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Sports Nutrition
Protein Primer
By Julie Stevens, CTS Coach
Stay Strong
A recent study in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism points to the benefits of athletes adding more protein to their diets. In the study, athletes who ate roughly 50% to 100% more protein enjoyed more strength and less muscle loss from strenuous endurance training, without necessarily putting on more fat. But there is a catch: the athletes in the study did not decrease the amount of carbs and fat they were taking in during the test period. They simply added more calories, in the form of protein, to see what would happen.
Not replacing calories from carbohydrates and fat with protein is a critical distinction that separates these findings from the rash of high-protein diets that have been a fad for the last decade or so. In those cases, carbs were often replaced with more protein (and usually much more fat) in an effort to shed pounds. With the new study above, the extra protein was added on top of their usual training table of plentiful carbs and healthy fats.
Protein Sources Matter
Most people get their protein from one of three sources: soy, dairy, or meat. At first glance, these sources may seem interchangeable, but they all react differently inside the body.
Soy protein is the least effective protein—it’s only absorbed into the body at around 3.9 grams per hour. In other words, it’s going to take a lot of soy and a lot of time for your body to process this protein. This slow absorption rate makes it attractive to people who are looking to lose weight since the body burns additional calories as it works on breaking down the soy protein. Unfortunately, this lengthy processing time makes soy a less than ideal source of protein for athletes looking to recover quickly from a strenuous workout. On the other hand, soy is a heart-healthy protein, as it contains no saturated fats and no cholesterol.
Protein from dairy products contains a combination of whey protein and casein protein. Whey protein is absorbed extremely fast—up to 10 grams an hour—which is why whey protein shakes have been a muscle-building staple for years. Casein, on the other hand, is funneled into the blood stream at roughly 6.1 grams per hour. This slower absorption rate partly explains milk’s promotion as weight-management tool—the unabsorbed casein sits in the intestine and helps a person feel “full”. Like soy protein above, the body burns extra calories to process the protein. The combination of whey and casein makes dairy and excellent choice for athletes as it addresses their immediate (whey) and long-term (casein) protein needs. The downside: large swaths of the population are lactose-intolerant and can’t stomach the stuff.
Lastly, the protein from meat, specifically pork steak, showed an absorption rate of 10 grams per hour. But not all meats are alike; some contain a lot of unwelcome fat. With that in mind, choose 95% fat-free beef. Better yet, choose fish which packs in heart healthy sources of fat. Or choose the reliable chicken breast, with the skin and excess fat removed. Meat, in the form of lean beef, poultry, fish, and pork is good stuff—it delivers a host of nutrients—but it shouldn't be your sole source of protein. Try taking in one serving per day and make up the rest of your protein intake from other sources like non-fat dairy, soy, legumes, or nuts.
Final Word: Adding more protein from a variety of sources (up to roughly 150 grams for for a 165-pound man) to a diet that’s already rich in carbohydrates may help you stay stronger through the season.
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