How Protein Promotes Muscle Growth

Bodybuilders are known for consuming protein powders in high doses. Athletes know that the body builds muscle from protein. Athletes have no doubt that a high intake of protein will lead to rapid muscle growth. However, it doesn't quite work as it seems, and muscle growth doesn't require as much protein.

On average, a sedentary person requires 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. Sports nutritionists are still debating how much protein is expended in muscle growth. The only consensus is that people who lead inactive lifestyles require less protein than those who exercise in the gym. The greatest need for protein is experienced by bodybuilders and weightlifters - for 1 kg of body weight, the body needs 2 grams of protein. That is, if the weight is 95 kg, then 190 grams of protein is required per day.

Many athletes do not follow the rule of consuming 4 grams of protein to increase body weight. Whether this makes sense is difficult to say, perhaps, but only if the person is using steroids. Without chemistry, the body will not assimilate this amount of protein. Some people consume large amounts of protein and do not go to the gym, believing that large amounts of protein will cause muscle growth. This is a misconception, since with an excessive intake of proteins, the body synthesizes carbohydrates and fats from them, which ultimately leads to obesity. When doing strength training, the body's ability to absorb protein from food increases, and if it has enough carbohydrates to provide energy, then proteins are not used for these purposes and, therefore, it makes no sense to eat a huge amount of protein. Almost all foods contain small amounts of protein, with the exception of refined fats and sugars.

With a sufficient intake of fats and carbohydrates, a small part of proteins is consumed for energy production, since they are used for more important purposes:

• restoration of damaged muscle fibers; • growth of muscle tissue; • synthesis of enzymes, hormones, etc. At rest, the body uses no more than 5% of the total amount of protein from food for energy purposes. But with intense physical activity, protein consumption rises to 10%, since protein in this case turns into glucose. If there are not enough carbohydrates in the diet of a bodybuilder, protein begins to be consumed as a source of energy, and as a result, the need for it increases. This is fraught with negative consequences, such as calcium loss and dehydration, as the protein begins to perform functions for which it was not intended. It is considered safe to consume protein when its amount is not more than 20% of the total calorie intake of food.

Comments