Protein the
greatest
Muscle
Building
with
Protein – the greatest of
bodybuilders
Given that it’s the primary building material for the human
body, it stands to reason that any form of intense physical
activity such as bodybuilding that increases
muscle-building will undoubtedly increase the demand for
protein. The question though is, does a normal healthy
diet provide enough protein for bodybuilding? The answer
is, it all depends.
How
much?
For many years, there has been an ongoing debate concerning the
amount of protein humans require. This argument has been
re-energized in recent years because of the success of many
popular high-protein weight-loss diets. The current Recommended
Daily Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight
per day. But for decades bodybuilders and other athletes have
ignored the RDA’s and consumed amounts far in excess of the
government's recommendations. Although it took time, there now
exists some quality research to show that the RDA levels for
those involved in athletics are inadequate and may in fact slow
recovery times or limit muscle growth. It is generally accepted
that endurance athletes should consume 1.2 to 1.4 grams per
kilogram of body weight per day. Strength and
bodybuilding athletes need more and are recommended to
consume between 1.4 and 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight
per day (1). These values are still below what bodybuilding
experts consider to be the Holy Grail value, which is 1 gram
per pound of bodyweight.
Protein
Sources
Although there are hundreds
of rival protein products to choose from for
muscle-building, they essentially all can be subdivided
into three categories - whey, milk and egg, and soy.
Whey
Whey is one of the two major proteins found in cow’s milk, the
other being casein. Why makes up about 20 percent of the total
found in milk and is considered superior to most other sources
because of its digestibility, bioavailability (the amount
absorbed versus amount utilized by the body), and high
concentrations of such proven muscle builders as branched chain
amino acids and glutamine. From a practical point of view it
also mixes easier than other sources, which usually require a
blender, and doesn’t seem to cause the bloating and
gastrointestinal discomfort that other protein sources
have reputations for.
Milk and
Egg
A few years ago we would have said that milk and egg sources
were inferior to whey, but this is not the case any more.
Refinement techniques have closed the gap to the point that
you’re really not missing out on much if you opt for milk and
egg over whey. Where milk and egg may lag behind whey is
mixability. Despite better refinement procedures most milk and
egg products still need to be mixed in a blender. Whey on the
other hand can be mixed with a few swirls of a spoon. Milk and
egg may also cause gastrointestinal problems for some
individuals because it uses whole milk. Many whey products have
the lactose and other gastro upsetting culprits removed. Most
people now consider the newer milk and egg products just as
effective for bodybuilding and muscle-building as
whey sources.
Soy
As with older milk and egg proteins, soy has gotten a new lease
on life. Despite being derived from plants, it’s one of the few
plant sources that contain all the amino acids (most plant
sources are deficient in one or more amino acids). For this
reason it’s considered a complete protein. Compared to
high-end sources like whey, Soy falls a little short in most
respects. It doesn't mix as well, and its taste also falls a
little short. Still, it has its benefits including lowering
cholesterol and reducing heart disease.
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