Protein: The Endurance Athlete's Guide

• Protein intake can broadly impact muscle growth and recovery. So, to build more muscle, you should ensure you get enough protein from your food and/or supplements.

 

• The most important aspect of a successful protein diet is meeting your daily requirement.

 

• Our protein needs are linked more to how much fat-free mass we have than they are to our body weight.

 

• Muscle protein synthesis often maxes out at 20–40 grams of protein in a meal.

 

• The daily protein intake is more important than the distribution of meals.

 

• Research shows that the best way to get the most muscle growth is to eat about 0.4-0.55g/kg of protein at each of your 4-6 daily meals.

 

• It is the threshold that ensures that there is enough protein for muscle growth.

 

• Consuming up to 3g of leucine in protein-rich meals is a great idea.

 

• Taking protein every 3–4 hours is an excellent way to ensure you get enough.

 

• Some people choose to avoid protein for up to 24 hours. In such cases, this fasting period could last longer than 24 hours.

 

• Studies on caloric deficits still show good muscle retention when protein and calories are at an appropriate level.

 

• If you limited protein to 20–40 g, that would not be the case.

 

• You can try eating something high in protein and low in fat and carbohydrates during your fasting window if you wish to improve this aspect.

 

• To get the most out of your workout, you must eat protein as soon as possible.

 

• You should have around 0.4g of protein per kilogram within 3-5 hours after your workout.

 

• These results suggest that drinking a protein shake either before or after exercise can be good for your health.

 

• The 5-hour aspect is only relevant for people with too much protein before training.

 

• Protein takes time to digest and be absorbed.

 

• If you are already getting enough protein and distributing it evenly, you have already checked this box.

 

• The amino acid profile of a protein can be used to judge how good it is.

 

• Protein from meat, eggs, and beans can help you build muscles.

 

• Collagen protein is one example of how this would matter.

 

• You hear a lot about leucine and muscle protein synthesis, but there are also many other vital factors.

 

• One study looked at the effects of collagen and whey protein, both rich in leucine content.

 

• Even though it was only with the addition of leucine, whey protein still outperformed collagen.

 

• So eat a wide range of protein-rich foods, including meat products.

 

• Most plant-based protein sources don't have all of the essential amino acids that people need for good health.

 

• You might have heard that some protein sources are incomplete because they do not provide an optimal amount of amino acids.

 

• When you eat different types of protein at different meals, amino acids are naturally added to your diet throughout the day.

 

• Studies have shown that athletes can better balance their nutritional needs for macronutrients by eating more protein. The experts say that you should eat at least 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day.

 

• A recent study found that people on plant-based diets have no higher protein needs for overall good health.

 

• The study does not change the established understanding of proteins.

 

• Protein powders can be a less messy way to get protein.

 

• Pea protein is an incomplete source of protein, but it still makes the same amount of muscle protein.

 

• You can solve the amino acid problem by combining it with another protein-rich food, like rice. Even though pea protein doesn't have all of the essential amino acids, it will still help build muscle protein.

 

• The pea protein supplement is missing the amino acids that the plant-based version contains.

 

• I wouldn't recommend getting most of your daily protein from supplements.

 

• Sometimes it's hard to get all your protein in before bed. If you spread it out daily, it is easier to meet the quota!

 

• Consuming different protein sources in sufficient amounts will ensure healthy protein intake.

 

• Mix it with food or drink for a quick protein boost on the go!