Why does eating protein matter? Exercise, especially strenuous exercises, causes microscopic damage to the protein-containing cells of the working muscles. The components of your muscles are derived from the protein you consume. Oliver Witard, a senior lecturer at King’s College London and a protein metabolism researcher, explains that these building blocks, or amino acids, aid in the repair of damaged muscle proteins and the formation of new ones, with the ultimate goal of becoming stronger, bigger, and fitter muscles.
Why is consuming protein important? Exercise, especially vigorous activity, damages the working muscles’ protein-containing cells on a microscopic level. The protein you eat forms the building blocks of your muscles. These “building blocks,” or amino acids, help in the restoration of harmed muscle proteins and the synthesis of new ones, Oliver Witard, a senior lecturer at King’s College London and a researcher in protein metabolism, explains. The end result is stronger, bigger, and more fit muscles.
Simply put, ingesting protein is essential for workout recovery and results, and recent research indicates that people require around twice as much protein as previously believed in order to maintain maximum muscle health. For instance, the current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram (or 0.22 grams per pound) of body mass, which is the minimal amount needed for good health. That amounts to 55 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound adult.
However, for the best muscle building, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a nonprofit organization devoted to developing the strength and conditioning industry globally, advises 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass per day. That is for the identical 150-pound adult.Here’s the thing: Research shows that you don’t have to cram all that protein in immediately after your workout. “High-quality and short-term muscle biopsy studies report similar muscle anabolism after consuming an essential amino acid mix one, two or even three hours post-exercise,” Witard says, citing 2014 research from his team, published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism.
Another 2017 PeerJ study found that when men drank 22 grams of protein after their workouts, they didn’t build more muscle than those who didn’t drink the protein supplement. But there’s a catch: All of the study’s subjects were already eating roughly 1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of their body mass per day.
