Diet

Proteins for building muscle

introduction

Proteins and a high protein diet play a big role in building muscle. A protein-rich diet is also often recommended if weight loss and fat reduction are to be achieved.

Proteins are an important part of every cell in our body and the need for protein can increase with intensive training.

There are different ways in which proteins can be absorbed. They are in many animal products but also in plants and if the protein requirement is very high you can also use Protein bars or -shakes be added to the diet.

What role do proteins play in building muscle?

Sufficient protein intake is essential for building muscle, as proteins are a very important part of our cells. When building muscle, the muscle cells grow, they do hypertrophy, for which the proteins are used as building blocks. Proteins are made up of amino acids - the body can build them up and break them down again.

Read also: Building muscle with amino acids

However, the body cannot produce all of the amino acids itself, which is why it is dependent on food intake. If the body lacks amino acids, i.e. the building blocks of proteins, for building muscle, the muscle cells cannot enlarge despite the strength training and the training effect or the There is no muscle building.

Conversely, protein intake without strength training does not lead to muscle building either. In this case, the body would simply convert the proteins into fat or sugar and store them as a reserve. So when building muscle is a protein intake adapted to the daily needs is very crucial for the desired success.

In which foods are proteins present?

Almost all foods except clear oil and pure sugar contain proteins. However, they belong to the protein rich foods for example almost all animal products such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Lean chicken or turkey meat and lean beef are particularly high in protein. Fish that contain a lot of protein include tuna, shrimp, cod and saithe.

In the case of dairy products, particular attention should be paid to a low fat content, which increases the proportion of protein in the total calories. Cottage cheese or grainy cream cheese, low-fat quark, Greek yoghurt and milk, for example, are particularly rich in protein. Whey protein (whey) in the form of protein shakes can serve as a dietary supplement, depending on the manufacturer, the powders contain up to 80% protein.

Even legumes like Beans, chickpeas or lentils are high in protein and also like some vegetables Broccoli or Brussels sprouts contain a lot of proteins.

Whole grains and quinoa, in particular, and all kinds of nuts and kernels can also serve as sources of protein. In addition to protein, almonds in particular also contain other important nutrients such as vitamins and trace elements.

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A comparison of vegetable and animal proteins

When putting together a balanced, healthy diet with a high protein content for muscle building, the question arises whether it makes more sense to get the protein from plant or animal sources. In the final stretch of protein utilization, i.e. when building new cells and for muscle hypertrophy, it makes no difference to the body whether the protein comes from plant or animal sources.

Nonetheless, it has animal Protein for the most part has a higher biological value than protein from plant sources, which means that the body can use a larger percentage of the protein directly, since animal proteins are more similar to human proteins. It follows that you need to consume larger amounts of plant-based foods to meet your daily protein needs.

However, excessive meat consumption, especially when consuming red meat, can lead to health consequences such as cardiovascular diseases or vascular deposits. That is why the consumption of meat should be on 300- 600 g per week limited and the rest of the protein requirement covered by dairy products, eggs and vegetable proteins.

Vegetable and animal proteins are composed of different amino acids and in order to absorb all essential amino acids with the daily diet, a balanced combination of the various protein sources of vegetable and animal origin is recommended. The daily requirement for vitamins and trace elements can also be easily met in this way.

A higher biological value of the ingested proteins can be achieved by combining different protein sources, for example with Combination of beans with egg.

How Much Protein Should I Consume to Build Muscle?

Proteins are essential for building muscle, as the body needs the amino acids they contain to make the muscles grow. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends 0.8 g per kg of body weight for an adult man or an adult woman, but this does not apply to athletes.

Those who train intensively at least 3 to 4 times a week have an increased protein requirement of 1.3 to 1.5 g per kg of body weight. Exceeding this guideline value, however, does not lead to increased muscle growth, but rather promotes weight gain through the increased energy supply.

Find out more about: Dosing of proteins

When should I take the proteins?

If muscle building is desired as part of a mass gain, it is beneficial for the body to take the proteins throughout the day so that the proteins can be made available without interruptions if possible. This also makes it easier to meet your daily protein requirement without having to resort to additional protein sources such as protein bars or shakes.

In general, a healthy protein component should be part of every meal of the day when you need more protein. If you want to add proteins in the form of bars or shakes to support muscle and mass building, it makes sense to take them in the first hour after strength training. In this much discussed "anabolic window " the body has to replenish its energy reserves and begins to regenerate the muscle fibers stressed by the training.

In this phase, it is also important that, in addition to proteins, especially carbohydrates are supplied in order to stabilize the blood sugar level. If this is not done, the body will synthesize the sugar itself, including from amino acids that are needed for muscle building. These guidelines only apply when mass building was the goal of the workout.

If weight loss is to be achieved, it is more advisable not to eat anything in the hours after training in order to avoid the Afterburn effect to exploit.

also read: Protein powder

Are there any side effects?

With a protein-rich diet that is healthy and balanced and that is based on the recommendations on meat consumption mentioned above, severe side effects are not to be expected. The excessive consumption of red meat, which exceeds 300-600 g per week, can lead to diseases of the cardiovascular system in the long term and should therefore be reconsidered.

In addition, the consumption of Dairy products in large quantities can cause skin problems and digestive disorders such as diarrhea or constipation in some people. This must be viewed individually according to your own feelings.

Vegetable proteins lead to the problems described less often because they contain more fiber, which counteracts constipation and diarrhea. If the recommendation of 1.3-1.5 g protein per kg body weight is adhered to in an athlete, no side effects are to be expected even with the intake of additional protein preparations.

In general, the athletes' own protein requirements, however, are often overestimated and in anticipation of better training results, much more protein is consumed than is required. This overdose can not only lead to an unwanted increase in body fat, but also damage the liver and kidneys.

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What happens in the event of an overdose?

Overdosing on proteins when building muscle is not only pointless, it can also cause negative consequential damage in the body. The excessively ingested proteins are broken down by the body, creating free amino groups from the amino acids that are excreted from the body via the liver and then the kidneys.

If these organs have to maintain greater performance over a long period of time, they can be damaged in the process. In addition, too much protein, especially from animal sources, can lead to acidification of the body, which can also manifest itself, for example, in bad breath. Since animal protein sources in particular, such as chicken or dairy products, contain hardly any fiber, a diet that consists largely of these components can lead to digestive problems such as constipation, diarrhea, gas and nausea.

For this reason, it's important to get fiber into your body through foods like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Furthermore, excessive protein intake over a long period of time is suspected to favor diseases such as rheumatism, gout or inflammatory bowel diseases. Here, too, a balanced diet consisting of carbohydrates, fats and mainly vegetable proteins is recommended for prevention.

Last but not least, a diet high in protein without sufficient carbohydrate intake can lead to mood swings and fatigue as well as poor concentration. Carbohydrates are the brain’s favorite food and also maintain physical fitness during training.

Protein bars

In addition to protein shakes, protein bars are very popular dietary supplements among athletes who want to increase their daily protein intake. In addition, they are often taken as a snack after training or in between, as they fill you up and with their ingredients such as chocolate, nuts or dried fruits often taste like candy.

With a balanced diet with a healthy proportion of protein at every meal, such as lean meat, fish, dairy products or legumes and vegetables, athletes do not need to consume additional protein in the form of protein bars or shakes.

The daily protein requirement can also be obtained from more natural foods, and many protein bars contain a high proportion of sugar and can thus contribute to unwanted weight gain.

Find out more at: Protein Bars - What You Should Know

Summary

Proteins are an important part of the diet when building muscle, as the body breaks down the proteins ingested through food into amino acids and needs them to build muscle after training. The protein requirement for an adult who regularly exercises intensively is around 1.3 - 1.5 g per kg of body weight. Of course, this information can also vary depending on height, weight and training routine. The amount of protein can usually be easily absorbed through the daily diet and should consist of animal and vegetable protein sources in order to ensure an optimal supply of nutrients. It does not make sense to dose proteins higher than the daily requirement, as otherwise negative consequences for the body can be expected in the long term.