Take protein before or after meals. How to take protein? Rules of use and dosage

Protein is an essential supplement that is absolutely essential for athletes who want to build muscle. These types of products contain up to ninety-five percent of easily digestible protein.

Protein is most often taken in the form of cocktails, which anyone can prepare at home. The composition of the cocktail includes: protein, water (possibly milk), flavorings (most often fruit).

Let's take a closer look at how to properly take protein.

Why take protein

Many of us have heard that protein must be consumed by athletes, but not everyone knows what exactly this product consists of.

Some even think that protein is a chemically synthesized substance that can cause serious harm to health.

The word "protein" itself is translated from Latin as "protein". Proteins strengthen the immune system, regulate the human condition, and help the metabolism of organs and tissues. Thanks to proteins, we breathe, move, analyze the world, digest food, and so on.

Without protein, it is impossible to grow muscle mass and quickly recover from grueling workouts.

Protein powders sold today in sports nutrition stores are, in fact, the same cottage cheese, milk or meat, but in a purified, concentrated form.

The percentage and rate of protein assimilation is much higher than that of meat or dairy dishes. The fact is that the powder does not need time for splitting, and within seconds after consumption, the protein is processed and enters the cells, supplying them with the proteins necessary for muscle building.

So, protein is taken in two main cases: first, when it is necessary to build muscle; secondly, to keep muscle tissue from breaking down with strict diets.

How to take protein

Sometimes some athletes complain that the protein has practically no effect on them, but their comrades have built up serious muscle mass in the same time. What's the matter?

Most likely, in the wrong reception of means. There are specific protein dosages and regimens that should be used for optimal results.

Usually the protein is mixed with milk, water or fruit juice. In this case, the amount of liquid does not matter.

The main thing is that the liquid should not be hot, otherwise the protein will curl up, losing some of its properties.

It is better to break the daily dose of protein into two stages: this way it will be easier for the body to absorb the incoming protein. Take protein most often between meals.

How to consume protein: dosage

Physiologists, studying the question of how to take whey protein, found out that for the growth of muscle mass, at least one and a half grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day must be supplied to the human body.

This is the absolute minimum. The most optimal amount would be two grams per kilogram.

The food we buy in stores is mostly rich in carbohydrates and fats. Proteins are sorely lacking. Even with good nutrition, it is extremely difficult for a person to provide the necessary norm of proteins per day.

Of course, in conditions of protein deficiency, there can be no talk of any increase in muscle mass.

The most reasonable option is that the amount of protein from food and the protein from the cocktail should be approximately equal.

In other words, a person with a body weight of seventy kilograms should consume approximately one hundred grams of seventy percent protein per day. For a person weighing one hundred kilograms, the dose should be increased to one hundred and fifty grams per day.

You need to take protein every day and in the same amount, regardless of whether training falls on that day or not.

There are also single doses of protein intake, which can be adjusted based on individual factors.

In medicine, there is such a thing as nitrogen balance. This concept determines the correspondence between the number of amino acids entering and leaving the body.

When the balance is positive, it means that there is enough protein. Medical research has shown that the best nitrogen balance is achieved with just 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

An overdose of protein will not give solid muscle growth, but it will put a strain on the digestive tract. The optimal single dose of protein is thirty grams.

There is also a division of dosages depending on the goals of training. If training is aimed at increasing muscle mass, the dosages are as follows:

1. If the athlete has practically no subcutaneous fat - 140-250 grams of protein per day.
2. If there is a predisposition to excess weight - from ninety to one hundred and fifty grams per day.

When a bodybuilder has to work on relief:

1. With mild subcutaneous fat - from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty grams per day.
2. With a predisposition to excess weight - from one hundred to one hundred and fifty grams per day.
3. Reception for weight loss - from 130 to 160 grams per day.

Consider now when is the best time to take protein.

How to consume protein: the optimal time to take it

Protein intake must be correlated with the so-called human biological rhythm, the assimilation and effectiveness of the cocktail directly depends on this.

The most favorable time for the assimilation of protein is the morning: immediately after sleep, up to eight hours. After eight, the effect of the protein will be reduced to a minimum, the level of amino acids in the body will practically not increase. And in this case, it is useless to increase the dosage.

What is the reason for this protein digestibility? The answer to this question was given by scientists, according to the hypothesis of which, later confirmed in practice, thyroid hormone and growth hormone are responsible for the level of amino acids in the blood.

A surge of these hormones occurs in the morning or at lunchtime. There is another "protein window" - the time immediately after training. In other hours, protein intake will not give a good effect.

It is not recommended to take protein directly before training. The fact is that physical activity temporarily blocks the growth of muscle tissue, the body switches to the production of clean energy, to the burning of glucose and glycogen.

After the athlete has completed the workout, his muscles are covered with microscopic tears, for the treatment of which the body begins to hastily look for protein. This time is called the "protein window".

For a long time, doctors could not come to a single conclusion when answering the question of how much protein to take.

International medical organizations searching for uniform standards in the field of health have come to the conclusion that the optimal norm for a person is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

The norm is relevant for men and women aged nineteen to seventy years.
However, we should not forget that this rule was developed in the middle of the twentieth century and is somewhat outdated.

In particular, the norm does not take into account that there is a huge difference in physical activity between the layman and the athlete.

One of the pioneers of medical research in the field of sports, Dr. Liman called the optimal protein intake for an athlete - 1.6 grams per kilo of body weight. This standard was soon confirmed by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Doctors are well aware that without the use of protein, muscle growth is impossible, but on the contrary, there will be a breakdown of muscle tissue. Therefore, doctors advise to consume protein in sufficient quantities, but not to overdose.

Nutrition problems in power sports, in fact, rest on anabolism. The body must be constantly maintained in a state aimed at muscle growth, and it is protein that contributes to this.

However, remember that protein intake alone will not increase muscle mass. This requires intense training.

If you worked out without protein, and then decided to take it, then from now on you need to give all the best. Protein will help build strength, improve muscle recovery, which will allow you to move to a new level of training painlessly.

Mike Roussell, PhD

People consider the post-workout shake to be the holy grail of sports nutrition. How about a protein shake before a workout? Find out why pre-workout protein should never be neglected!

Protein or amino acids can be taken before and after a training session, however, if I had to choose only one option, then I would choose a pre-workout supplement. Blasphemy, many will say! So if you're more upset than a kitten that got kicked down the stairs, let me explain first before you scratch my face.

For a long time, post-workout shakes were considered the most important component of training nutrition. However, recent research suggests that pre-workout protein and amino acid supplementation can give you even more benefits, and here's why:

Muscle nourishment

Pre-workout protein, and especially branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), will help fuel your muscles during your workout. BCAAs are not processed by the liver, and once absorbed into the bloodstream, they go straight to the muscles.

This is key because training causes the breakdown and oxidation of BCAAs. Thus, providing the trained muscles with these amino acids, you save the body from the need to catabolize these same muscles.

Stimulation of protein synthesis

Taking protein before a workout improves your pump, and this stimulates protein synthesis during your workout rather than after.

Also during training, pre-workout protein improves the delivery of amino acids and their absorption by the muscles.

Taken alone or as part of a complete protein, BCAAs prevent muscle breakdown. Thus, the problem of protein synthesis is solved even more effectively!

Acceleration of calorie burning

The exact reason for this acceleration is unknown, however, it may be due to the additional metabolic effects of elevated blood levels of amino acids and modifying substrates (energy sources) used during the training session.

However, don't wait for scientists to figure it all out, because in order to get the positive effects (accelerated calorie burning!) Of whey protein, it is not necessary to know their mechanisms (the exact metabolic cause).

Transmitting effect

In addition, there is a transferring effect of pre-workout nutrients. After digestion of the protein, muscle protein synthesis can be accelerated by 3 hours.

This means that pre-workout protein allows you to get a double benefit: during the training session, you get the positive effects of increasing the level of amino acids in the blood and continuing these effects after training.

This increase in blood amino acid levels also helps prevent excess post-workout muscle breakdown.

This is partly due to lower levels of the hormone cortisol, which catabolizes muscles. One 2007 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that consuming a protein and carb shake 30 minutes before a workout caused a significant drop in cortisol levels that lasted throughout the day.

Fat Burning Bonus

Taking protein alone (especially BCAAs) before a training session is of exceptional benefit while on a low-carbohydrate diet. Pre-workout BCAA intake, especially when glycogen levels are low (which is actually seen with a low-carbohydrate diet), leads to increased fat oxidation (i.e., accelerated fat burning) during high-intensity exercise such as interval training or metabolic training with weights.

Winner: Pre-Workout Protein

The nutrients that we consume before and after training are extremely important for the development and improvement of the figure. If you skip pre-workout protein, then you miss out on the chance to increase anabolism during the session (muscle growth and the reduction of post-workout catabolism, that is, muscle breakdown).

As long as you get adequate dietary protein throughout the day, I recommend pre-workout BCAAs. Their free form allows for faster absorption and assimilation, which means that by the time you start exercising your amino acid levels in your blood will already be high.

It has been scientifically proven that protein is an indispensable protein for the human body, its construction and normal functioning.

Without it, full-fledged tissue regeneration and immune protection are impossible; it helps to reduce bad cholesterol in the body and performs many more important and useful functions. However, not everyone knows how to use protein as a sports nutrition.

The question is often asked: is it worth taking protein during sports? This is not only possible, but absolutely necessary, especially if you need a set of muscle mass, as in bodybuilding, power sports, etc.

For ordinary people who do not play sports, there is enough protein from food, but it is clearly not enough for muscle growth.

However, a sports diet should include both natural sources of protein and additional ones in the form of sports nutrition.

Natural Protein Sources

Animal products are the main sources of protein for the human body. These are meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese and other dairy products. By the way, did you know that raw egg white is digested much worse than cooked one (then its digestibility reaches 95-98%)?

Rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, wheat groats are another valuable source of protein, it is not for nothing that they say about a weak person: "I ate little porridge."

A lot of vegetable protein is found in legumes (beans, peas, lentils) and any nuts (cashews, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts). Of vegetables and fruits, cabbage, figs, avocados, and zucchini are the most protein-rich.

As you can see, there are many food products that provide our body with the proteins it needs, but they are not enough for mass gain and intensive development of the muscular system during active bodybuilding, fitness, etc. Proteins must be taken correctly, not replacing, but supplementing them with the diet.

Before we talk about how to consume protein, let's look at its types and which ones are better to choose depending on your goals, how much protein you need to take per day and when is the best time to do this to ensure rapid protein absorption.

How to take protein

Various types of protein have long been well studied by science. Its special value lies in the fact that it is a natural product, not synthesized.

It is obtained by processing from ordinary milk (whey left after the manufacture of cottage cheese and cheese). That is, in fact, it is just a protein powder. The raw material for the production of protein is also soy, it is soy protein of vegetable origin.

How much protein to take to increase muscle mass depends on the weight of the athlete. The optimal daily dosage for an adult is 1.5 g per 1 kg of body weight. Full information about the dosage, frequency and time of administration is contained on the package.

Teenagers are also interested in how old and in what dosage they can take proteins. Let's start with the fact that without the advice of a sports doctor or a dietitian, this cannot be done.

From how much protein can be taken by a teenager involved in sports, only they decide, and the dosage is calculated depending on the age, weight and height of the child.

Recall that protein, like any product, can cause allergies, and its uncontrolled intake negatively affects the kidneys and liver of a teenager.

The best sports nutrition for mass gain

How to consume protein

Usually a 30 g measuring cup is attached to the protein package, this amount of dry powder is diluted in 180-250 milliliters of boiled water or milk at room temperature. If you do not like milk, you can replace it with water, juice or compote.

The optimal time for taking protein shakes depends on the type of protein: fast, slow or complex.

Fast Protein (Isolate) absorbed by the body as quickly as possible, literally in a few minutes. This is an ideal tool for the speedy replenishment of amino acids in the muscles.

If the goal of an athlete is to gain muscle mass, then it is advisable to drink a protein shake an hour before training and immediately after it. It is also useful to take it in the morning, immediately after waking up.

Slow protein absorbed by the body much longer, within 6-8 hours. If it is intended to gain muscle mass and improve muscle relief, then it should be drunk before bedtime so that the muscles receive the amount of amino acids they need overnight.

Complex protein is a mixture of different types of protein: casein, whey, egg and soy. It is perfectly digestible and combines all the best qualities of each type:

• casein - blocks destructive processes in tissues, has a high biological value;
• whey protein is a valuable source of amino acids for muscle building;
• egg - has a high biological value;
• soy - helps to reduce the level of bad cholesterol.

Protein for weight loss

Many girls are interested in the question: is it possible and how to use protein for weight loss. First of all, girls should understand the mechanism of its effect: when the body begins to receive additional protein (recall: protein is protein in its pure form), then additional energy is required for its absorption, so the body has to use its fat reserves to obtain it. The protein itself is used to build muscle.

Knowing how to take protein, we must not forget that this will give the desired effect only if you follow a diet for weight loss with carbohydrate restriction and a decrease in calorie content of the diet. Simply put, its calorie content should be no more than 80% of the physiological norm.

In addition, it is necessary to exclude pastries and everything sweet, otherwise the combination of protein with fast carbohydrates will have the opposite effect - new fat deposits will appear. And, of course, losing weight with protein is impossible without a fairly intense workout in the gym.

How many times a day should I drink a protein shake? The following scheme is considered the most effective (each serving of a protein shake replaces a meal):

• 1st reception: in the morning, immediately after getting up.
• 2nd reception: 2 hours before the start of the workout (an hour later you can eat one fruit).
• 3rd reception: one hour after the end of the workout.

Today, it is much easier for a modern person to achieve perfect proportions, because he has at his disposal effective training systems, and simulators with an enhanced system of action on all muscle groups, and sports nutrition, thanks to which an ideal, toned body becomes not a myth, but a reality.

Useful amino acids, proteins and proteins of natural origin - this is what our body cannot do without. And therefore, an important point in compiling a sports menu is the right amount of protein, which is responsible for building muscle mass, the athlete's excellent health, immunity, endurance and achieving maximum results. You can get protein from the usual food, but it is much more effective to make up for its deficiency with specialized sports supplements.

Proteins, getting into the digestive tract, break down into essential amino acids. The latter, in turn, affect the growth of muscle tissue, the formation of certain hormones, the growth of bone tissue, and are also a source for energy production. To calculate how much protein you need to consume per day, you can use the standard scheme: 1.5-2 grams per day per 1 kilogram of body. At the same time, it is important to take into account such a moment that a sports supplement cannot contain 100% protein, the average is 70-93%.

How to take different types of protein

To date, there are several types of protein mixtures, each of which is characterized by its own characteristics in terms of intake time and serving size.

How to use protein depending on the goal?

Depending on the purpose of using the protein (weight loss, gaining muscle mass, to achieve relief), the dosage and time of taking the supplement will differ. Consider the main and most common options.

1. How to take protein for weight gain. To achieve this goal, you need to distribute the daily serving of protein into 5-6 servings. It is better to give preference to whey or complex protein. The daily rate should not exceed 2 grams per kilogram of weight (during normal training). A strengthened program will require an increased amount of protein consumed up to 2.5 grams.
2. How much protein to drink for weight loss. You should have 2 types of protein: fast isolate (whey) or complex (whey and egg), slow (casein);
   . Drink according to the scheme, as for gaining muscle mass, with the only difference being that 2 meals can be replaced with slow protein (casein);
   . Sports are the basis for acquiring ideal forms;
   . You can additionally use various fat burners, for example, L-carnitine.
3. How to Take Protein for Muscle Growth and Muscle Gain. At night, the muscles go through a recovery cycle, so a portion of protein is needed in the morning. Drink a fast-digesting protein shake (whey or complex) half an hour after waking up;
   . Happy. The amino acid pool must be regularly replenished, and therefore between meals you need to drink a portion of the isolate (or complex protein);
   . Before workout. Drink isolate 40 minutes before class to maintain existing amino acid levels in the muscles;
   . After training. This is a risky period for catabolism: glycogen stores and amino acid concentrations decrease. Drink a complex protein with fast carbohydrates, a gainer with simple carbohydrates;
   . Before bedtime. To ensure the influx of amino acids, drink casein protein (absorbed in 6-8 hours).

Despite the fact that protein is a useful and indispensable sports supplement, it is worth remembering that everything is useful in moderation. Don't think that adding more protein to your diet every day will increase your muscle mass. In the case of a large amount of protein intake (whey or egg), there will be no harm to the body. However, in any case, the body will not take more than can be absorbed - the excess is simply excreted.

It is also worth mentioning that soy protein in excess consumption for men can be harmful, as it affects the increased production of the female hormone estrogen. On days of active and enhanced physical training (before competitions), you can increase the usual dose from 2 grams to 2.5, but on ordinary days you should not abuse the supplement.

In addition, it is worth mentioning the three most common questions that arise in those who are going to take protein.

1. Is it necessary to constantly consume protein, or can it be stopped when the goal is reached?
   Here the answer is unequivocal - if you want to keep the shape, then when you cancel the protein, you need to balance the diet in such a way as to make up for the amount of protein consumed earlier.
2. Should I Drink Protein Blends on Rest Days?
   At the time of rest from active physical exertion, the muscles also need to be replenished. PRIME KRAFT offers only balanced high quality protein blends that help maintain and maintain the resulting shape. In addition, our catalog offers customers useful amino acids and fat burners, without which it is impossible to imagine a sports menu.
3. How much protein can I drink per day, or what are the norms of a single serving for men and women?
   Everything is quite simple here - the protein norm for men in aerobic training is 2 grams / kg of body weight, in an intensive format of loads - 3 grams. For women and beginners - 1.5 g / kg. In this case, a single serving should not exceed 40 grams for weight gain and 20 for weight loss.

We wish you the achievement of all your goals, as well as only high-quality sports supplements that will be the key to a successful result along with active physical activity!

Protein intake is a key success factor for professional athletes. If there is not enough protein in the body, you can not count on special results in the increase in strength and mass. Such a protein deficiency is even dangerous and can lead to problems with immunity, metabolic processes, skin and hair.

However, this does not mean that protein can be drunk in any quantity and at any time. You need to know exactly when to take protein - before or after a workout.

Most experts agree that several whey doses per day are more effective than one. The daily dose of protein (2-2.5 g per kilogram of body weight) should be drunk in 5-6 approaches. The maximum serving size is 40 grams. Too much protein will not be absorbed and will create an extra burden on the liver and kidneys.

So, the protein should be taken:

• right after waking up. Since the athlete's body is starving during the night, a morning portion of protein is required. Whey protein in 30-40 minutes compensates for all costs and stops the process of catabolism;
• before training. In the period before training, the body needs to get a supply of energy and proteins. Therefore, 30-40 minutes before class, it is advisable to take whey protein. If you skip this technique, the body will begin to make up for the lack of energy from muscle fibers, which will greatly reduce the effectiveness of the workout;
• after training, you also need to take protein. The body needs to replenish its energy and protein reserves, and a portion of a gainer or protein will help to quickly restore strength;
• before bedtime. Protein intake before bedtime is necessary to replenish muscle fibers with amino acids, as well as to prevent catabolic processes.

Protein will bring the maximum benefit in gaining muscle mass or losing weight only if it is taken correctly. Protein is needed both before and after training, as well as early in the morning and before bed.