To build muscles, we know that protein is important as it is a building block for the muscles. While we understand its importance, several questions have been asked quite frequently by my clients. How is protein used in the body after training sessions? Are all protein sources equally utilized by the body? Can overconsumption of protein convert into fat?
Let's start with the basics of the protein.
Protein Basics
There are 4 major macronutrients, carbohydrate, fat, protein and ethanol. Protein is consists of amino acids, which is building block of both protein and our cells. All of our tissues, including muscles, skin, hair, heart, brain, bones, hormones and enzymes are mainly protein or amino acids.
There are 20 amino acids and 11 we can make in our body and 9 must come from food source. 11 amino acids that our body can make is called non-essential amino acids and 9 amino acids that our body cannot make and must be consumed through food is called essential amino acids. These essential or non-essential has nothing to do with the importance of amino acids. They are equally important.
Effect of Protein in Muscle Growth
Protein can be either building block to our tissues and stimuli to start the process called muscle protein synthesis. Muscle protein synthesis is the process to produce new muscle protein.
Supplements called BCAA or branched chain amino acids are consists of amino acids that triggers muscle protein synthesis. Amino acids in BCAA are leucine, isoleucine and valine. In the food source, you can find them in meat, dairy and legumes. Therefore, you can also find them in whey and pea protein supplements as well.
From studies, protein consumption above 20g per meal seem to trigger muscle protein synthesis and may last for several hours. This muscle protein synthesis needs to accompanied by building block protein, which means you may need more protein intake based on your health and fitness goals.
Digestibility and Rate of Digestion
When consuming protein food source it does take more time to be digested and absorb. This is one benefit we can appreciate, especially for those who are working on fat loss. Among those protein food sources digestibility and rate of digestion of protein source can play an important role on how fast you can expect the muscle protein synthesis to happen. These 2 variable can vary from few things.
First is source of protein. There is a difference in rate of digestion between steak or ground beef. Ground beef has higher rate of digestion. Second is cooked or uncooked. Cooked food source has higher rate of digestion compared to food that are not cooked. Famous movie showed main character consuming raw eggs to build the muscles, however, it may be more beneficial if those eggs were cooked, which would improved the rate of digestion. Consuming protein source with other food sources (fiber rich food especially) can also change the rate of digestion. If you are concerning about your weight it is better to consume various food sources. If muscle building is your main focus, then you may want to focus on minimal food variations.
Chewing and sitting up straight while you are eating will also have impact towards digestion. Chewing food will not only allow the food to be digested easier but also seem to stimulate anabolic response. For those who follow vegetable based diet, because of Posture of eating also seem to impact on rate of digestion. In other words, my mom has been right and scientists have spent so much money to prove that chewing food and sitting upright during the meal is important.
Excess Protein
Amount of protein that is suggested for muscle development is 1g of protein per 1lb of body weight. Therefore, if you weigh 150lb, you should strive for consuming about 150g of protein per day.
Typically people tend to undereat their protein, however, there may be a situation where we may overconsume protein during holiday party or barbecue. Question that often comes up is will the excess protein turn into fat. The answer is depends.
When you look at carbohydrate or glucose, they can be stored in a form of glycogen in the muscles or adipose tissue (fat). However, protein does not have that storage pathway. There is a metabolic pathway where body breaks down muscle protein into amino acids to create more glucose. This process is called gluconeogenesis (creation of new glucose). This process can be done with amino acid or fat while the glucose is not available for the energy. Breaking down of muscle is very inefficient for the body and requires so much energy and only time this may happen is during the starvation.
Excess protein does not turn into fat in healthy individual and stays in the body until it is needed. If the excessive protein consumption continues, you may experience symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, dehydration, and possible nausea. If you do happen to overconsume protein, hydration with electrolyte may be helpful.
Although protein does not have a process to store as fat, however, depending on the type of diet or longer duration of fasting may force the body to breakdown the muscle protein to promote gluconeogenesis, which then can convert into glycogen and fat. This process is rare.
Endurance Athletes and Strength Athletes
Exercise plays important role in muscle protein synthesis. After exercising, the muscle protein synthesis will be stimulated and by consuming protein will help meet the demand of building block or protein requirement to properly recover and grow the muscles.
Although it is ideal to consume protein immediately after the training sessions, however, muscle protein synthesis after the training sessions may last for about 2 hours.
What type of muscles you will be building will depend on type of stimuli you place on your body during your training sessions. There are two types of muscle fibers. Type 1 or slow twitch muscle fibers where they are great in longer duration of physical activities. Type 2 or fast twitch muscle fibers are great with power production which allows the person to lift heavier object. Depending on individual, ratio of overall muscle fiber types are different.
When you compare endurance athletes like marathon runners and strength athletes like powerlifters, you can see how different their muscle type is. Marathon runners has more of type 1 muscle fiber and uses mitochondrial protein to improve their energy usage. Powerlifters are dominant in type 2 muscle fibers and uses myofibrillar protein to improve muscle contraction strength and muscle size.
Outcome of training results will be determined by how you are stimulating your body through exercise and sending building block (protein) to recover and grow the muscles. The body knows what type of protein or amino acids to use based on stimuli.
To Improve Protein Effect
To improve the effect of protein, it is important to understand few things. First is amount of protein based on your goal. Second is stimuli through physical activity or training. Third is digestibility and rate of digestion.
Keep in mind that protein requirement is not just for the muscles but for skin, hair, heart, brain, hormone, enzyme and so on. Every body parts does require protein.
Kota Shimada
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