Proten Basics

[Kittychick]

Protein Basics

A "Guest Pose" article by Will Brink
These days, it seems like everyone is taking in more protein in some form or another — people who are transforming their physiques, weight-training athletes, those who are restricting their calories, people who are trying to gain weight, and vegetarians, to name a few.
Just walk around the local grocery store, and you'll likely find an assortment of protein-enriched cereals, protein shakes, and even "high"-protein oatmeal. Whether the type of protein being touted is soy, whey, casein, or milk... it's all about one thing: protein.
So what's all the hype about protein? Should you be consuming more? Why? What's the "best" type? And, how much is too much?
These are all excellent questions. And I'll do my best to reveal the answers. Hopefully, in the end, you'll have a clear-cut path to the basic ins and outs of protein... and why you might want to consider consuming more.
Protein Basics
Protein is used for the basics of life itself — the production of skin, hair, bones, and muscles. Proteins are used to manufacture hormones, enzymes, cellular messengers, nucleic acids, and immune-system components. Without adequate protein, our bodies can't put together the structures that make up every cell, tissue, and organ, nor can it generate the biochemical substances needed for cardiovascular function, muscle contraction, growth, and healing.
Protein for Performance
Take a peak through any of your favorite "muscle" magazines or listen in to the locker-room talk at your gym, and you're sure to find more than a casual mention of protein. And for good reason... here are just a few of the benefits of ingesting enough protein:
- Encourage muscle recovery and growth from intense exercise by providing the body with an ample supply of amino acids — the building blocks of muscle.
- Optimal production of IGF-1 — an important hormone for muscle growth and recovery (adequate calories are also required).
- Allow optimal functioning of the immune system for a healthier, longer life span.
In recent years, scientists have studied protein's role in health and performance extensively. Additional discoveries are beginning to reveal which proteins are better for building a stronger, more muscular body, preventing disease, or other attractive benefits.
Regardless of your goals, protein should be regarded as a foundational nutrient of any nutrition program — it's an essential ingredient for achieving optimal progress in physique enhancement and performance. It's certainly no secret that any person (and that includes you!) who is generally active in sports and/or trains with weights or other resistance will benefit from getting enough protein.
Whey vs. Casein

Is There Really a Best Type?
Over the last few years, scientists have begun to investigate the ability of certain types of protein to improve the bodies' ability to increase muscle tissue. They've discovered that different proteins can have profound effects on indicators of potential muscle growth, such as protein synthesis, protein oxidation (burning), immune effects, and nitrogen balance to name a few.
One protein that has been getting particular attention is a specific protein found in milk called whey, which is processed into a fine powder.
Interestingly, one recent study actually found that whey may directly improve performance, probably due to its ability to improve antioxidant defenses. Twenty healthy young adults (ten men, ten women) were supplemented with either whey or casein for three months. The researchers looked at Muscular performance (as assessed by whole leg isokinetic cycle testing, which is basically a bike test). Lymphocyte GSH levels (as a marker of tissue GSH). GSH or glutathione is an essential water-soluble antioxidant found in the body that protects cells and serves as a primary detoxifier of harmful compounds, such as peroxides, heavy metals, carcinogens, and many other toxins, as well as being essential for immune function.
As one would expect, they found no baseline differences in peak power or work capacity between the whey and casein groups. However, after treatment, a follow-up on 18 subjects — 9 who received the whey and 9 who received the casein (considered a placebo in this study) — were analyzed. Both peak power and work capacity increased significantly in the whey group, with no changes found in the casein group. Lymphocyte GSH also increased by over 35% in the group receiving the whey with no change in the group getting casein. The researchers concluded, "This is the first study to demonstrate that prolonged supplementation with a product designed to augment antioxidant defenses resulted in improved volitional performance." This and other studies make it clear that whey is the protein supplement of choice for many athletes for a wide variety of reasons, one of which may be improved performance during endurance exercise. This should not, however, lead people to believe other sources of protein don't have a place in their nutrition plan.
A Word on Whey- Is it a Better Choice?

Is Whey Protein Found in Milk?
Yes and no. To better understand where whey protein is derived from, let's start with cow's milk. But let's be clear: whey is not your typical glass of whole milk. In fact, far from it. Cow's milk contains approximately 6.25% protein.
Of that, 80% is casein and the remaining 20% is whey. When we talk about whey, we are actually referring to a complex protein made up of many smaller protein subfractions (peptides), such as beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, immunoglobulins (IgGs), glycomacropeptides, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and minor peptides, such as lactoperoxidases, lysozyme, and lactoferrin. Each of the subfractions found in whey has its own unique biological properties important to health and recovery from intense exercise.
The final powdered protein (which was derived from the liquid whey) goes through many processing steps before it's finally turned into whey protein concentrates and isolates. This processing may include cross-flow micro-filtration (CFM), ultra-filtration, and dia-filtration to remove lactose (milk sugar — which many people are intolerant of) and fat; reverse osmosis and nano-filtration to separate different sized peptides in whey; two ion-exchange processes; and high-speed air dying at low temperatures to avoid denaturing the protein components of whey to retain its biological activity. Some whey may go through partial predigestion/enzyme hydrolysis to get peptides that may enhance absorption. All of these processes have their own set of pros and cons and effects on the final product. Studies have found that only undenatered whey protein has positive effects on glutathione (the body's major water-soluble antioxidant) and immunity, both of which are essential to long-term health and recuperation from tough workouts.
Is Whey Protein the Better Choice?
Whey protein has become a favorite supplement for those seeking to put on muscle and enhance their physiques as well as improve their health. In order to decipher which protein is best for a particular need, typically one would use a specific gauge of some sort (e.g., protein quality tests) to determine which protein to use. The most commonly used criterion to measure the quality of a protein is Biological Value (or BV for short), which is the amount of nitrogen (body protein in grams) replaceable by 100 grams of protein in the adult diet. Proteins with the highest BV are considered by many to be the best for promoting growth, but this is an often disputed issue among scientists. However, most scientists directly involved with protein research agree that the higher the BV, the better the protein is digested, used, and retained in the body. This should equate into more lean tissue gained, all things being equal (i.e., calories, exercise choice, etc.). It is, however, a very complicated topic not given to such black and white answers.
The bottom line is, whey is a complete protein with a very high BV and this means it contains all the essential and nonessential amino acids and boasts the highest branched-chain amino acid content found in nature. The BV of whey is approximately 104, while the next highest BV is 100, for whole egg. In contrast, the BV of whole milk is 91, the BV of casein is 77, beef is 80, soy is 74, wheat is 54, and beans are 49. Again, BV is only one criteria for proteins, and although important, people often make too big a deal of it. For example, beef has a fairly low BV but has been a staple protein for athletes (and people in general) for decades. Soy has a low BV but has other potentially useful properties. So, as a general guide to choosing proteins, BV is something to consider but should not cause people to put blinders on to other proteins.
How Much Protein Do You Need?

How Much Protein Do You Need? And, How Much Is Too Much?
Whether your protein comes from whey protein powder, chicken, fish, or beef, it's likely you need more than you might have previously believed if you exercise on a regular basis.
And especially if you're trying to pack on muscle tissue. The current RDA is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, which would be only 64 grams of protein for a 175-lb man. If you think you can grow muscle optimally on 64 grams of protein, I have a well-worn bridge in Brooklyn you may be interested in purchasing. There's no doubt in my mind that the RDA doesn't apply to those of us who are even mildly active.
Today, after thoroughly reviewing past research, I've uncovered that individuals who weight train (or exercise) regularly, at least 3 times per week, may require upwards of 1.6 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. However, your needs may be further increased if you...
are seeking to maximize muscle gains;
are just beginning a weight-training regimen;
are performing prolonged cardiovascular training in addition to weight training;
are restricting calories (i.e., on a diet)
Clearly, there is ample evidence to suggest that if you're in the gym lifting weights, you need to be consuming more protein than the US RDA would suggest. Learn How to Calculate Your Protein Requirements on the Next Page
How Much Protein Do I Need?

Calculating Your Protein Requirements
Calculating your daily protein requirements is easy. Most people making this simple estimation an overly daunting task, the following calculation really is as easy as 1-2-3.
Since protein requirements are normally expressed in grams per kilogram.
To figure out your weight in kilos, simply divide your bodyweight in pounds by 2.2. For example, 175 lbs divided by 2.2 = 80 kilos (79.5 rounded up actually). Next, multiply your weight in kilograms by 1.6 to 1.8 to find your grams of protein needed per day. Of course, you could make your life simple and just use one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, which is a tad higher than the studies suggest, but this makes it very easy to figure out with a little extra protein for a margin of error.

Please don't hurt your brain figuring out the math or obsessing over the exact number of grams; honestly it's not that critical. Focus on achieving close to the approximation of your individual requirements, based on the calculations above. Don't worry about over-consuming protein. Even at the upper intake, it is highly unlikely that it will have any negative health consequences. In fact, to my knowledge, there isn't one study to date that shows negative effects stemming from over-consumption of protein in healthy, active adults. There are, however, studies that show the health benefits from ingesting adequate protein.

Protein is essential to anyone interested in optimal health, especially those of us who are active. Protein should be a foundational nutrient, especially when we're trying to maximize muscle and strength gains. The benefits of protein (especially whey) are very clear, and if adequate amounts are used, we may just create an optimal environment for building a stronger, healthier body.

Author Will Brink is a columnist and consultant in the sports nutrition and bodybuilding industry. Will is the Science Writer for Nutros.com, site that specializes in providing straight-forward, accurate information on performance nutrition.
References:
Bounous, G., et al., "Effect of Supplementation with a Cysteine Donor on Muscular Performance," J Appl Physiol 87.4 (1999) : 1381-5.
Lemon, P. W. R., "Effects of Exercise on Dietary Protein Requirements," Inter J Sport Nutr 8 (1998) : 426-447.
Millward, D.J., "Optimal Intakes of Protein in the Human Diet," Proc Nutr Soc 58.2 (1999) : 403-13.

Poortmans, J.R., and Dellalieux, O., "Do Regular High Protein Diets Have Potential Health Risks on Kidney Function in Athletes?," Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 10.1 (2000) : 28-38.

Walberg Rankin, J., "Role of Protein in Exercise," Clinics Sports Med 18.3 (1999) : 499-511.

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[cb25]

good post...i only gave it a cursory look...but it seems to hit a lot of the great basics like BV and requirements...

very nice!

[igiboy]

:D Kitty so can u tell me when i take a shake lets say 4 times daily .. how much protien the body can take up in one time (grams)
<_< maybe i did not read the quote right (but can u tell me that ??)