Berkeley Wellness Alerts
March 19, 2010 | Comments: 0
Do You Need Extra Protein If You Exercise?
Many athletes and exercisers think that consuming extra protein will help them build muscle and improve performance. They don't need those t-bone steaks or protein supplements.
Even if you are a vigorous exerciser or athlete, chances are you already get more than enough protein. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for adults is 0.8 grams of protein a day for each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. That’s 64 grams of protein for a 175-pound man and 47 grams for a 130-pound woman (an ounce of chicken or peanuts or cup of milk has about 8 grams of protein).
If you exercise regularly you may need a little more protein than the RDA, but most Americans already get more than that; many get twice the RDA without trying. Even weight-lifters and endurance athletes generally get enough protein, simply because their higher-calorie diets supply it. Athletes on low-calorie diets and people who eat no animal foods may need to make more of an effort, though.
Some studies suggest that the timing of your protein might make a difference, however. While eating carbohydrates immediately after intense exercise replenishes glycogen (the storage form of glucose, used as fuel during exercise), adding a little protein to the mix seems to benefit muscle as well.
A study in the Journal of Physiology a few years ago, for example, found that older men who consumed protein right after resistance training developed more muscle after 12 weeks, compared to men who had the protein two hours after exercising. And a study at McMaster University in Canada this year found the proteins in skim milk (casein and whey) particularly effective in stimulating muscle growth after resistance training in young men—more so than soy milk protein. Other studies show that post-exercise protein reduces muscle damage. Whether this makes much difference in athletic performance is debatable, but it can’t hurt to have a cup of skim milk or yogurt after a workout.
Keep in mind: Consuming more protein than your body needs does not build more muscle. Only exercise, specifically strength training, does.
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