The Real Deal on Protein: Research and Supplements

Now that we have the basics of what protein is and about how much your body needs, let’s address the sensationalism that goes along with it. We’ve all seen whey protein powders plastered with pictures of ripped muscles. Promising muscles just like that if you drink whey protein before, during, and after your workout in the amounts recommended by the product label. Nutrition research is still developing in the field of sports nutrition. Out of the countless supplements and nutrition recommendations that are out there, there are actually very few with strong, research-based studies supporting them. In nutrition research, it is very difficult to say that if you do A and B, then you will get C. There are too many variables (such as genetics, overall diet, lifestyle, and age) playing into the results to be able to say that the results are due to one nutrition factor. Below are answers to a couple of commonly asked questions backed by non-biased, evidence-based research studies.

When should I eat protein?

Supplements will tell you that you need to have protein before, during, and after your workout to see the results that you want. There seems to be little benefit consistently found from pre-exercise and during exercise feeding of protein in muscle gains (1). The greatest gains and improvements have been found with protein intake within 2 hours AFTER training for muscle gains (2). This is because muscle protein synthesis is elevated to the greatest extent within the initial hours after the exercise session. Eating protein within that window provides building blocks that your muscles need. The amount of protein recommended varies for each individual, but no further benefit has been found eating over 20 g of high-quality protein during that 2 hour window (3). Another study from the Journal of Nutrition found that muscle protein synthesis was 25% higher when protein was evenly distributed across breakfast, lunch, and dinner compared with a more typical pattern when the most protein was consumed at the evening meal (4). 

Bottom line: Spread your protein evenly throughout your meals in the day. Eating protein (no more than 20 g) within 2 hours of a workout maximizes muscle synthesis.

What type of protein is best?

Not all proteins are created equal. Proteins are digested differently in the body and enter the bloodstream at different rates depending on the amino acid profile of the protein. This is useful when determining what proteins to eat after a workout. Milk is made up of two proteins, whey and casein. Whey is a complete protein that is easily and rapidly digested. This makes it ideal as a post-workout protein during the 2 hour post-workout window (1). Casein is commonly recommended to be consumed later at night because it is digested more slowly which makes amino acids available in the blood stream for a longer amount of time. Two studies conducted in both men and women show that consuming 500 mL of milk within 2 hours of full-body resistance training showed the greatest gains in muscle mass and loss of fat mass (1). Various studies have indicated that plant-based proteins (ie, soy) have relatively inferior results in training as compared to animal proteins (5). Complete proteins (ie, chicken, turkey, fish, dairy, eggs) consumed in the recommended amount and evenly distributed throughout the day will help to achieve muscle protein synthesis.

Bottom line: Dairy products and their protein components have been shown to produce the greatest gains of muscle mass and greatest loss of fat mass when consumed within a post-workout 2 hour window. Eating adequate proteins throughout the day helps the body have the appropriate building blocks to build muscle.

Protein Supplements or Food?

Protein supplements are advertised as an effective way to increase muscle mass and strength. Whey protein supplements exist as concentrates (~80% protein), isolates (usually >90% protein), and hydrolysates (usually >90% protein) in powder form (1). Soy, casein, hemp, and pea protein supplements are also available on the market. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, therefore you cannot always be sure that what the label says is what you are getting. Protein supplements are considered a safe and effective source of protein for increasing muscle size and strength, but it must be part of proper caloric and protein intake in the presence of resistance training (1). Protein supplements can be an easy, fast source of protein, but may be unnecessary and expensive. Protein supplements are concentrated forms of protein. Foods have been processed and the protein has been extracted in order to create the product on the shelf. That processing leaves out vital, important nutrients that are found in foods. Whole foods are irreplaceable. There is a reason that studies consistently show that the healthiest people are those that eat a balanced diet of whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, vegetables, and fruits. Food has components and nutrients that cannot be replicated in supplements. As an occasional replacement for a meal or post-workout snack supplements have their place, but real, whole foods should be the main component of every diet.

References:

1) Rosenbloom, Christine A., Coleman Ellen J. Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals; Protein and Exercise. 2012; 39-42,45-46.

2) Burd NA, Tan JE, Moore DR, Phillips SM. Exercise training and protein metabolism: influences of contraction, protein intake, and sec-based differences. J Appl Physiol. 2009;106:1692-1701.

3) Moore DR, Robinson MJ, Fry JL, Tang JE, Glover EI, Wilkinson SB, Prior T, Tarnopolsky MA, Phillips SM. Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89:161-168.

4) Mamerow MM, Mettler JA, English KL, et al. Dietary protein distribution positively influences 24-h muscle protein synthesis in healthy adults [published online January 29, 2014]. J Nutr. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.185280.

5) HartmanJW, Tang JE, Wilkinson SB< Tarnopolsky MA, Lawrence RL, Fullerton AV, Phillips SM. Consumption of fat-free fluid milk after resistance exercise promote greater lean mass accretion than does the consumption of soy or carbohydrate in young, novice, male weightlifters. Am J Clin Nutr. 20078;86:373-381.

Janae Decker RD, CD