The daily recommended allowance RDA for protein is 0. The vast majority of people consuming a typical western style diet easily achieve this level. However, scientists have begun emphasizing that these RDAs are minimum levels set to prevent deficiency rather than levels that will optimise health based on evidence from studies.

Protein has countless functions in the human body and it is especially important for the maintenance and recovery of muscle. Muscle health is a critical determinant of athletic performance, so, for athletes, achieving optimal rather than merely adequate protein intake is key.

Intense exercise causes the proteins that make up muscle to be broken down. This damage is responsible for muscle soreness and can ultimately reduce strength and function if the proteins are not replenished.

Consuming protein in the diet can offset this effect. Eating a high protein meal decreases muscle breakdown and increases muscle repair and synthesis Moore D et al. As a result, the American College of Sports Medicine advocates protein intakes higher than the RDA.

Individuals who take part in endurance sports runners, cyclists, swimmers are advised to consume between 1. A position paper from the International Society of Sports Nutrition came to a similar conclusion, suggesting ranges up to 2.

Scientific research shows that simply consuming enough protein will not optimise muscle repair and synthesis because not all types of protein are equally beneficial. In order to utilise the protein we eat, the body breaks it down into basic building blocks, called amino acids.

The source of the protein influences our ability to digest it properly and, therefore, the availability of these crucial building blocks. Protein from plants such as vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes are not as well digested as protein from animal sources or soy protein.

In addition, not all proteins contain all of the amino acids the human body needs. Some amino acids, called essential amino acids, cannot be produced by the human body and must be consumed in the diet.

Egg, milk and soy proteins are highly digestible and contain all of the essential amino acids, meaning they are considered the highest quality proteins for humans.

Recent scientific research has allowed us to refine this list even further for athletes because when it comes to building muscle, one specific amino acid, leucine, plays a critical role Layman D et al. Whey protein contains more leucine than any other source of protein and clinical studies have shown that whey stimulates muscle synthesis more effectively than other high quality proteins, especially when consumed after exercise.

This leucine trigger hypothesis has been found to be especially important for older adults , where the ability to digest and utilise protein is diminished. Home The Ultra Distance Blog. Previous Next.

Why protein is important for athletes Protein is one of the 3 macronutrients in our diet, along with carbohydrates and fat. How protein affects athletic performance After a hard workout, you create micro-tears in your muscle. Recommended daily protein intake Whether you are a long distance swimmer, an ultra-marathoner, or a body-builder, athletes need to eat larger amounts of daily protein to maintain their higher muscle mass.

When to consume protein There are all sorts of claims on when you should be consuming protein, so when do you really need it? Which protein is best for endurance athletes?

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Czech Republic. French Polynesia. United States. United Kingdom. New Zealand. Language English. While all macronutrients are important for overall health, studies show that diets high in protein can boost metabolism, aid in recovery, and enhance satiety — all of which are essential for athletes [ 2 ].

Moreover, protein also helps repair and strengthen muscle tissue, which is important to build lean muscle and may reduce the risk of injury [ 3 , 4 ].

The Dietary Reference Intake for protein is 0. However, since athletes have increased needs, this number can range between 1.

Here are some general guidelines for different athletic goals:. Here are some dietary sources of protein for athletes that will enhance any meal plan. If your client follows a vegetarian or vegan diet, they may not get enough protein to fuel their gains.

Some options include tofu, beans, lentils, legumes, nutritional yeast, seitan, plant-based protein powders, and fortified foods. These food items can easily be incorporated into a meal plan and will ensure that your client gets enough protein to build muscle, power through a workout, and enhance overall performance.

Protein plays a crucial role in an athlete's eating plan because of its ability to repair and strengthen muscles. As a nutrition professional, you can work with your clients to ensure they meet their protein needs to boost performance, build muscle, and speed up their recovery time.

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Regular resistance exercise is also a source of stress and trauma that requires greater protein availability to recover A meta-analysis involving participants across 22 published studies has also demonstrated a positive impact of protein supplementation on improvements in fat-free mass and leg strength when compared to a placebo in both young and old populations 8.

An example of this is the near-universal finding of untrained or unaccustomed individuals needing increased amounts of dietary protein. 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.

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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?

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10 1 , 5. Increased rates of muscle protein turnover and amino acid transport after resistance exercise in humans.

American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 3 , E—E E Børsheim, E. Essential amino acids and muscle protein recovery from resistance exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism , 4 , E—E Eating, drinking, and cycling.

A controlled Tour de France simulation study, Part II. Effect of diet manipulation. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 10 Suppl. Cermak, N. Protein supplementation augments the adaptive response of skeletal muscle to resistance-type exercise training: A meta-analysis.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , 96 6 , — Evidence that protein requirements have been significantly underestimated. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 13 1 , 52— Moderate exercise at energy balance does not affect h leucine oxidation or nitrogen retention in healthy men.

American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2 , E—E E Kerksick, C. Chapter 38—Requirements of Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats for Athletes. Bagchi, S. Sen Eds. Academic Press. Leucine kinetics in endurance-trained humans.

Journal of Applied Physiology, 69 1 , 1—6. Journal of Applied Physiology, 73 2 , — Finally, some evidence suggests that ingestion of branched-chain amino acids with carbohydrate during exercise may help lessen the catabolic effects of exercise Mero ; Coombes and McNaughton ; Bigard et al.

Consequently, for aerobic endurance athletes, it is important to ingest enough protein in the diet to maintain nitrogen balance. There may be some advantage to ingesting a small amount of protein or amino acids before, during, and after exercise in order to help athletes better tolerate training Kerksick et al.

For more on the timing of nutrient intake, see chapter 9. As previously discussed, for many years the conventional thought was that protein did not contribute significantly to energy metabolism during prolonged exercise.

For this reason, the contribution of protein or amino acids to the energy demands of anaerobic exercise was thought to be minimal.

Current literature now supports that proteins are degraded and that they contribute to metabolism even during a single bout of high-intensity exercise Bloomer et al.

A single bout of resistance exercise also stimulates gene expression related to protein synthesis Hulmi et al. Performing a number of sprints or successive bouts of intense exercise promoted protein degradation and oxidation De Feo et al.

Moreover, performing exercise bouts in glycogen-depleted conditions promoted a greater degradation and utilization of protein as a metabolic fuel Wagenmakers While carbohydrate remains the primary fuel needed for high-intensity exercise, protein can serve as a fuel source during high-intensity, intermittent, and prolonged exercise bouts.

For this reason, it is important to ingest carbohydrate along with protein or amino acids or both before, during, and after exercise in order to replenish amino acids used during exercise and optimize recovery Kerksick et al.

In general, athletes participating in anaerobic exercise should consume 1. Research has established that resistance-trained athletes need to ingest a sufficient amount of protein in the diet to maintain a positive nitrogen balance and anabolism Lemon Studies also indicate that ingesting protein or amino acids before, during, or after intense exercise or at more than one of these time points can influence protein synthesis pathways Willoughby, Stout, and Wilborn ; Esmarck et al.

Several questions remain:. Concerning the first question, a number of studies have shown that supplementing the diet with protein promotes greater training adaptations during resistance training than ingesting an isoenergetic amount of carbohydrate Andersen et al.

Moreover, different types of protein combined with carbohydrate or other ergogenic nutrients like creatine and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid [HMB] may have additional benefits Willoughby, Stout, and Wilborn ; Rowlands et al.

Consequently, growing evidence indicates that strength athletes should ingest quantities of protein at the upper end of the range of 1. Multiple studies have examined the combination of amino acid-carbohydrate supplements in the time frame that encompasses a resistance exercise session, but fewer have addressed supplementation with intact protein such as whey and casein after resistance exercise and its effects on nitrogen balance.

Tipton and colleagues studied the ingestion of casein and whey protein and their effects on muscle anabolism after resistance exercise. They concluded that ingestion of whey and casein after resistance exercise resulted in similar increases in muscle protein net balance and net muscle protein synthesis, despite different patterns of blood amino acid responses a quicker response of plasma amino acids for whey protein and a more sustained response for casein protein.

In a similar study, Tipton and coworkers looked at whether ingestion of whole proteins before exercise would stimulate a superior response compared with after exercise. They reported that net amino acid balance switched from negative to positive after ingestion of the whey protein at both time points.

For more specific information on the importance of the timing of protein ingestion and resistance exercise, refer to chapter 9. Previous Next. Call Us Hours Mon-Fri 7am - 5pm CST.

Contact Us Get in touch with our team. FAQs Frequently asked questions. Home Excerpts Protein intake in relation to performance. Anaerobic Exercise As previously discussed, for many years the conventional thought was that protein did not contribute significantly to energy metabolism during prolonged exercise.

Strength Training Research has established that resistance-trained athletes need to ingest a sufficient amount of protein in the diet to maintain a positive nitrogen balance and anabolism Lemon