The latest research on your protein needs
Quite simply, the latest research has debunked the notion of allthese special protein needs and that you need more protein to build
muscles.
Yes, there certainly is an advantage to eating ‘a bit more’ than the
recommended daily intake of protein – which stands at .8 grams per kilo
of bodyweight daily; but you don’t need much more than that.
Studies at McMaster University provided diets to participants at
either 1.35 or 2.62 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight: and the
participants were untrained men who were subjected to one month of
intensive weight-training at 90 minutes daily, and six days per week.
Both groups gained muscle size and strength; but:
- those who consumed the larger amount of protein gained no more than those participants who took in barely half as much
- Moreover, the gains of these subjects should be attributed
to physiological adaptation to training stimulus and NOT nutritional
status.
Having been previously untrained, and then training 90
minutes daily 6 days per week would certainly have a physiological
adaptation response in noticeable muscle growth and strength. The
research fact on training that is well-established is that most trainees
will always make their most significant gains ever, within the first 6
months to a year of training (provided that the training protocol is
adequate and the intensity of workout effort is moderate or greater).
Furthermore, the research also shows that experienced bodybuilders
who have already developed their physiques actually need LESS protein to
maintain that muscle mass.
At the height of my career when I was 260 lbs, and under 10% bodyfat,
I recall that I consumed about half as much protein as the “pros” I
knew around me, and I never took a protein powder supplement.
But why would bodybuilders with established physiques need “less”
protein? That seems counter-intuitive doesn’t it? Well they need less
protein because of the amazing wisdom of the body. They need less
protein because over time, this form of resistance training teaches the
body to retain more protein from the diet. Kind of like prioritizing
fuel efficiency.
The dirty little secret that the supplement industry doesn’t want you
to know is that massive protein intake would work against this
physiologically constructive adaptation response.
Excessive protein intake increases protein turnover rates and this
creates a kind of dependency on continual excessive protein need intake
and this works against the body’s needs. This means that in a
well-developed bodybuilder physique – the more protein taken in, the
more protein is metabolically wasted, but also needed as well.
More isn’t always better: a little more protein is good, for the hard
training resistance trainee. A lot more is nonsensical and unnecessary.
Research proves it.
As I have argued in many, many previous articles – it’s the protein
sparing macronutrients that require the most attention in any diet. My
coaching clients know this.
This means your level of fats and/or carbohydrates. You can either
focus on one or the other of these protein sparing macronutrients OR
BOTH. It doesn’t matter.
