The myth that all athletes need extreme amounts of protein in their diets will just not go away. There is a secondary myth which says that athletes do not need to eat carbohydrates. Protein is important in the diet, however so are the other nutrients. Finding the right balance in the diet is important not only to fuel the body before and during the workout but for proper recovery afterward. A diet that is too high in protein can actually hurt the athlete’s performance and can lead to dehydration and other serious problems.
The average person needs to have about .6-.8 grams of protein per kilogram of their body weight; however an athlete will need slightly more. The increase will take into account the increased lean muscle mass of the athlete and the need for more energy, however if the protein is being added in place of complex carbohydrates, there might be a bigger problem overall.
There are typically two types of elite athletes, the endurance athlete and the strength athlete. The endurance athlete will automatically gravitate to the higher carbohydrate, lower fat diet, knowing that they need the carbs to stoke up their energy stores and keep their body moving. The strength training athlete however will typically go for a high protein diet thinking that it will build muscle faster – which may not be as true as he thinks.
Muscles burns energy simply by existing. One pound of muscle burns between 40 and 120 calories per day, simply sitting still. (Source: Roizen, MD and Oz, MD, 2006) On a related note, one pound of fat only burns between one and three calories per day. When the strength athlete starts working out, obviously there will be a need for energy- the muscles will turn to glycogen which is stored as energy there. Glycogen also helps the muscles to retain water. During a high intensity workout though, the demands are going to exceed the glycogen stores and the muscle will need additional energy sources. Fat and protein cannot be oxidized fast enough so the body will need carbohydrates to fuel the hard working muscles.
High protein can hurt overall sports performance in several ways. First, it depletes glycogen from both the muscles and in the liver. Second, it can lower the endurance- once the glycogen stores are burned out, the workout is over if there is no additional source of energy in place. Third, it can hamper your maximum effort. Not only can you not work out as long, you cannot work out as hard. High protein diets before a strenuous workout can also cause extremely low blood sugar- hypoglycemia (Source Quinn, 2007).
The athlete’s diet should consist of about 55-65% complex carbohydrates, 25-30% fat and 12-15% protein. However, there are some that would say that the fat count is too high and that the protein amount is too low. Tweaking these numbers for individual needs and performance should be done within reason. However, the protein intake should stay in the 20-35% range and never go higher than that upper limit.
High Protein and Possible Dehydration
Another way that a diet that is too high in protein can hurt an athlete is by increasing the risk of dehydration. It is estimated that three of every four adults in the United States are chronically dehydrated. It is also a known fact that a loss of just 2-3% of the body’s water could negatively impact both cardiovascular health and athletic performance.
A study was done with athletes, giving them a diet that was for a 150 pound person. The athletes were split into three groups, a low protein, a moderate protein and a high protein diet group. In the high protein group, the diet consisted of about 246 grams of protein or about 30% of the overall daily calories (typical of the average high protein diet plan). The study found that as protein consumption went up, hydration levels went down. Other tests showed an elevated amount of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) which is consistent with abnormal kidney function and also showed much more concentrated urine in the high protein group. (Source: Quinn 2004)
Dehydration can be very serious, not only for the athlete but for others as well because it can cause electrolyte imbalances which can impact the rhythm of the heart and possibly lead to heart attack.
When eating a high protein/low carb diet the metabolism changes to a state called ketosis which also occurs in diabetics who are not following the right diet. In ketosis, the body is not burning carbohydrates for energy, but is using fat instead. The fat is broken down into carbon based materials called ketones which are then released into the blood stream. Ketosis suppresses the appetite; however, it also increases the urine output and can also lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. (Source: Osterweil)
The Right Balance
Increasing the amount of fluids that you consume no matter what type of diet you follow is a good idea, however if you are eating a higher protein amount, it is vital. You need to make sure that you are getting enough protein to not only maintain lean muscle mass but to continue to build it as well. If you do not have enough protein in your diet, your muscles will end up destroying themselves in their effort to build and repair; you will lose not the fat and flab that you want to get rid of, but your lean muscle mass instead.
Whey protein supplements can be a beneficial way to keep the lean muscle mass that you want to build- because it contains the amino acids that you need. After your work out, the muscles will continue to synthesize protein for up to twenty four hours so it is important that you restore protein supplies right after a workout. Whey is most like skeletal muscle and has high levels of both arginine and lysine which can stimulate the release of a growth hormone that is a naturally occurring alternative to steroids. It also has glutamine which protects against fatigue and overtraining.
In addition to whey protein there are other supplement types including Profect from Protica which is available in a number of strengths and flavors that have high quality protein, low calorie counts and zero fats. In addition to 25 grams of protein per single serving, Profect provides Vitamin C (100% RDI) and Vitamin B Complex (10% RDI). An additional product, Proasis is the first all natural protein supplement, providing hypoallergenic protein supplements without lactose, fat, cholesterol, stimulants, preservatives, or aspartame. It is also yeast, wheat, and gluten free and has a low amount of sodium. It can be frozen or boiled without changing its structure and can be used as is or added to another liquid or food product.
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey protein supplements for diabetic patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright