FUEL FOR THE BODY SERIES: PROTEIN…
How important do you think this macronutrient is with your performance?
By:  Angela M. Kirke RD, LD ASMI-CPT

Many people are most likely aware that you need protein to function properly every day.  Then again, maybe you are not aware, and the reason you are continuing to read on further. If you are looking to increase your performance and to understand the basic facts, than this is the article for you.  As for the answer to the above question:  Protein is Very Important as with all macronutrients!  It is important because it is required for the body to function at an optimal level.

Lately there has been so much hype about protein in the media that I thought it would be a good topic to provide to the GHORBA readers and for all who visit this website.  It is important to remember that these facts apply to both on and off-season in the biking world and in everyone's world for that matter. :  )  Just because the season ends, does not mean that your way of eating should also end. 

Eating healthy begins with three main fuels for the body:  Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat. All of which are vital for proper functioning.  Protein is just one of three macronutrients that helps our body in many ways.  Out of all three listed, which one of these macronutrients do you think is the most important?  Protein? Carbohydrate? Fat?  Actually they are all very important and must be consumed in the right proportion for the body to work at its best.   The most important one of all is carbohydrate, but that is a whole other article for GHORBA readers, which will be touched upon at a later date.  

This article will be part of a three part series entitled "FUEL FOR THE BODY" with a discussion of each macronutrient in length, starting with Protein and ending with a final discussion of Carbohydrate-which is the most important fuel of all, especially for a cyclist.  Will save the best for last.  Stay tuned….

Protein, Protein, Protein.  What exactly is protein and why is it important to me?

Protein is a single macronutrient that is made up of 20 different amino acids and is important for the body to function at its peak performance.  These 20 amino acids are required for processes in the body to work properly.  Try to think of protein as the building blocks for the body.  These building blocks are divided into two different groups:  essential and nonessential.  To understand PROTEIN is to understand these two components.  Breaking down the building blocks…. essential and nonessential amino acids.

Breaking it down…. There are nine essential amino acids that are required because your body cannot make them. They may sound somewhat familiar to you:  histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. These amino acids can be obtained by consuming animal protein sources, as they are complete.  Other amino acids are considered nonessential.  Your body can make nonessential amino acids-if you consume enough essential amino acids and enough calories during the day.  If you don't eat meat, they also can be obtained from beans, grains, vegetables, and nuts.  So those of you who don't eat meat.. don't worry.. you can obtain it from other sources as noted in the remainder of this paragraph.  In order for the body to make its many proteins, it is important to choose foods that supply these in sufficient amounts.  Animal proteins supply all nine essential amino acids.  Protein comes from meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, and soy (all of these supply the body with the nine essential amino acids)-this is why the essential amino acids are referred to as "complete" proteins.  Keep in mind that except for soybeans, plant proteins, legumes and nuts lack one or more essential amino acids  and therefore these are called "incomplete proteins". This is one of the many reasons among others to include some form of soy in your diet.  Soy will be another topic of discussion at a later date as the health benefits far outweigh any controversy that may be out there about this wonderful source of protein.   It is important to remember that when consuming an incomplete protein, there is no need to combine specific foods at every meal, as once thought.  Note your body also makes its own complete proteins if you eat a variety of plant foods in your diet.  If one food lacks one amino acid, then it is possible to make up for it with other foods that you may eat during the day.

Your body is an amazing machine in the way that it knows how to make its own complete protein if you eat a variety of incomplete proteins such as legumes (beans and peas), seeds, and nuts, but keep in mind that these too supply plenty of protein.  Two other ways to get protein is by consuming grain products and many vegetables, but these provide much smaller amounts.

Getting protein in the diet is essential and is important because it supplies our body with many different functions.  For example:  protein is part of every cell in your body.  It has the ability to build and repair body tissues ( ie. During times of growth-infancy, childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy), to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals; to transport nutrients; to make muscles contract (which is important in all sports and everyday movement); regulation of body processes, such as water balance, and finally supplies the body with energy.  It is part of every body's cells and requires a constant supply of protein to repair these cells as they wear out.  But do remember that it is also important to consume enough carbohydrate and fat in order to preserve your protein stores for building and repairing body tissues.  Remember that if you consume excess, as with anything, it will be stored as body fat, not as a holding bank for later use.  The body requires sufficient amounts of essential amino acids and not excess in order to make many proteins. 

The current Recommended Dietary Intake for protein is ~0.8 g/kg body weight for a healthy adult.   This is the amount that is recommended to maintain lean body mass.  Convert wt to kg by dividing by 2.2.  Here is an example:  150 lb female would require ~54 grams of protein per day based on the recommended RDI (Recommended Dietary Intake) for the average adult.  Some athletes do require a little bit more than non-athletes depending on the sport and what exactly is trying to be attained with each specific sport.  Protein overall, is not considered your best source of extra energy for an activity and should only supply ~15-20 % of your total daily caloric intake.  Extra calories in the form of protein offers no additional benefits for a non-athlete/athlete because energy needs differ amongst different groups of people so it is important to base your needs on your body weight rather than % of energy needed.  Strength and endurance athletes require an increase in protein ~1.2-2.0 g/kg of body weight.   These values are assumed for average body composition.

MEDIA HYPE…High protein/Low carb diets..…will provide more info later about this diet to clarify further…not a good idea for a cyclist…you need your carbs to attain high performance not to mention the glucose that the carbs provide for energy ( ie carbohydrate is the main fuel for the body)…!

You have probably heard that protein builds muscle..-in truth-… only athletic training builds muscle strength and size…consuming more protein, from food or supplements will not make any difference.  In fact, too much protein can be very harmful to the body.  Nutrient imbalance, kidney strain and dehydration are just a few of the multiple reasons to consume only what is required for your specific needs.   When protein intake increases, so does your need to consume more water as dehydration can occur. The media has promoted and reviewed these diets, which are high in protein, but the truth is that the high protein/low carb diet imbalances the body that you do lose weight; it is just not the weight loss that you need-it is mostly water and muscle mass, and little fat.  Instead, a balanced intake of both carbohydrate and protein at every meal and snack allows the most healthy and permanent weight loss if you are trying to lose weight.  This is to be reviewed further as so many people are trying it and all that is really needed is information on how to eat a well-balanced healthy diet with accurate portions sizes. Consumption of too many portions is one of the main reasons for obesity in our country.

The needs in a typical American diet is usually protein-rich and provides > 0.8 g/kg protein in a given day.  Athletes (even those trying to improve their muscle mass) usually obtain enough protein without even trying; and a lot of times it boils down to appropriate portion sizes.  Many people are unaware of the actual portions sizes of foods and therefore consume excess.  This is one of many reasons for a rise in obesity in our country.  Our nation tends to super-size everything, which doesn't help any of us in the long run.  Increased portions are also consumed when we dine out.  They are often 3-4 times what we actually need in one sitting.  Eating extra portions puts our bodies into overtime; overtime by having to store the excess somewhere else.  Believe it or not, but the body actually prefers to have a variety of foods from all food groups at every meal in the right proportions.  The fact of the matter is … with any excess calories.. no matter the form… the body ends up storing all the excess that we eat as fat because it has nowhere else to go especially if you are inactive, which I know no GHORBA riders are. :  )