The month of March is a very substantial month to the nutrition world. March is National Nutrition Month and this year's theme is "Go Further with Food". To me, this means growing your personal relationship with food by making health conscious nutrition choices. Today I want to talk about the body's relationship with protein and ways you can strengthen that relationship.
 
The goal of most athletes in training is to become bigger, faster, and stronger. To do so, athletes must participate in strenuous workouts that push their bodies to the limit. To increase muscle strength and size, the body must experience hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is the increase in size of a muscle due to the growth of the cells in the muscle.
 
The only downfall to an intense workout is when you push your body, your body pushes back. Vigorous workouts can lead to increased muscle soreness and longer recovery time. While working out, the muscles are exposed to stress or strain, which creates microtears in the muscles. These tears need to be repaired for the muscles to grow through a process called protein synthesis. Protein synthesis is the process when the body replicates DNA to create amino acid chains, which are used to repair and build new muscle. Protein synthesis can only happen when the balance of protein being ingested is greater than the rate at which protein is being broken down from exercise.
 
To create proteins, the body breaks down amino acids during digestion and reconstructs other amino acids. There are two types of amino acids (20 total): non-essential and essential. Non-essential amino acids are produced by the body, therefore we don't need to get them from food. Essential amino acids must be consumed through food because the body does not naturally produce them. There are nine essential amino acids. If a food contains all nine essential amino acids, it is considered a complete protein. Foods that do not contain all of the essential amino acids are considered incomplete proteins.
 
There are many sources of protein you can get in your diet throughout the day. Animal-based proteins are considered complete proteins. Some examples of animal proteins are milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, poultry, fish, and seafood. Another source of protein are plant-based proteins. Soy protein is considered a complete protein, but many other plant-based proteins are not considered complete. Legumes (beans, lentils, pea, peanuts) are incomplete proteins, but can easily be made complete when combined with grains like wheat and rice. SIDE NOTE: Vegetarian and vegan eating practices should include a variety of food sources to be sure to capture essential nutrients. For those who need guidance with these eating practices, or any other nutritional needs, contact Christine, our Towson Sports Dietitian.
 
Supplementing protein powders and premade drinks have gained immense popularity in recent years. There are two main types of protein powders, whey protein and casein protein. The body quickly digests whey protein, which is beneficial to rebalance the protein deficit shortly after a workout. The optimal time to take whey protein (Gatorade Recovery Shakes) is directly after a workout during the metabolic window (this will be touched on below). Casein protein is a slow digesting protein and can be used as a bed-time snack to delay muscle breakdown. Casein protein slows the rate of muscle breakdown and also helps aid protein synthesis. Whey and casein proteins effectively reach the same common goal of aiding protein synthesis, but arrive at the goal differently.
 
The metabolic window is a 30-minute period after a workout when the body can be easily shifted from a catabolic state to an anabolic state through nutrition. Catabolism is when the body breaks down muscle. Entering an anabolic state means your muscles are in a state to grow. The main way to take advantage of the metabolic window is to consume a protein substance, food first, supplement second, (whey protein or real food) to begin protein synthesis.
 
The recommended daily intake of protein is about 1-1.7 g/kg of body weight. This can vary with sport, body composition goals, gender, and intensity of exercise. You should try to reach the lower end of the spectrum to avoid going into a negative protein balance, which will cause the body to enter a catabolic state. On the other end of the spectrum, you should not exceed the upper end of the recommended daily protein intake since your body can only consume ~ 25-30 grams of protein per meal or snack. It is important to find what works for you and your muscle building goals. The key is to maintain a positive protein balance, so your body is able to rebuild and repair your muscles in an efficient way.    
 
Many people have a carbohydrate dominant food plan and struggle to get recommended amounts of protein. Here are some quick tips on how to add some complete and incomplete proteins to your food plan throughout the day.
 
Breakfast:
            -Add nuts or seeds to your yogurt/oatmeal
            -Add cheese to your eggs
            -Add peanut butter to your banana or other fruits
            -Drink milk
Lunch:
            -Add complete protein to your salad
            -Add nuts or seeds to your meal
            -Drink a casein protein shake with lunch
Dinner:
            -Eat leaner cuts of protein (less fat) so you can eat a larger quantity with more protein, while staying low on calories
            -Eat legumes that are high in protein (make sure they are fully cooked)
            -Complete protein sources are your friend
 
Lastly, and potentially most importantly, rest and recovery is crucial for muscle repair. The majority of protein synthesis occurs during sleep. I understand how difficult sleep can be with homework, practice, lift, and a social life; but it is your job as an athlete to take care of your body. This might mean you have to miss the Bachelor season finale if you have early lift, or study well in advance for that big test so you don't have to stay up late and cram the night before. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to get adequate sleep.
 
As National Nutrition Month is behind us, I encourage you to continue to learn more about nutrition and the role it plays in your body. Try a new food, watch a cooking video, or just change an eating habit. Food is the fuel for your engine and as athletes we want that engine running as smoothly as possible.

 
Reference Page
 
Alghannam, A. F., Jedrzejewski, D., Bilzon, J., Thompson, D., Tsintzas, K., & Betts, J. A. (2016). Influence of Post-Exercise Carbohydrate-Protein Ingestion on Muscle Glycogen Metabolism in Recovery and Subsequent Running Exercise. International Journal Of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 26(6), 572-580.
 
Damas, F., Libardi, C. A., & Ugrinowitsch, C. (2018). The development of skeletal muscle hypertrophy through resistance training: the role of muscle damage and muscle protein synthesis. European Journal Of Applied Physiology, 118(3), 485-500.
 
Rundqvist, H. C., Esbjörnsson, M., Rooyackers, O., Österlund, T., Moberg, M., Apro, W., & Jansson, E. (2017). Influence of nutrient ingestion on amino acid transporters and protein synthesis in human skeletal muscle after sprint exercise. Journal Of Applied Physiology, 123(6), 1501-1515.
 
Tipton, K. D., & Wolfe, R. R. (2001). Exercise, Protein Metabolism, and Muscle Growth. International Journal Of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 11(1), 109.