Protein Requirements – Building Healthy Muscles
Proteins are organic compounds made up of amino acids that are essential to life and serve as the building blocks that the body uses to maintain health and build muscle. The body uses proteins to regulate bodily functions such as glucose levels in the body’s bloodstream that provide the body’s cells with fuel. Proteins also help to boost the immune system, assisting in the creation of antibodies that ward off pathogens. Also, protein plays an important role in the growth of hair, nails, bones, cartilage, and muscles.
Humans intake protein mainly through their diet. Many foods contain protein, but meats and dairy products provide the highest quantities. For example, a small, 3 ounce portion of beef can contain as much as 30 grams, while yogurt contains approximately ten grams per cup. Nuts are also good sources, with peanut butter holding approximately 4 grams per tablespoon.
According to the recommended daily allowances (RDA) created by the Food and Nutrition Board, an active adult needs approximately 0.36 grams of protein per pounds of body weight every day to maintain good health. If an active, adult male weighs 180 pounds, he would need to eat 65 grams of protein per day to maintain proper nutrition. The Food and Nutrition Board also recommends that active adults should also strive to obtain 15% of their daily calories through protein consumption, meaning that for an active adult who requires 2000 calories per day, 300 of the calories should come from the consumption of protein. Studies have been conducted that show that men and women consume more protein than the RDA recommends. Men have been shown to eat approximately 90 grams of protein per day, while women average 60 grams. However, some groups of people such as the elderly, those with chronic diseases, and people with eating disorders suffer from protein deficiencies.
Getting enough proteins is essential for athletes in order to build muscles, repair tissues, increase stamina, and boost endurance. Sometimes though, athletes, who train heavily, rely too much on carbohydrates for energy. Carbohydrates provide energy for your exercise but are not enough alone to create strong and healhy muscles, for this you need protein. Athletes naturally require a higher amount of protein then that of normal people so they can maintain energy levels and help reduce lethargy and weakness. For example, dietitians recommend that athletes need to consume between 0.55 to 0.73g protein per lb — a lot larger amount more than the standard person.
However, eating a large amount of protein will not make a person’s muscles get bigger and stronger. In order to do that, a person needs to consume a well balanced diet and exercise regularly, undertaking in personal training or boot camp brisbane is a great way. If the body receives more protein than it needs, the extra will be removed as waste from the body. In fact, the body stores extra protein as fat instead of muscle. Another down side to having excess protein is the additional stress on the liver and kidneys, who take care of removing the excess protein in your system.
The lesson to take away from all of this is that an athlete or person who trains strenuously needs more protein than the normal person, but it is important to still practice moderation. While protein can help to build muscles, it should not be taken in excess, because the consumption of extremely high amounts of protein may have adverse health consequences.
