TIPS FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF PROTEINS
One of the many nutritional aspects to consider in people who are interested in looking for changes in body composition related to an increase in muscle mass or a decrease in fat tissue, is the intake of protein in the diet, in this regard There is a large number of publications and scientific studies, for which we have decided to compile the most important aspects based on the positioning of two of the most respected institutions in the field of Sports Nutrition , (International Society for Sports Nutrition (ISSN 2017) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM 2016) and some related studies:
Total daily protein intake
The total protein consumed throughout the day seems to be the main factor favoring an anabolic threshold both for the increase in muscle mass in phases of “bulking” or volume and for the retention of fat-free mass In phases of reduction of fat tissue, the recommended values according to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN 2017), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM 2016), range between 1.2-1.4 to 2 g / Kg and in the case of preserving muscle mass during a caloric restriction program, the values are slightly higher, establishing a range between 2.3-3.1 g per kg of fat-free mass according to ISSN 2017 or more than 2g / kg of body weight according to ACSM 2016.
The anabolic window
The anabolic window is a limited period of time after training where adaptations to strength training are optimized by increasing the absorption of some nutrients, including proteins (Aragon., et al, 2013). It is another factor to take into account; It is frequently recommended to consume protein-based supplements immediately after training, however the most recent studies speak of no significant differences, if consumed before during or after our training session (Aragon & Schoenfeld, 2013) , the famous “anabolic window” can be even greater than the so famous half hour that is often heard among those who go to gyms and last up to 24 hours after exercise; However, it all depends on the pre-workout meal if the latter was made with a duration close to 4 hours, there is no need to consume our supplement as soon as possible.
Protein intake before bed.
There are several studies where it is stated that people who consume some slowly absorbed protein (such as casein), before sleeping, present additional benefits in terms of adaptations to strength training and higher levels of muscle hypertrophy, the recommended dose is 30 to 40 grams, (Trommelen & van Loon, 2016), which in a practical way , could also be covered with other food sources of protein of high biological value , (Meat, Chicken, fish, dairy).
Safety in protein consumption. If I consume protein in excess, will it damage my kidneys?
Certainly, it is clear that people with chronic kidney disease benefit from a low protein intake to avoid health complications and delay progress to dialysis, but this same concept apparently cannot be applied to people healthy women who perform physical exercise, a wide variety of studies have now been found that report that an increase in protein intake by athletes is not correlated with liver-kidney damage. The World Health Organization recently reported that there is insufficient scientific evidence to associate the consumption of a high protein diet as a causal factor for kidney disease (WHO 2011) , and recent studies have even been published with extremely high protein diets in which diets up to 3.4 to 4.4 g / Kg were supplied, which did not report side effects on kidney function (José Antonio et. al, 2016)
Maintain a constant level of amino acids in the blood;
Many studies confirm this strategy as one of the most effective both to increase our muscle mass and to preserve it during a fat tissue reduction program; Maintaining frequent protein intakes every 3 to 4 hours is a practical strategy, regarding the dose , based on current evidence an amount equivalent to 0.25 is proposed g / Kg of body weight or the equivalent of a intake of 20 to 30 grams of protein for each meal time (Phillips, 2014).
Consume adequate amount of protein after training
In recent years, several studies have been carried out to try to determine the optimal amount of proteins in which the highest rate of protein synthesis is observed after a training session, where different results have been obtained, it is not currently established How much would be the ideal amount, however it seems that 0.4g / Kg of body weight would be a sufficient amount to maximize anabolic processes, promote muscle recovery and improve adaptations to strength training (Morton, McGlory, & Phillips, 2015 ).
In conclusion, all these aforementioned aspects are key to achieving any objective related to changes in body composition always hand in hand with an adequate diet plan designed by a professional in Sports Nutrition and an adequate stimulus provided by a good training plan designed by a professional in the sciences of physical activity and sports.
By Andres Felipe Paipilla