Protein

[runningwild]

Could someone tell me how much protein our bodies can process at one time.  Someone at the gym I frequent tried to convince me it was 20g at a time.  Is that true, or is it much more complicated than that (I'm suspecting it is....)

Any help is much appreciated.

Cheers,
 Stephanie

[Sandy]

This is a good one for Peter to answer as it is his expertise.

[runningwild]

Perfect!  I will eagerly await his response....ah the suspense is killing me!!   

[Newt]

G'day Guys,
How much protein you can process at one time, interesting question though I don't know it's significance. It would depend on a lot of things, i.e. type of protein, (steak will be harder to digest than a whey protein shake), how long it's been since your last meal i.e how empty your stomach is, what you are doing at the time i.e. intense exercise can reduce your ability to process just about everything though proteins more so when refined carbs.
You want to make sure there is some protein in all your meals, a 4:1 ratio of carbs and protein after a workout has been shown to increase recovery. But as far as how much you can process if you ate 100g of protein I can't see why your body wouldn't be able to process it, it just would take awhile. Your body will use what it needs for muscle repair/rebuild, immune system uses protein, then the rest will get used as fuel or stored as fat.

Like you said more complicated than just a straight number amount.

Hope this helps

Peace
Peter

[runningwild]

Thanks for the insight Peter.  I think my uncertainty is knowing what amounts of protein and carbs to take in every day, and how it should be broken down at each meal/snack.  There seems to be so much information out there, it's hard to know what's "right" and what's "wrong".

Can you suggest a book or website that would be helpful for someone like me who's just learning all the ins and outs of running and fueling my body?

Cheers,
 Stephanie

[Newt]

G'day Stephanie,

Like I mentioned in the post a little bit of lean protein in each of your meals from a variety of sources is the best way of getting it in your diet. I think the RDA is .8g/kg of body weight per day, which is likely quite low for athletes, I would typically target at around 2g/kg to 3g/kg for most people training to a max of 4g/kg for larger people in very heavy intense training. As most research show there isn't really any harm in overdoing it and there can be additional benefits. Though remember lean protein from a variety of sources as all proteins aren't created the same.

Peace
Peter

[runningwild]

Thanks Peter.  I appreciate the info.

Cheers,
 Stephanie

[Newt]

Stephanie,

Here is an article I just ran across that you may find informative.

There's more to know about protein than that it supports muscle growth and is abundant in meat.
You?ve already passed Protein 101. You know that protein is important for muscle growth, and that protein needs increase with exercise. Now it?s time for Protein 202?five beyond-the-basics protein facts that will help you use protein more effectively to build muscle and even burn fat. Here they are:
1. Not all proteins are equal
There?s a lot of talk about ?good fats? and ?bad fats? and about ?good carbs? and ?bad carbs?, but some proteins are better than others, as well. Animal foods (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) are better protein sources than plant foods (vegetables, grains, legumes) for three reasons. First, animal foods contain much larger amounts of protein. In addition, animal proteins are more complete?meaning they contain more of the essential amino acids the body cannot manufacture on its own.
Finally, due to the high fiber content of many plant foods, the proteins in plant foods are not absorbed as well as those in animal foods. Only 78 percent of the protein contained in high-fiber legumes is actually digested, compared to 97 percent of the protein contained in animal foods. For this reason, vegetarians are advised to consume 10 percent more total protein on a daily basis than meat eaters to account for the inferior ?bioavailability? of plant proteins.
2. Protein is great for weight loss
Protein is more satiating, or filling, than carbohydrate and fat. Therefore maintaining a high-protein diet is an effective way to reduce hunger, eat fewer total calories, and shed excess body fat. A recent study from the University of Washington School of Medicine found that subjects voluntarily reduced their daily eating by 441 calories per day and lost almost 11 pounds, on average, when they switched from a low-protein diet (15 percent of calories) to a high-protein diet (30 percent of total calories).
Just as some proteins are higher in quality than others, some proteins are more filling than others. Soy and dairy proteins are among the most filling, while egg proteins are the least filling.
3. Timing of protein intake is important
It?s not only the quality of the proteins you consume that determines how they affect your body. It?s also when you consume them. The most beneficial times to consume protein are immediately before and immediately after workouts. A much higher percentage of consumed proteins are used to create muscle tissue when they are made available to the muscles during exercise stress and the recovery period following exercise.
A recent Australian study found that men gained more muscle mass over the course of a 10-week strength-training program when they consumed protein immediately before and immediately after workouts than they did when they consumed the same protein supplement in the morning and in the evening.
4. Protein during exercise is beneficial
Most people think of carbohydrate as the nutrient that boosts performance when consumed during exercise?and it?s true: carbohydrate sports drinks and energy gels increase endurance and maximum exercise intensity significantly when consumed during prolonged or interval-type workouts. But new research has also shown that sports drinks containing a little protein along with carbohydrate increase endurance even more, while also drastically reducing muscle damage, resulting in faster recovery and better performance in the next workout, as well.
5. There?s such a thing as protein overkill
Many guys who work out regularly like to follow each session by consuming a protein shake containing huge amounts of protein and little or no carbohydrate. This is a mistake, because research has shown that most of this protein is either converted to fat or excreted in the urine. To maximize muscle protein synthesis after exercise, it?s actually better to consume a supplement containing a fairly large amount of carbohydrate and only a modest amount of protein. This is because carbohydrate stimulates the transport and metabolic mechanisms that allow muscle protein synthesis to occur.
In a recent study from the University of Texas Health Science Center, scientists evaluated the effects of an amino acid [i.e. protein] supplement and an amino acid/carbohydrate supplement on protein synthesis. They found that the carbohydrate?amino acid supplement was 38 percent more effective than the amino acid supplement in building muscle.

Peace
Peter

[David]

Peter,

  That was a great article. For years I have always been told to consume proteins after a workout IE weight training to rebuild muscles. I will have to read the article again to make sure I completely understand it's meaning.

Thanks


Dave 

[Kate]

Thanks for that article, Peter.

This summer I started drinking a protein shake after a long run or boot camp workout, but if I read the article correctly, that might not be the best after workout solution.

Perhaps I am just as far ahead to have a couple of cooked up eggs on whole grain toast.

[Newt]

Protein shake is good as long as it's predominately carbs, typically a 4-1 ratio of carbs to protein.

PEace
Peter

[runningwild]

Hmmm, I think my protein to carb ratio is way off!

Thanks for the great info Peter!