As a triathlete, you depend on your muscle mass to train and get you ready for that upcoming Ironman. Since muscle is primarily made up of protein, it’s understandable that triathletes often question whether they’re consuming enough protein and enough of the right kinds of protein, and if they’re doing it at the right time. In fact, athletes do need more protein to meet the demands of endurance and strength exercise, and the timing of protein intake is important.
Protein comes from both animal and plant sources. Animal sources include meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products. Vegetable sources include beans, nuts, and grains. While the focus of the discussion is usually on protein, it’s not really protein that our bodies utilize. Instead, it is the amino acid building blocks within protein that we need. There are approximately 20 different amino acids found in the protein-containing foods that we eat, and it is the differing combinations of these amino acids that make one protein different from another.
When you eat a protein-containing food, your digestive tract breaks down that protein into its component amino acids. Those amino acids are then absorbed and repackaged into the amino acid combinations that form the kinds of protein that you need. For example, after a training session, you consume a recovery beverage that contains protein. The amino acids in that protein are released during digestion and absorbed. They are then repackaged into specific amino acid combinations to form the protein that you need to repair muscle tissue damaged during exercise, and to build new lean tissue in response to your training.
Protein, like carbohydrates and fat, is also a source of calories or energy. However, protein plays a more important structural role in the body — e.g., as muscle — and, therefore, only about 1% to 5% of the protein that you consume is used as an energy source. And here again, it’s not protein itself that supplies energy. Certain types of amino acids within protein, known as branched-chain amino acids, can be utilized as an energy source when needed. The use of these amino acids may come into play late in endurance exercise, when glycogen stores are running low. About 25% of the protein in whole-food sources is made up of these branched-chain amino acids.
Protein sources differ in quality, based not only on how digestible they are but also on how well their specific amino acid combinations fit with what our bodies require to make protein. Thus, animal protein sources tend to yield better-quality proteins than do plant sources. But, in reality, our diets often contain a mixture of protein sources from plants and animals, and this is usually more than adequate to ensure that all of our amino acid needs are met.
Sports nutrition products generally rely on protein powders as ingredients. Look at a label, and you are likely to see whey and casein from milk, egg-white powder from eggs, and/or soy protein from soybeans. These are all considered high-quality protein sources because of both their digestibility and the fact that their patterns of component amino acids fit with what our bodies need.
For the average healthy individual, the daily protein recommendation is 0.36 grams of protein for every pound (0.8 g per kg) of body weight, or about 56 grams of protein daily for a 150-pound (70-kg) person. However, for serious endurance athletes, the protein recommendation is 0.54 to 0.72 grams for every pound (1.2 to 1.6 g per kg) of body weight, or about 84 to 112 grams of protein daily for a 150-pound (70-kg) endurance athlete. For strength athletes in the early part of training, the recommendations are a bit higher still: 0.68 to 0.77 grams per pound (1.5 to 1.7 g per kg) of body weight, or 105 to 120 grams of protein daily for a 150-pound (70-kg) strength athlete. The longer and harder your training, the higher in the protein intake range you need to be. For your specific protein requirements, click here[link to protein calculator on pb.com web site].
In reality, most athletes meet their protein needs because of the sheer volume of food required to meet the energy demands of training. Instead of boosting protein intake further, athletes would be well-served to consider timing of protein intake in relation to training sessions. Training causes a breakdown in muscle tissue and provides a stimulus for muscle development. However, those processes can’t proceed very effectively if amino acid building blocks aren’t available for protein synthesis. Thus, for endurance training, it’s recommended that you consume 10 to 20 grams of protein as soon as possible after exercise. For strength workouts, consume some protein before and some immediately after working out. By timing your protein intake properly, you can ensure that your body has the amino acids needed to repair and build new lean tissue in response to your training.
| Protein content of foods and sports nutrition products |
| Food |
Serving Size |
Protein content (grams) |
| Chicken |
3 oz. |
26 |
| Fish |
3 oz. |
22 |
| Meat |
3 oz. |
21 |
| Milk |
1 cup |
8 |
| Yogurt |
1 cup |
12 |
| Cheese |
1 oz. |
7 |
| Cottage cheese |
½ cup |
14 |
| Egg |
1 whole |
6 |
| Peanut butter |
1 T |
4 |
| Nuts (e.g., almonds) |
1 oz. |
6 |
| Tofu |
½ cup |
20 |
| POWERBAR® PERFORMANCE bars |
1 bar |
8–10 |
| POWERBAR® PROTEINPLUS™ bars |
1 bar |
23 |
| POWERBAR® ENERGIZE bars |
1 bar |
6 |
| POWERBAR® RECOVERY beverage |
16 fl. oz. |
6 |
| POWERBAR® RECOVERY bars |
1 bar |
12 |
About POWERBAR Expert PanelComprised of leading sports dietitians, researchers, trainers, and sports medicine practitioners, The Panel advises POWERBAR on the development of educational programs and materials that relate to sports nutrition and training. They also provide expert perspectives during the Professional Athlete Panels at sport events throughout the country. All of our experts share a passion for sports nutrition and a commitment to helping athletes perform at their best through improved nutrition and hydration.training. They also provide expert perspectives during the Professional Athlete Panels at sport events throughout the country. All of our experts share a passion for sports nutrition and a commitment to helping athletes perform at their best through improved nutrition and hydration.
ReferencesCampbell B, Kreider RB, Ziegenfuss T, La Bounty P, Roberts M, Burke D, Landis J, Lopez H, Antonio J. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2007;4:8 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-8.
Gibala MJ, Howarth KR. Protein and exercise. In: Dunford M, ed. Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutritionists Dietetic Practice Group. Sports Nutrition — A Practice Manual for Professionals. 4th ed., American Dietetic Association. 2006;33–49.
Tarnpolsky M. Protein and amino acid needs for training and bulking up. In: Burke L, Deakin V. Clinical Sports Nutrition. 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill. 2006;73-111.
Topics:
Pre-Workout, During, Post-Workout, Energy, Protein, Stamina
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