Popular Diet Fallacy #9: “To Build Muscle, You Need to Consume a Fixed Amount of Protein Per Pound of Bodyweight”
Do you really need to pack in the protein in order to pack on the muscle? And if so… how, when and why? “The truth about how much protein you need to build muscle is much more complex than the diet gurus would have you believe,” says Ori Hofmekler, author of bestselling The Warrior Diet http://www.dragondoor.com/b17.html.
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 24, 2005 -- “The truth about how much protein
you need to build muscle is much more complex than the diet gurus would have you
believe” says Ori Hofmekler, author of bestselling The Warrior Diet http://www.dragondoor.com/b17.html.
One of the
trickiest of all fallacies is the notion that there is a fixed amount of protein
per pounds of lean bodyweight required for actual muscle gain.
Yes,
dietary protein is required for the build up of muscle tissues… but protein
intake is only one out of several major variables that affect the body's
capacity to grow. And in fact, it isn't even the most important one.
The
amount of protein intake required for actual muscle gain depends on critical
variables such as hormonal balance, intensity and frequency of exercise, timing
of meals and the overall nutritional composition, including the protein's
biological value (BV).
Since protein intake requirement can change
according to the above variables, the idea of a fixed amount of protein intake
is mistaken and often misleading.
Let's briefly review the major
variables that directly relate to protein intake.
Hormonal balance
Our bodies require a certain hormonal balance in order to effectively
build tissue. A low ratio of androgens to cortisol or a low ratio of IGF-1 to
bound IGF-1, may compromise our ability to induce the anabolic state required
for actual muscle gain.
If untreated, hormonal imbalance may jeopardize
any chance of gaining muscle mass, even if protein intake is
high.
Exercise intensity and frequency
Muscular development
relates to the intensity and frequency of exercise.
Numerous studies reveal
that a high intensity level--as with resistance training or sprint
intervals--increases the levels of GH as well as androgens and thus maximizes
the muscles capacity to adapt, gain mass and perform.
A recent study at
the University of Western Ontario Canada reveals that intense pre-fatigue
exercise (and not a moderate warm up) boosts VO2 max in older individuals to
almost the levels found in young adults.
Overtraining can cause you to
waste away…
Moderate aerobics just won't cut it-long distance runners
would fail to gain total body strength and muscle mass even with a high protein
intake.
Furthermore, when the frequency of training is too high and the
rest time is insufficient, the body may be prone to muscle wasting.
Resent studies at the University of Alabama found that a certain
hormone-like metabolite, called IL-6 may be chronically elevated due to
overtraining. That can lead to a long-lasting inflammatory process, which may
result in muscle tissue wasting.
Timing of meals - wait five hours and
you'll need twice the protein for the same results.
The body optimally
utilizes protein when it is ingested in the first 30 minutes after exercise. Any
delay beyond that, gradually slows down the rate of protein synthesis in the
muscle. A 30g portion of protein consumed right after exercise converts to the
same equivalent protein-utilization in the body as a 60g portion of protein
consumed five hours later.
So meal timing is critically important. The
same protein meal, for instance, that is most beneficial after exercise, may
actually cause adverse affects, if consumed before exercise (See diet fallacy
#2).
Overall nutritional composition
To be fully utilized, protein
must not be ingested alone, in large amounts.
Studies by the food and
agriculture organization (FAO) reveal that high calorie intake positively
increases protein BV and vice verse. The higher the fat or carb intake (the
higher the calorie intake) the less protein is required for effective muscle
gain.
Besides being a source of energy, carbs and fat play additional
important roles. Carbs are necessary for critical anabolic actions (enhancing GH
and IGF-1 impact) in particular after exercise (See diet fallacy #5). Fat is
necessary for supporting a healthy hormonal balance (see diet fallacy
#4).
In conclusion, there is no fixed amount of protein required for
actual muscle gain.
Nevertheless, protein intake is important and should
be adjusted according to other variables. For instance, young individuals with a
superior hormonal balance require less protein intake then older individuals
with inferior hormonal balance. Higher protein BV requires less amount of
protein intake than lower protein BV.
If applied correctly, small
protein meals after exercise can yield the same net protein utilization as
double size protein meals which were applied either too early or too late. Use
your common sense. Through trial and error you'll find what works best for
you.
For more articles by Ori Hofmekler on the Top Ten Diet Fallacies
visit http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode2/Nutrition and read
Ori Hofmekler's The Warrior Diet. http://www.dragondoor.com/b17.html
For more information
on the Warrior Diet Fat Loss Program and Controlled Fatigue Training (CFT)
certification seminars and workshops log onto www.warriordiet.com or call
818-992-1994 (866) WAR-DIET
Copyright ©2004 Ori Hofmekler All Rights
Reserved
To arrange interviews or receive review copies contact John Du
Cane at 651-487-3828.
The Warrior Diet is available online at www.dragondoor.com or by
calling 1-800-899-5111.
Dragon Door Publications, Inc is the leading
provider in the United States of cutting-edge information on diet, nutrition and
exercise.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
John Du Cane
Dragon Door
Publications
651-487-3828
http://www.dragondoor.com
# # #
Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/8/prweb276247.htm