Mediscene

Powered by protein

The high use of protein supplements by sportsmen and women to pile on the muscles is more a convenience than requirement says Dr. J.P. Gamage

Many of the athletes who have tested positive for banned substances and had to face serious consequences are those involved in power and strength sports such as boxing, weight lifting, rugby and short distance athletic events.

How common is supplement use among power and strength athletes?

Worldwide supplement use among athletes, on average, ranges between 40 and 60 percent. A study conducted on Sri Lankan national level athletes revealed that 94% of athletes consumed dietary supplements. More than 90 percent of power and strength athletes use one or more supplements and protein/amino acid (protein make-up molecules) products are the most common.

How much protein do athletes need?

Strength and endurance athletes engaged in hard training need relatively higher amounts of protein than sedentary individuals. Protein is necessary to optimize recovery and training adaptations, enhance immune functions and muscle mass. However, only 12-15% of energy should come from protein. Carbohydrates are the key nutrient and fuel for working muscles.

Can athletes gain the recommended protein content from food alone?

Yes. Strength and power athletes usually follow high-energy meal plans in their routine diets and can easily achieve the recommended protein intake. It has been shown that most athletes involved in strength and power sports ingest proteins in excess than recommended and beneficial. Therefore, for the majority of athletes, additional protein is unnecessary and not beneficial.

Why do most athletes fail to achieve desired goals of muscle mass gain?

Most athletes struggle to gain lean muscle mass even with adequate protein intakes from food and additional protein supplement use. For this, athletes need:

A well designed resistance-training programme under the supervision of a qualified trainer/coach.
An energy dense, strategically planned diet under the supervision of a sports doctor/physician or nutritionist.

One’s total energy intake must exceed the total expenditure creating a positive energy balance for weight gain. Athletes can achieve this high-energy demand by increasing meal frequency and taking 4-5 small meals (snacks) in between the three main meals. A relative high-energy intake is the key in a successful weight gain programme and not the high protein intake.

In addition, the following strategies can also significantly help. The timing of protein ingestion in relation to exercise is very important. Take a protein and carbohydrate-containing snack 30 minutes before (pre-training snack) and immediately after resistance training exercise (post-training snack).

The quality of protein you ingest also matters. The amino acid composition of protein and the rate of digestion are crucial. Fruits, vegetables, pulses/legumes, dairy products and lean meat (animal protein) are excellent sources of high quality proteins.

Consuming both carbohydrate and protein snacks can provide stronger benefits rather than consuming protein alone. Genetic factors play a crucial role. If you do not hold the desired muscle fibre types, it will be hard to achieve the desired outcome. In this case, very little can be done.

Can athletes benefit from protein supplements?

Amino acid and protein supplements have become a billion dollar industry. Protein and amino acid supplements are very popular among strength athletes and coaches. However, there is currently no good scientific evidence to recommend them.

What happens if protein is taken in excess via supplements?

Excess amounts will simply oxidise (burn off). A likely disadvantage is that high protein intake may displace other important nutrients such as carbohydrates, which are necessary to support training and competition demands.

What are the potential harmful effects of protein supplements?

Protein and amino acid supplements are mainly designed for power and strength athletes who wish to bulk up. Consequently, these products can be contaminated with banned anabolic compounds such as steroids where athletes can become guilty for positive doping. Therefore, athletes, coaches and trainers should be cautious when considering these supplements.

Some protein and amino acid compounds can cause adverse health effects such as gastrointestinal disturbances (diarrhoea), muscle cramps and allergy reactions. Seek advice and assistance from a qualified sports doctor/physician if you are planning to use a protein or amino acid supplement.

Food choices

(Suitable for resistance training athletes as pre-exercise and post-exercise snacks (provides approximately 50g of carbohydrate and 10 g of protein)

  • 4 slices of bread (100g) with 1 tablespoon of jam
  • 300 ml fruit smoothie
  • 1 cup of fruit salad with 2 cups of yoghurt (180g)
  • Tea bun, medium sized banana (Anamalu) with a packet of pasteurized flavoured milk (180ml)
  • 2 cups of yoghurt (180g) with a medium size banana (Anamalu)
  • Medium sized apple with 250ml flavoured sterilized milk bottle
  • Tea bun with 250ml flavoured sterilized milk bottle
  • 2 cups of cereals with ½ cup of milk

(This list is only a guide)

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