Protein Supplements

In previous posts we have emphasized the benefits of protein as well as described the proper way to choose them for a healthy diet, but we haven’t discussed getting protein through supplements. Some people believe they have a “short cut” to receiving the benefits of a healthy diet without all the work a by taking supplements. With that said, taking supplements is not always bad, they are immensely helpful for the individual struggling with deficiency when a nutritionist prescribes them. There are many reasons people choose to take protein supplements, including building muscle, losing weight, strengthening fingernails, sleeping better, and relieving pain and depression; but do supplements actually do all of these things? The general answer is no.

Many people in the athletic or active population think of protein as an ergogenic aids. An ergogenic aid is an external element that is used for the intent of enhancing physical performance. Examples of this are protein powders, amino acid supplements, and steroids. Protein powder and amino acid supplements are controversial because of their questionable ability to enhance athletic performance whereas steroids are controversial because of the inherent, dangerous physical effects.

Protein supplements

        An example of a protein supplement is whey protein. This supplement has actually been proven to enhance muscle mass slightly but has not been proven to give an advantage in athletic performance. However, muscle size is increased not the by supplement alone but in combination with resistance exercise that fatigues the muscle.

Amino acid supplements

        Some people take individual amino acid supplements because they think they have particular positive effects on the body. Although some amino acids are essential, they do not exist in food in isolation and can be harmful to the body if presented that way. In fact, large doses of a single amino acid may inhibit the absorption of another amino acid; with long-term use this could potentially lead to toxicity in one and deficiency in the other. Amino acid supplements can lead to adverse effects such as diarrhea because water collects in the digestive tract in attempt to create equilibrium with the concentrated supplement.

Steroids

        There’s no doubt that steroids can seriously alter someone’s physique to make him or her appear to be the ultimate athlete, but they come at a high cost. Anabolic-androgenic hormones can have negative physical effects on the mind, face and hair, voice, chest, heart, abdominal organs, blood, reproductive system, muscle bones and connective tissues, and more. The athletic advantage gained by taking anabolic steroids is not worth the cost of your overall health. An example of the impact of steroids includes more aggressive behavior, termed “steroid rage,” as well as anxiety, psychotic depression, personality changes, and suicidal thoughts.

The concept of supplementation is not one unique to athletes; it exists in the sedentary population as well. It’s not unusual to hear people talk about taking a multivitamin every morning or a vitamin or mineral with seasonal changes; however, adequate vitamin and mineral intake can come from a well balanced diet and, in fact, supplementing a specific vitamin when you are not deficient can be damaging to the body. Vitamins and minerals work synergistically with food and therefore depend on each other to be absorbed. Therefore, all you’re getting by taking a multivitamin is expensive pee (not worth the money in my opinion). However, some studies have proven that taking fish oil and vitamin D daily have a positive effect on the body.

Most supplement companies draw those interested in getting their ideal body through false advertisements. It is important to remember that these companies have a primary goal of making money even if it means using advertisement tricks to sucker someone into buying something they don’t need.  An example of this is the “too good to be true” approach to nutrition advertisement quackery; meaning that the supplement promises intense results in a minimal amount of time. Although supplements like protein shakes, bars, and drinks provide convenience they do not replace the benefits of a healthy diet and cannot makeup for a lousy one.  

- Hannah

Controversies of High Protein Diets

Excessive amounts of protein can lead to more harm than good. Excessive amount of protein from food consumption or supplements can add disproportionate calories to our diets. Remember, 1 gram of protein is 4 calories, and in large quantities, like any macronutrient, will result in more calories consumed than our body uses, which is then stored as fat. Protein is essential, but like fats its history has changed, our perspectives on what protein really does for our bodies and what is the “right” and “wrong” for consumption.

In the 19th century, protein was related to meat and that was how it stayed for many years to follow. I myself didn’t know that many beans, legumes, and vegetables have almost the same or higher amounts of protein per gram than animal meats. It was once said “a large amount of protein was for the civilized man”. Granted this was the 1900s; the recommended protein was 125 grams per day, whereas now it is around 50 grams for an adult male. According to one English physician, those who were wealthy ate meat and those who were poor could only eat potatoes and bread. This same physician also stated that those who ate less meat had “poor physique”. Doesn’t this sound similar to what we know today?! Those who consume high amounts of protein must be stronger and have a better physique. Today, we find both dimensions: those fighting to have enough calories and struggle meeting their body’s need and those who consume an unreasonable amount to maintain their physique.

Consequences of Too Much Protein:

• Filling your calories with protein without energy from carbohydrates can lead to fatigue and muscle weakness.
• Our bodies can’t efficiently use all the protein especially those on high-protein diets. 20-25 grams can be used in one meal, whereas the rest could be turned into fat storage.
• High protein meals can easily be coupled with a high level of fat. Together extra consumption may lead to excess calories and weight gain that may not be muscle.

            Some fad diets follow the routine of high protein with low or no carbs. The only problem is that by limiting carbohydrates our body becomes low on glucose and then we feel fatigue. Another problem with a high protein diet is that it limits our food choices and nutrient dense fruits, vegetables, and whole grain are missed. We need these! Even though protein rich food bring high levels of B12 and iron we lack vitamin C and folate, which we find in fruits and vegetables. Consequences of too high protein diets lack an assortment of food. This may lead to weight gain due to high calories consumed in one food group. Finally, I want to mention that there is correlation of high protein diets to chronic heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and obesity (Whitney).

            With all this said I want to emphasize that a higher protein diet is not completely unhealthy. Many researchers are now arguing that high protein diets are part of a large picture weight loss plan, especially for those who are trying to curb hunger. Now, why is this? When protein in the diet is increased it changes our bodies metabolically, which has its advantages for those trying to lose weight, as well as for athletes. Metabolically high quality protein will assist in creating lean body mass, and in decreasing body fat. This is exactly what athletes want along with those trying to regain muscle and lose weight.  Just like there are high quality carbs and fats there are high quality proteins. High quality proteins include essential amino acids and are highly digestible. High quality proteins aid our body’s function to maintain long-term muscle and bone health (Pasiakos).  Too little leads to deficiencies and excessive amounts much leads to long term problems, but right in the middle is right where we need to be.

            Our 19th century thinking has lead us to where we are today along with numerous other thoughts and myths about protein. Everything in moderation is what I like to remind myself everyday. We need protein, but just like carbohydrates and fat, too much can harm our bodies, and limit our overall health and fitness.

• Sara

Pasiakos, S. (2015). Metabolic Advantages of Higher Protein Diets and Benefits of Dairy Foods on Weight Management, Glycemic Regulation, and Bone. Journal of Food Science, 80(1), 2-7. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.12804

Whitney, E., & Rolfes, S. (2013). Protein: Amino Acids. In Understanding Nutrition (13th ed., p.183- 184). Belmont, California: Yolanda Cossio.

Sizer, F., & Whitney, E. (2012). The Proteins and Amino Acids. In Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (12th ed., p. 214 ). Belmont, California: Yolanda Cossio.

Clark, N. (2014). Protein: Building and Repairing Muscles. In Nancy Clarks' Sports Nutrition Guidebook (5th ed., pp. 137-155). Newton, MA: Sports Nutrition Services.

Campbell, T., & Campbell, T. (2005). A House of Proteins. In The China study: The most                         comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted and the startling implications for diet, weight loss and long-term health. Dallas, Tex.: BenBella Books.

Protein for Athletes

Myths about protein and those who would want to gain muscles weight usually come with false information and faulty reasoning. Many athletes feel that protein is for those trying to build giant muscles, partly this is true. In reality, protein for endurance and weight training athletes is both important. Endurance athletes need protein as well. Confusion and myths about protein come from those who are bodybuilders who do consume large portions of protein-containing foods like eggs, chicken, and protein supplements. But those who may not choose the bodybuilding way of life may to not get the recommended amounts of protein in their diets due to fear of gaining too much bulk or simply being uneducated on their own body’s needs. Once again the philosophy of ‘everything in moderation’ comes into play. As we stated in the previous post, protein is needed to repair muscle, grow hair and nails, along with boosting our immune system.

Most individuals can find themselves no matter their activity level eating too little of the required proteins. It is very easy to fill up the day on other foods because meats, cheeses and protein bars are favored by those who are ‘bulky’ and we want to avoid these foods. In most cases, we then replace more nutrient and vitamin dense foods with processed enriched foods that are not filling. For athletes and any person that is active, you need to figure out your needs. Endurance athletes harness the use of protein when the duration of workouts are long, our bodies adapt to these activities and use protein when glucose is low in the blood. Those who are trying to build muscle need adequate amounts of protein but not over-do the amount. In several studies, taking excess protein in supplement form didn’t increase muscle mass more than consuming natural foods that are rich in protein. Those people that are trying to lose weight still need to get protein to feel full and curb cravings. Protein is also essential for those who are starting to work out or weight train because they need the protein to build muscle, increase endurance, and be stronger.

Protein Recommendations Based on Activity

	Gram per Body Weight (lbs)
Sedentary Adults	0.4
Endurance Adult Athlete	0.6 - 0.7
Growing Teenage Athlete	0.7 - 0.9
Adult Building Muscle Mass	0.7 - 0.8

Ex. 120lb endurance female needs at least 0.6 grams per body weight

120 X 0.6 = 72g of protein a day

Try this for yourself!

Now that you have found your need let's talk food. Protein can be difficult to get when you're busy running around from school to practice then home late, so the best quick snack options are not always full of protein. Some great snack or meals on the go include: greek yogurt, cheese sticks, hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, almonds, leftover chicken (on a salad or in a wrap for example), milk chugs, and finally deli meat, which is great to once again put on a salad, in a wrap or just eat by itself as a snack. The best part about protein snacks is that is actually fill you up for a long duration.

Those who choose to avoid meat for their own taste or personal decision need to be aware that they may become deficient over time. The healthiest way to maintain fitness at any level while being vegetarian, and even vegan, is knowing your plants. Grains, beans, legumes, nuts, soy, kale, and spinach need to be consumed by these individuals. Along with not eating enough protein for performance a person may not be getting enough iron, which is much higher in meats. Iron, a mineral that we need to consume, is needed especially when an athlete changes their diet to cut back on red meat. One consequence may be lower iron levels. A couple of my favorites that are animal free is soy or almond milk (especially chocolate), black bean burgers, almonds, peanut butter, spinach, hard boiled eggs and quinoa. If you glance at this list, what do you notice? I see vegetables, dairy and fat, all important and filling throughout a busy day.

For the female athlete it is a challenge to stay “thin” (which is a post all to itself) but I want to address protein in the midst of weight loss and the challenge to be thin. As mentioned earlier, iron may become deficient with those who have a low calorie, low protein diet, or have excessive activity. For females especially iron is also lost through the menstrual cycle. When iron is low enough you may feel fatigue, loss of muscle, become anemic, or for females have amenorrhea, which is the loss of  or very rare menstrual periods. For a female athlete with these symptoms it’s your body telling you that something is off.

Protein is essential for everybody, find your needs, and find your new grocery list and yummy recipes you’d like to try. Don’t avoid the protein! Find a happy medium with what your body needs and what sound good for you. Nutrition is very individualized and it may take time to find the particular foods that you enjoy and can readily make. In the long your body with be sustained and your mind will enjoy the strength during your favorite activities.

• Sara
  
  
  

Clark, N. (2014). Protein: Building and Repairing Muscles. In Nancy Clarks' Sports Nutrition Guidebook (5th ed., pp. 137-155). Newton, MA: Sports Nutrition Services.

Proteins: The Basics

Proteins are composed of individual amino acids and are a fundamental aspect of the human body. Amino acids are very similar in composition but their slight variance (the “R-group,” “functional group,” or “side chain”) is what decides their function. There are two types of amino acids; the first is “essential” which means that the body does not make it itself (or make enough itself) so it has to come from the diet. The second is “nonessential”, which is the kind the body can produce. Out of 20 amino acids total, 9 are essential and 11 are nonessential.

        Proteins have numerous functions in the body. The most common job of protein is serving as building blocks for muscles, blood, skin and even replacing dead cells. They also form enzymes, which are materials that help break down or build substances and facilitate reactions.  Some hormones are proteins, including testosterone and estrogen. Proteins also assist with fluid regulation and balance. For example, if the protein concentration is too high on one side of the cell membrane it will attract water and other fluids, this causes swelling and is most often seen after an injury. Another function of proteins is transporting substances across the cell membrane. A protein has a negatively charged nature it attracts positively charged hydrogen atoms, and because of its relationship with hydrogen atoms it acts as an acid-base regulator. In extreme cases (ex: starvation), proteins can be broken down and used as energy, although it should be noted that this is not their intended purpose. These are just a few examples of their usefulness but proteins are capable of much more!

        Now that we understand how important proteins are let’s take a look at how to eat enough of them. When it comes to foods there are high-quality proteins and low-quality proteins. A high-quality protein contains all of the essential amino acids and easily digestable and a low-quality protein does not. It’s important to understand that although some foods do not supply all of the essential amino acids they are still useful to the body. In fact, low-quality proteins may be eaten in combination with each other to supply all of the essential amino acids; this makes low-quality proteins a complete meal for amino acids. For example, eating legumes may provide only partial of what the body needs, so if you pair them with grains you will get the other half of essential amino acids. Those who prefer to avoid eating meat, poultry, fish, cheese, eggs, milk, and some soybean products will typically utilize “protein complementing”. Protein complementing is the act of combining low-quality proteins to form a meal composed of all of the essential amino acids.  

Proteins are necessary for everyone, not just bodybuilders; however, it’s easy to eat the wrong amounts. The DRI (daily recommended intake)  recommends ingesting 0.8 grams for each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight to maintain muscle mass. So, for example, a 150 lb individual should be eating 54.5 grams of protein daily (150lb / 2.2lb = 68g, 68g x 0.8g = 54.5g). An example of 54.4 grams is one blade steak or two 4oz. chicken breasts.

- Hannah

Sizer, F., & Whitney, E. (2012). The Proteins and Amino Acids. In Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (12th ed., pp. 189). Belmont, California: Yolanda Cossio.

Whitney, E., & Rolfes, S. (2013). Protein: Amino Acids. In Understanding Nutrition (13th ed., p. 166). Belmont, California: Yolanda Cossio.

Harnessing the Power of Fats

Now that we have learned what fats are and how the history and idea of them have changed we can apply this all to our daily living and our diet. Fats are typically put into the “bad” food columns because fats are associated with the nutrient free, sugary, snack foods. This is  UNTRUE. Fats like mentioned before are our bodies long-term fuel, insulation, and keeps us feeling full. The trick is balance and an understanding amounts. Serving sizes are placed on our foods for guidance and they are rarely examined.. Fats are dense and therefore a serving size may be small. Fats are equivalent to 9 calories per gram. Nutrient dense foods like peanut butter, almonds, eggs, and seeds are my favorite ways to get nutrient dense and filling food into my diet. Fats are digested much slower and so we will not have fast energy like carbohydrates, but will sustain our day’s activities or the exercises we do.

Fats in natural unprocessed forms are best. Which can be hard when so many things are processed. Like I mentioned earlier my favorites are peanut butter, almonds, eggs and seeds. But there are many more options like:

• Avocados: They are easy to throw in a salad, make guacamole or use to replace mayo. Avocados calories are mostly fat, but this is monounsaturated fats and not processed.
• Salmon and Tuna: Fish oil allows us to get two serving of omega - 3 oil that are essential for our bodies and help maintain natural inflammation and decreased the risk of heart disease.
• Flax Seed: Again flax seed or oil is a natural found unprocessed food, that is rich in omega - 3’s that can be added in anything. Add it into smoothies, cereal, or bake goods.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil is better choice when looking to saute veggies or throwing in pasta.

How can Athletes use Fats?

How much fat do we really need? Every single person needs to have some percentage of fats in their diet. How much depends on you. Typically, the recommendation is 20-35% of your daily calories, which is quite a lot in comparison to our “old” ways of thinking. Daily calories of fat along with carbohydrates and protein are dictated by your activity. I want to show the recommendations for both males and females depending on moderately active vs.active.

Recommended Total Calories:

Ages 14-18	Male: 2,400-2,800 Female: 2,000	Male: 2,800-3,200 Female: 2,400
Ages 19-30	Male: 2,600-2,800 Female: 2,000-2,200	Male: 3,000 Female: 2,400

For finding out the percentage of fats you individually need on a given day depends on your calorie needs. So for example a 20 year female who is an active and daily runner needs about 2,400 calories. Since fats are between 20-35% of our daily diets take the 20-35% of the caloric need divided by 9 which gives you the grams (1 gram of fat = 9 calories).

2400 x .20 = 480/ 9 = 53g of fat

2400 x .35 = 840/9 = 93g of fat

In Food Fat Looks Like: 1 cup of almond milk = 2.5g

   1 cup of whole milk = 7.9g

   1 tbsp of unsalted butter = 11.5g

   1 cup of sliced avocado = 21.4g

   1 tbsp of olive oil = 14g

For athletes of any sport it is important to have a balance, but get enough of daily fats to sustain long term energy. When muscles are weak and being used over an hour, they have already consumed the glycogen stores our muscles, and can use the fat stores. The type of athlete you are depends on the amount of fats you need because your body will use the stored fat differently. Long distance runners, cyclists, or triathletes perform low/moderate intensity activity for a long duration of time, this allows them to use more fat storage. Now speed or weight training is mostly fueled by glucose or carbohydrates. Why is this? Low/moderate activity for long amount of time is aerobic, meaning our body needs a lot of oxygen (“Energy In..”). Fats are used most efficiently by our bodies with oxygen and so there aerobic activities are best to use our fat storages.

What Type of Exerciser are You?

Aerobic Activity	- endurance exercise - uses oxygen to produce energy	- burn fat and weight loss - uses fats and protein over long term activity
Anaerobic Activity	- interval training or weight training - the body can produce energy without oxygen	- boosts metabolism and prevent weight gain - uses carbohydrates for short term intense energy

Fats are very important for all athletes and the range of consumption is determined by activity that will be performed. Athletes and those who are active can listen to their bodies to determine when they need to eat or have sustained energy. We can also use the understanding of aerobic vs. anaerobic to determine caloric needs of our bodies to get the number of calories we need and therefore the exact grams of fat needed daily. Now, if you are asking how I can use all this information and numbers this is how.

1. figure out your activity level
2. determine what kind of activities you do most regularly
3. find your caloric need
4. find your grams
5. apply this to you eating and planning

I want to end by tying this back to serving sizes because this will be used practically and during our meal planning. For example 2tbsp of JIF Natural Peanut Butter contains 16g of fat. If you determined you need around 40g of fat a day you are about half way there. Another one of my favorites, and I know many others enjoy are almonds, one serving (¼ cup) of almonds contains on average 18g of fat. With these two foods you may already hit your goal. I wanted to mention this because with this you can visualize the serving sizes that will still give your body what it needs. Figure out your numbers and it will help balance out your diet and control your serving size especially when it comes to fat.

• Sara

Clark, N. (2014). Building a High-Energy Eating Plan. In Nancy Clarks' Sports Nutrition Guidebook (5th ed., pp. 28 - 29). Newton, MA: Sports Nutrition Services.

Clark, N. (2014). Athlete-Specific Nutrition Advice. In Nancy Clarks' Sports Nutrition Guidebook (5th ed., pp. 247 - 265). Newton, MA: Sports Nutrition Services.

Energy In: Recommended Food & Drink Amounts for Children. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2015.