Did you know that protein cannot be stored in the body as a nutrient? Read on to learn why.
As one of the three most important macronutrients, protein is essential for many body functions including lean muscle gain.
What Is It Good For?
As you may already know, protein is important for lean muscle growth (bring on the gainz!). Muscle growth is great for everyone because it can make you stronger, speed up your metabolism and fat loss, and give you a great physique.
This is because proteins make up amino acids which build up muscle tissue (in size, not quantity).
But it is much more than that.
Protein is also important for many cell interactions including but not limited to: enzyme and tissue production, bodily fluid and pH balance, hormones, and antibody production (anyone need an immune system booster lately?).
So even if your goal isn't to gain lean muscle, you should still be aware of your protein levels for overall health.
Where Can I Find It?
The easiest source of protein in food is found in animal products such as fish, poultry, eggs, and milk.
When choosing from animal sources, you just have to be mindful of saturated fats, so be sure to choose lean options like chicken breast, egg whites, and white fish.
You can also get the protein you need from plant sources, but you need to keep in mind it will take eating more to get it.
Great plant protein sources include beans ( hummus anyone?), nuts, and soy products.
Although, if you are limiting your diet, the more you exclude, the harder it is to get what you need. This is why some choose to add supplements to their diet.
Protein supplements can be made from both animals and plants and can come in many forms like powders, drinks, and bars. Like any food, make sure you read labels so you aren't choosing one that is high in sugars and fillers.
How Often Do I Need It?
My recommendation is to have protein in each meal, about every 3-4 hours for best absorption. Every meal should have a balance of proteins, carbs, and fats.
In addition, the amount of protein in each meal should be limited from 15-30g of protein. Studies show that protein absorption is greater when meals have around 20-25 grams of protein, as opposed to larger meals with something like 40 grams. Even if the daily amount is the same, more protein is absorbed when spread through the day.
Both of these recommendations are based on the body's anabolic threshold timing. Throughout the day, the body is constantly going through a state of protein building and protein breakdown.
This basically means that around every 3-4 hours, the body needs more protein for its daily need, or it will continue tissue breakdown to get what it needs.
How Much Do I Need?
A gram of protein is equivalent to a lean 4 calories, so it's pretty easy to make sure you have at least the minimum levels recommended by the daily guidelines if you don't have any dietary restrictions.
The USDA guidelines recommend that about 17% of calories come from protein (90g in a 2,000 calorie diet). Alternatively, the U.S. RDA (recommended daily allowance) is .8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight.
If these values seem low, this is because these are the minimum levels needed based on averages to avoid deficiency. They do not refer to optimums, or levels needed for specific ages or populations. Also, more recent studies show that past science may be undershooting the need for protein.
Overall, most people (including older adults) should be taking in 0.8- 1.5 grams of protein per pound of weight depending on their goals and activity levels.
In general, if your goal is muscle growth, or if you are an athlete, you will need much more than what the RDA levels suggest. It is best to determine it based on the individual.
Is There a Down Side To Excess?
In general, the downside to eating too much protein, is eating too many calories, ergo weight gain.
Although, in some cases protein might be a detriment to health if you have kidney issues. Eating extra protein will put additional strain on a malfunctioning kidney, so it's good to check with a doctor before changing your diet dramatically.
Other than that, if you are healthy, monitoring and increasing your protein levels shouldn't be a problem. Just don't go overboard. Like anything, moderation is key!
Protein Isn't Stored?!
Now, back to my earlier statement: protein isn't stored.
It's true! While protein breaks down into amino acids (muscle building block) and is used by nearly every cell in the body, it can't actually be stored. After it's broken down and used by the cells, any extra protein can be transformed to fat and carbs for storage.
In my opinion, this makes it the most dynamic macro of them all! (So no, drinking five protein shakes in one sitting will not equate to five pounds of muscle).
So do you think you are getting the right amount of protein for your goals?
What are your favorite protein sources?
Do you have any concerns about protein intake?
Comment below!
I didn’t realize that the body doesn’t store protein. So I am definitely going to start watching my protein intake. This was a great article full of good and information.
Very informative. I usually take my protein shakes right when I wake up and right after my workout. I hear taking it before your workout isn’t bad either. It’s hard to get more than two a day in though. At least for me.