Why Athletes Need Protein

You may have heard that protein is important for athletes. But do you know why? Protein is a macronutrient that we need to survive. And if you’re someone who’s serious about their fitness routine and hitting new athletic goals, it’s something to pay particular attention to.

Muscle repair

When you exercise, you experience what are called “microtears” in your muscles. This may sound a little scary, but it’s a natural process. It’s most likely to occur during strength or resistance training. These microtears often cause post-workout muscle soreness—something you may be familiar with!

Protein is made up of amino acids. When you eat protein, especially after a workout, the amino acids go into your bloodstream. Next, they head to your muscles, where they repair those microtears. This repair process is called muscle protein synthesis (MPS). It happens quicker and more efficiently when you eat enough protein, reducing the intensity and duration of soreness. One of the more important amino acids involved in MPS is called leucine.

Muscle growth

As the amino acids repair microtears through MPS, they can also help muscles grow bigger and stronger. Muscle growth happens when we eat sufficient amounts of protein and when MPS exceeds the breakdown of our muscles. This, of course, occurs over time with a consistent training schedule.

Maintaining muscle mass

When we engage in intense or prolonged exercise, our bodies may deplete their glycogen stores (what we get from carbohydrates.) When this occurs, muscle tissue can be used as an energy source. However, breaking down our muscles is not ideal because it results in muscle loss. Fortunately, protein can also serve as a backup energy source. Consuming adequate protein to meet our training demands can help us preserve muscle mass.

This does not mean we need to eat excessive amounts of protein. Make sure you’re eating within the recommended guidelines, which we will talk about below.

More benefits of protein

We may think of protein as something just for our muscles. But there’s more to it than that! Protein is needed to build immune cells and antibodies. These protect us from infection and help us recover from illnesses faster. This is really important for athletes because intense or prolonged exercise can sometimes weaken our immune systems.

Protein also plays a crucial role in producing and regulating some of the hormones in our bodies, such as our thyroid, growth hormone, and insulin.

How much protein do I need?

While it’s crucial, it’s important not to overload on protein. Generally, it’s recommended that active people consume around 1.2 - 1.7 grams of protein per kg of body weight daily. However, this heavily depends on a person’s age, medical history, activity levels, type of training, athletic goals, and other factors. Talk to your doctor or dietician for more support.

Tip: Don’t eat it all at once! Instead, spread protein throughout your daily meals and snacks.

Where can I get protein?

It’s best to get most of our protein from whole foods. “Complete proteins” have the 9 essential amino acids our bodies need in sufficient amounts. Here are some examples of complete proteins:

• Meat
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Fish
• Milk
• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Quinoa
• Soy products
• Buckwheat

“Incomplete proteins” are still valuable options. If you go for those, try combining them with other incomplete proteins to make them complete. (And you don’t have to eat these combinations at the same time either! Just strive to eat them on the same day!) Here are a few good combos:

• Beans and rice
• Nut butter with whole-wheat toast
• Hummus and whole-wheat crackers

Practice timing

To help with recovery and muscle growth, aim to get your protein 1-3 hours before your workout. If it’s just a small snack of protein, like a small helping of yogurt, you can eat it closer to your workout. Then, try to get a good serving of protein within 30 minutes to 2 hours after your workout. Need a bedtime snack? A little bit of protein before you hit the hay can also help with muscle recovery!

Meal planning

We know you’re busy! To make things a little easier for yourself, try to prepare meals and snacks at the beginning of each week. When healthy proteins are more accessible, you’re more likely to reach for them.

Key takeaways

Eating a well-rounded diet that includes protein from various sources can help you achieve your athletic goals and keep your mealtimes interesting. And don’t forget, more is not always better—be sure you’re eating the right amount for you!