Protein- Guidelines, Mistakes and Strategies

Protein. We all know we need it, especially when training, but how much? When? Are certain forms superior? How many protein shakes do I need to consume per day? Let's dive into it.

We'll kick off with how much. If you are training and attempting to build lean muscle mass, 1 gram per pound of bodyweight is a pretty safe number. 1.2g per pound may yield slightly better results. Pushing beyond this towards the 1.5 threshold actually promotes weight loss. The reason for this is because protein is exceptionally filling, and people often end up skipping the necessary calories for growth. How about timing? The recommendation used to be to consume protein within 30 minutes of a workout. The research just doesn't support this being mandatory. It holds more value to prioritize consuming carbohydrates post workout to help refuel Glycogen stores.

That said, protein timing is actually far more complex than this. Stay with me. In the body, there

is only a small section of the intestines capable of absorbing protein for nutrient uptake. This section can only absorb 10-15 Grams per hour.

The substances move through at different rates.

- Heavy foods /meats and such) take a few hours to pass through

- Liquids will pass in 60-90 minutes.What does this mean? Your 40 Gram protein shake will pass through only utilizing 10-20 Grams of the protein. This is why food proteins are king. Eat a steak. Your body will have time to absorb the nutrients.

Here is a useful hack. A protein drink by itself is inefficient. Adding digestive

enzymes as a supplement when consuming protein( and really any food) will pre-breakdown the materials and increase absorption 2-3 fold. These can be added to meals as well, will help decrease bloat and increase

nutrient uptake.

When looking at protein powders, the addition of the Digestive Enzymes is often the difference between the $30 protein and the $ 90 protein. Very Gimmicky.

You can buy a multi month supply of enzymes at GNC or Amazon

for $10-20.

Casein vs Whey - Both serve a role. Whey is absorbed quickly

and can help the body get to work repairing faster. Timing casein protein correctly can help athletes struggling with weight gain stay in an anabolic state (growth).

Casein takes a very long time to digest in your gut so your body

believes it has excess nutrients to build with keeping that anabolic switch flipped!

Plant protein- Not the move if you tolerate and ingest animal products. Whey based proteins contain significantly more essential amino acids and are more readily available for protein synthesis.

If you’re looking for more information on muscle growth, check out our post on “Growth and Atrophy”.

Hope this helps! Let us know your thoughts and keep grindin'.

-John