivalent to g of chicken breast. The next question is: when should athletes consume their protein?

Research indicates the BCAAs, especially leucine, activate a number of key enzymes involved in muscle hypertrophy and repair. Based on this, it seems obvious that we want to consume at least some protein around the time of our training session to allow this activation to occur.

After resistance training, combining protein and carbohydrates increases muscle protein synthesis when compared to carbohydrate intake alone. We can enhance this increase by adding leucine to the protein-carbohydrate drink. This is a common practice in research because it removes the effect of a pre-training meal; individuals might consume different foods which might alter what the researchers are measuring.

In fact, some research suggests that consuming protein before training is more important than post-training.

Again, this is logical, given that it takes time for the protein to digest and be transported to the muscles. Placing this into a real world context, if you have a meal before training, ensure it contains protein. After training, have another meal with protein or a protein supplement possibly with added leucine.

It appears that 20g of protein post-training is the minimal amount. In a really good review on whether or not the post-training anabolic window exists , the authors suggested that protein intakes of g both before one to two hours pre- and after training were optimal for building muscle.

Research is currently ongoing on this important topic, but we do know that Masters athletes looking to maintain or gain lean body mass may need to ingest closer to 30 or even 40 grams of protein four times daily , as protein utilization rates decrease with age thus we need to eat more absolute grams of protein to meet daily repair and recovery needs.

We always recommend a food-first approach, since foods contain many beneficial nutrients and compounds in addition to protein. But many busy athletes find it tricky to consistently take in adequate protein four times per day and may benefit from adding a supplement from time to time, or even once per day.

If you do supplement your diet with protein shakes, powder, and drinks , remember that they are not regulated, which means they might include not-so-good-for-you ingredients that are not listed on the label.

There are many options to choose from, and luckily, you can choose whether you would like to include a milk-based whey or casein or plant-based generally from pea, hemp, soy, or a combination of the three based on your personal preference.

Regarding protein type, while you may have heard that including specific amino acids, mainly branched-chain amino acids BCAAs and specifically Leucine , is needed in order to stimulate maximum muscle protein synthesis, the most recent research concludes that as long as you are taking in at least 20 to 30 grams of protein post-workout and at each meal with one snack to total four times per day, you do not need to focus specifically on BCAAs.

Still, both milk-based proteins whey and casein are touted as being high in BCAAs and demonstrate high nitrogen retention and bioavailability meaning a higher percentage of the total protein you eat will be put to good use in studies on protein supplementation in resistance-training athletes.

Additionally, vegetarian protein sources, including the widely-studied soy protein, can be included in order to effectively reach your protein needs.

You, in fact, do need more protein than your less active friends and than the recommended daily allowance , but for most people, the benefits of increasing your protein intake drop off after about 1. So as long as you include protein-rich foods four times per day aiming for between 1.

Simply continue your resistance training at least two to three times per week and choose a wide range of foods that you enjoy, ensuring that the combination of foods you choose includes at least 20 grams or possibly 30 to 40 grams, pending age or during times of low energy availability , and you will be able to reach your strength, power, and increased muscle mass goals.

Back to All Stories As an athlete, you may need more protein than you think to build and maintain muscle. Why is Protein So Important? How Much Protein Do Athletes Need?

Eggs 3 eggs Nuts ½ cup Tofu 1 cup Greek yogurt 8 oz. So, what is the correct protein intake to optimize performance and body composition? A recent position statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dieticians of America, and the American College of Sports Medicine summarizes the evidence for numerous sports nutrition recommendations including dietary protein intake.

The current data suggests that physically active individuals should consume 1. The upper end of that protein intake is recommended for individuals during periods of higher training frequency and greater intensity and during periods of calorie restriction to maintain muscle mass.

In regards to the timing of protein intake, the position statement recommends that individuals consume 0. Furthermore, that same amount is recommended every 3 to 5 hours over multiple meals throughout the day to maximize muscular adaptation. Although the current evidence states that athletes need more than the current recommendations, it is not quite as high as what is observed in some gym circles.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. Protein intake for athletes. Did you find this article useful? Please tell us why?