Is Protein Necessary
My First "Protein Shake". My interest in bodybuilding began in the 1980s: I found my first training programs in the magazine "Technology for Youth."
Then someone brought a few issues of Muscle&Fitness to our gym, and we realized that achieving the desired physique was impossible without those cans that were heavily advertised. More precisely, their contents.
Since those cans were nowhere to be found, we had to improvise. My first protein shakes consisted of milk, a small amount of cottage cheese, and raw eggs. All this was whipped in a blender and drunk in one go.
There were also "Baby" mixtures – these replaced gainers. Did it work? Well, it worked. Yes, it often overloaded the stomach, but we had to put up with it.
And there was also the risk of salmonella – but we didn't know about that danger back then, so we didn't take it into account. We couldn't achieve the physique of the bodybuilders we saw on the pages of overseas magazines, but what we had was pleasing to the eye.
Later, we found out that the difference between us and overseas bodybuilders was determined not so much by nutrition but more by pharmacology – the substances that were widespread in the USA were practically unknown to us.
Although it's wrong to deny that quality nutrition ultimately leads to better muscle quality – not to mention overall health and well-being of the body. However, by "quality nutrition" I mean far more than just "sports nutrition."
Quality of Modern Products
About seven or eight years ago, we ordered a regular grilled chicken in a restaurant in Tbilisi. But what we were served didn't resemble the chicken we were used to – it was some kind of magic! I invited the chef and tried to find out the secret of this marvel.
He hesitated a little, started saying something like "oh, it's an ancient secret," then laughed and said: "The secret is in the chicken itself". It's homemade, raised under our supervision, and we know exactly that it's fed only good grain."
Protein Instead of Food?
Why am I telling this? To point out that the "wonderful" broilers, which have replaced regular chickens and are forced to eat all sorts of junk mixed with the notorious "anabolics" throughout their short lives, not only taste inferior to normal poultry but are also less beneficial.
And this applies not only to chickens but also to turkey, veal, dairy products, fish – in general, everything that is supposed to be a source of quality protein.
22-23 grams of protein per 100 grams of chicken breast – that's how it used to be. Now, there are only 14-16 grams of protein in what seems to be diet white meat per 100 grams – this is due to significant water content. And the amino acid composition of this meat has changed for the worse.
Take salmon or trout: not only can you almost eat well for a week with the current prices for a kilo of this fish, but omega-3s in them are now much less than they used to be. However, heavy metal salts have been added – the ocean is increasingly becoming like a chemical waste dump.
See also Mercury in fish and seafood
Or tilapia, which costs more than chicken breast but spends its entire life almost without movement – because it is grown in cramped ponds and fed chicken manure. What could be beneficial in its meat?!
Protein After Training
There is an old, time-tested recommendation – after a good workout, you need to drink a portion of a protein shake. Or a protein smoothie – if you add fruits to the shake and blend it all. Or even a gainer – if gaining any kind of mass is a priority.
But this is far from dogma. There are many studies proving that about 700-800 milliliters of low-fat milk can well replace a protein shake. However, drinking almost a liter of milk in one go is challenging, but it's possible with effort.
Milk has an alternative – an omelet or scrambled eggs. Moreover, a protein shake can be replaced by some meat dish. Indeed, after a good workout, you can eat a good steak.
Or a steak. Or some beef stroganoff – the effect will be no worse than from a portion of a protein shake. This, of course, is on the condition that you are confident in the quality of what you eat – but we have already talked about this.
Recently, however, nutritionists increasingly recommend taking protein not after training, but before or during it.
And here a steak won't be very useful: first, carrying it around is inconvenient, second, it will take a long time to digest (scrambled eggs even longer), and training on a full stomach is not the best idea.
Protein Mixes as Dietary Supplements
Powdered protein – the pioneer of sports nutrition; it was popularized by the Weider brothers. To boost their product's sales, they came up with a "hook": protein mixes are necessary for muscle growth.
A little later, several studies even appeared to support this thesis. Their authors seriously claimed: to have big and strong muscles, you need to eat at least four grams of protein per kilo of body weight per day. But five is better. Or six to seven.
How Much Protein is Needed
Less than 2 g/kg. The debate about how much protein is needed for heavily training athletes was settled by Professor Mark Tarnopolsky: 1.8 grams per kilo of body weight per day is sufficient for the most seasoned "pro" in the world of bodybuilding
However, this is only true if he is a complete "natural," which is unlikely. But if we consider "chemists" and those who are intensively trying to get rid of fat, thus seeing carbs as "public enemies," we can say:
- "Naturals" need 1.6-1.7 g of protein for muscle growth
- "Cutting" requires 2.3 g of protein
- "Chemists" need the most: about 3-3.5 grams.
Obviously, all amounts are per kilo of body weight per day. For an 80 kg athlete who does not indulge in auxiliary means, the daily protein requirement will be 130-135 grams. This can certainly be achieved without protein mixes.
However, even achieving 130-135 grams is somewhat difficult – you need to eat about 300 grams of broiler breast plus 300 grams of cottage cheese and another five eggs per day.
If you are concerned about your figure's slenderness, you will need to consume about 185 grams of protein per day, which is even harder to achieve. As for "chemists," I won't even mention. Just 1-2 protein shakes a day will make the task significantly easier.
Protein Mixes as Healthy Food
Since powdered protein was introduced as the foundation for muscle growth, a lot of time has passed. And it's time to position protein shakes differently. For example, as a quality alternative to broiler meat or dubious fish sold in supermarkets.
Okay, I might have exaggerated with the alternative, but as a supplement to traditional protein sources, protein mixes are fine. Moreover, a high-quality supplement free of undesirable additives.
In some cases, protein shakes can even serve as a replacement for regular food. For example, a weakened body needs a lot of building material – for atrophied muscles, the immune system, and much more.
In this case, liquid food is best for such a body. Protein shakes will be an excellent addition to traditional porridges and broths. By the way, powdered protein can be mixed with oatmeal in a blender – it makes a great dish.
Protein shakes are convenient when you have to move around a lot, and there's hardly any time for food. They are easy to carry with you and provide a great snack. Add some fiber to the protein powder, and you will get a drink that also curbs appetite very well.
Not all adults can tolerate milk well. However, whey protein powder mixed with water is easily digestible – especially isolate. Vegetarians and vegans usually drink soy, almond, rice, or coconut milk. But a protein shake made from plant-based protein powder is much better – including the amino acid profile.
The USA is a leading country in the field of sports nutrition; it sells not just a lot but a vast amount. And it is sold not in specialized stores that not everyone visits – protein mixes and other sports supplements can be found on supermarket shelves and even in small shops selling regular products.
Perhaps someday this approach will be practiced here as well.
Protein for Weight Loss
Finally, let's talk about when it is extremely difficult to do without protein mixes. I'm talking about the period of losing excess fat – whey protein will be your helper here.
A meta-analysis conducted in 2020 showed that 1-2 protein shakes a day can help you lose about one and a half kilograms of fat per month.
See also Vitamin D and weight loss
Maintaining weight with protein mixes is also easier – the best of them contain minimal amounts of other macronutrients – primarily carbohydrates. All of the above is, of course, good.
I called protein mixes a quality alternative to regular products, but it cannot be denied that there are also low-quality ones among them. Yes, this is true. Moreover, there are plenty of them!
But the chance of finding quality is quite high – much higher than the chance of getting normal chicken breast or veal that grazed on mountain meadows. You just need to be more careful in choosing the seller of such products and not chase low prices – quality is never cheap.
I'm not urging you to rush to a store selling sports nutrition and buy everything in sight after reading this article. If you are used to natural protein sources – all the best to you!
Just sometimes think about what exactly you are eating. After all, the term "sports nutrition" is somewhat outdated; it should be replaced with another – "nutrition for health." Of course, only if you are confident in the quality of what's packed in those colorful jars.
Quality Protein from the USA
iHerb is always original and high-quality sports nutrition from the USA from world-renowned manufacturers. Competitive prices and quality assurance.
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