Nutrition Myth: Athletes need more protein then normal people


Athletes do they need protein shakes?
So you’re an athlete and your training and the mantra you constantly hear is “more protein, more protein shakes, more PROTEIN!!!”. But is this true?

Well science has determined the average person needs to intake .8grams/kg of bodyweight. So if you weighed 220 lbs the math would look like this.



220lbs (weight) / 2.2 kg (conversion ratio to kg) = 100 kg (weight in kg) * .8grams protein = 80 grams total of protein needed a day.



BUT….The old mantra of .8g/kg RDA for protein being sufficient for inactive people and athletes is not true. Studies show that athlete’s protein needs are actually higher.



Why do we need more protein?



Why do athletes need more protein? Well this makes sense right? Increased oxygen needs mean an increase in oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. To carry more oxygen, we need to produce more of the protein that carries oxygen known as hemoglobin.

Regular exercise also causes tissue damage and must be repaired by additional protein. You feel sore after a workout right? That’s because the muscle tissues have ripped and now need to be repaired. This repair happens during sleep and it’s the reason why I tell people you get big in your bed not in the gym. More on this later and supplements you should take for workouts.



So how much protein should I take?



Strength athletes such as body builders need 1.8 to 2 times more protein than the current RDA and endurance athletes need 1.5-1.75 times more protein.



Does this mean as a normal person you need to add more protein to your diet?



Contrary to popular belief, most Americans already consume more than twice the RDA for protein. Thus, taking amino acid and protein supplements unnessary. In fact eating more proteins or taking individual amino acids doses not cause your muscles to become bigger or stronger. ONLY strength training can do that.

Special note that vegetarians should try and increase their protein consumption. This is because plant based foods do not contain the same amount of iron and is not as bioavailable as iron from animal protein sources.

Not to mention there are some dangerous side-effects from getting to much protein which I’ll write a post on in a bit.
So in conclusion



Protein shakes and such really just add extra calories into your diet which may be helpful if your in a mass gaining phase, or need to reach a certain caloric intake level. However, for the average athlete or body builder protein shakes are not giving you any advantage then not taking protein supplements. Remember continuing to eat a balanced diet and consuming a variety of foods both active and inactive people can meet their protein requirements.

What do you think? Enjoy the article? Have your own insight on protein? Leave a comment.