Protein

Bodybuilders often supplement their diets with a powdered form of protein. The powder is mixed with water, milk or juice.

Protein powder is generally consumed immediately before and after exercising, or in place of a meal.

Some types of protein are

√ whey protein: taken directly before and after a workout
√ Casein protein: taken before going to bed

The theory behind this supplementation is that bodybuilders, by virtue of their unique training methods and end-goals, require higher-than-average quantities of protein to support maximal muscle growth.

"The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for both men and women is 0.80 g of good quality protein/kg body weight.

Ex: if you weight 80 kg,
Then your recommended protein intake will be 0.80* 80= 64 grams.
* may vary depending on individual.

"In view of the lack of compelling evidence to the contrary, no additional dietary protein is suggested for healthy adults undertaking resistance or endurance exercise."

No consensus has been reached in determining whether or not an individual in exercise training can benefit from protein and amino acid supplements.

Protein supplements come in various forms:
√ Ready to drink shakes
√ Bars
√ Bites
√ Oats
√ Gels
√ Powders, Protein powders are available in a variety of flavors.

Whey protein contains high levels of all the essential amino acids and branched-chain amino acids. It also has the highest content of the amino acid cysteine, which aids in the biosynthesis of glutathione.

For bodybuilders whey protein provides amino acids used to aid in muscle recovery.Whey protein is derived from the process of making cheese from milk.

There are 3 types of whey protein:

√ Whey concentrate: Whey concentrate is 29–89% protein by weight

√ Whey isolate: whey isolate is 90%+ protein by weight

√ Whey hydrolysate: Whey hydrolysate is enzymatically predigested and therefore has the highest rate of digestion of all protein types

whereas Casein protein (or milk protein) has glutamine, and casomorphin.

•Soy protein from soybeans contain isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen.

•Egg-white protein is a lactose- and dairy-free protein.

• Hemp seed contains complete and highly-digestible protein and hemp oil is high in essential fatty acids.

•Rice protein, when made from the whole grain, is a complete protein source that is highly digestible and allergen free. Since rice protein is low in the amino acid lysine, it is often combined with pea protein powder to achieve a superior amino acid profile.

• Pea protein is a hypoallergenic protein with a lighter texture than most other protein powders. Pea protein has an amino acid profile similar to that of soy, but pea protein does not elicit concerns about unknown effects of phytoestrogens[citation needed]. Pea protein is also less allergenic than soy.

Bottles
Shaker Bottle commonly used to mix supplements. Has mesh inside to avoid lumps in the mixture.
Although it is generally believed that athletes and bodybuilders need an increased intake of protein, the exact amount is highly individualized and dependent on the type and duration of the exercise as well as the physiological make up of the individual. Age, gender, and body size may vary this protein intake.

"Few health experts have criticized protein shakes as being unnecessary for most people that consume them, since most users already get enough protein in the normal varied diet with enough calories. However, there is some evidence to support the idea that protein shakes are superior to whole foods with regards to enhancing muscle hypertrophy in the one hour window following intensive exercise"[citation needed].

Moreover, for athletes who do not have the time to prepare whole food meals on the run or immediately after exercise, a protein shake may be preferred for practical as well as performance reasons.

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suggestions & theories

A dietitian has suggested that low-calorie dieters, vegetarians, haphazard eaters and those who train very heavily may benefit from protein supplements. However, at least in the case of people following vegetarian diets, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies states: "Available evidence does not support recommending a separate protein requirement for vegetarians who consume complementary mixtures of plant proteins."

Overdose

Taking an overdose of protein can lead to a loss of appetite, which may be useful for some dieters.
Nutritionists claim that osteoporosis occurs from excessive protein intake because protein can put pressure on the kidneys and lead to bone loss due to calcium leaching, recent research has cast doubts on these claims, and suggests that higher calcium excretion may be due to increased calcium absorption in the intestines due to protein intake.Indeed, it is well known that dietary protein is itself important for bone growth, and some studies have found increased bone formation in response to exchanging dietary carbohydrates for protein.

Nutritionists also argue against increased protein consumption because weight gain may occur because, as the body cannot store protein, excess protein will either be burned as energy or stored as fat (if you are already getting the calories you need). However, dietary protein is converted to fat far less efficiently than either carbohydrates or lipids, so consuming a calorie excess in protein will result in far less fat gain than would a calorie excess of other macronutrients.

Researchers

Research by Tarnopolsky et al. (1988) showed that for bodybuilding individuals, 0.96g of protein per kg of body weight per day is recommended, whereas endurance athletes require 1.34g per kg per day. Their findings indicated that protein requirements are actually much lower than might be expected and that protein supplements therefore may not be as effective as is popularly believed. It should be noted that both of these levels are significantly higher than the levels recommended for the general population (0.8 g protein / kg body weight).The study concluded that "Bodybuilders during habitual training require a daily protein intake only slightly greater than that for sedentary individuals in the maintenance of lean body mass and that endurance athletes require daily protein intakes greater than either bodybuilders or sedentary individuals to meet the needs of protein catabolism during exercise."

Another study suggest that the protein requirements for anaerobic and aerobic exercise are opposite those presented by Tarnopolsky. Endurance athletes in aerobic activity may have increased daily protein intake at 1.2–1.4 g per kg body weight per day—the same as the aforementioned study—where strength training athletes performing anaerobic activity may have increased daily protein intake needs at 1.4–1.8 g per kg body weight so as to enhance muscle protein synthesis or to make up for the loss of amino acid oxidation during exercise.