5 Ways to Optimize Protein Intake for Gym Performance AND Longevity
What’s up Outlast Health fam!?
In this month’s blog, we’re going to discuss how to optimize our daily protein intake and the impact that has both in the short-term, for fueling our gains and gym performance, but also our long-term health and longevity.
Protein is the ultimate ‘get you somebody that can do both’ macronutrient. It helps us make the gains and build the biceps and quads necessary for the gym bro in the squat rack next to us to ask, “what do you take, bro?” but it also helps our mom and dad maintain the muscle mass and strength in old age necessary to reduce their fall risk and combat sarcopenia (for the meathead in the squat rack, that’s nerd speak for loss of skeletal muscle due to aging).
The 20 amino acids that make up proteins have wide-ranging functions within our body. Leucine, for example, is vital in protein synthesis, which is required for recovering from a workout and building new skeletal muscle tissue. Amino acids such as arginine, glutamine, cysteine, and lysine are critical for our immune function as they help to create immune cells and regulate inflammation. Protein has a role providing structural support for bones, regulating hormones, maintaining our fluid balance and hydration status, and regulating the body’s pH. I could go on, but hopefully that has impressed upon you the fact that protein is not JUST important for building muscle and recovering from our workouts.
Ok, so let’s now dive in to see how we can optimize our daily protein intake. Below we will discuss what we truly need to worry about when it comes to daily protein intake in the diet and what is just nutrition myth that just won’t seem to die…
How We Can Optimize our Daily Protein Intake
#1: Eat complete protein sources
To piggyback off our discussion above, the protein sources you eat in your diet should be complete protein sources. So, remember above we said that there are 20 total amino acids that make up proteins. Well, 9 of those amino acids are ‘essential amino acids,’ meaning that we cannot make them on our own inside our body and we need to get them from our diet. This includes sources of protein such as chicken breast, beef, salmon, eggs, turkey, pork, protein powder and yogurt. For our vegetarian friends, this also includes sources such as quinoa, edamame, and tofu. This does NOT include sources such as nuts, nut butters, vegetables, or legumes. So, make sure you are meeting your protein requirements each day with complete protein sources.
#2: Eat enough total protein each day to fuel performance and health
If you are interested in maintaining muscle mass in aging, building new, lean muscle mass from a gym routine, or maintaining as much muscle as possible while leaning out, a non-negotiable is getting in enough total protein every day. Current research points towards athletes and active adults needing about 1.6-2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. Check out this article if you want to do a deep dive. In a 150 lb (68.2 kg) individual, that is about 110 grams of protein per day, minimum.
#3: Start the day with protein
Without getting too deep into the science weeds, our bodies can either be in a catabolic state (breakdown) or a metabolic state (building). We need both to survive as human beings, but we want to make sure that we optimize the times we are in anabolic mode to maintain and build muscle mass effectively. Coming out of sleep, our bodies tend to be in a more catabolic state, so it is important we provide our body with protein, especially in the morning, to start providing our muscles with the building blocks they need to function optimally. A good rule is to have a meal that contains about 30 grams of protein within about an hour or 2 of waking up. Protein in the morning can also help us feel fuller throughout the rest of the day, also making it a good idea to start the day with protein. For more information on this check out this podcast episode with Dr. Peter Attia and Dr. Don Layman.
#4: Spread out protein intake evenly throughout the day
Current research is making it clear that the number one priority for protein intake is getting in the necessary amount for the day above all else. Meaning getting the total number of grams of protein your body needs for the day is more important than getting the “right amount” of protein at each individual meal. And it is becoming more apparent that the idea that you can “only digest 20-30 grams of protein per meal” and that anything more than that will just be “peed out” is total bullshit. However, if we are looking to optimize, it is probably best to spread out our daily protein intake fairly evenly over 3-5 meals for the day.
#5: Have protein in the hour or 2 before and after training
Given that protein and the amino acids in a complete protein source help to create an anabolic environment that is optimal for creating new muscle mass and helping muscles recover from the breakdown sustained during a workout, it is likely a good idea to supply the body with these nutrients before and after we work out. Again, we are looking to optimize our protein intake, training and health here. So, a good rule would be to have about 20 grams of protein by itself, or in a meal, in the hour or 2 before training and in the hour or 2 following training. The “anabolic window” following a workout, however, is a bit over-blown, so don’t worry about driving 80 mph, running red lights, on your way home from the gym to get back to your house within 15 minutes of finishing your last set of squats to have your protein shake.
That’s a wrap
Consider these 5 strategies when creating your game plan around protein in your diet and you will be ready to get jacked and stay jacked over a lifetime.
Chris Stires, PT, DPT, PN1