![]() No amount of protein will help athletes recover from sports, build muscle, or improve performance if their total energy intake is not adequate to support their activity level. One of the most common ways athletes over-consume protein is by using a protein-rich supplement after exercise and then continuing to prioritize protein in their food choices throughout the rest of the day - due to the amount of protein that is consumed in a protein shake.Īdequate energy intake matters more than protein While protein is an important component of post-exercise recovery, an athlete’s body benefits most from a steady supply of protein throughout the day. Proponents of protein shakes point to the importance of replenishing protein immediately after hard exercise. ![]() Protein intake should be spread throughout the day The ingredient and nutrient profiles of many of these foods and drinks read more like sweet treats and candy bars than sports nutrition. The same is true for many protein-rich nutrition bars. To make protein powders and recovery shakes taste good, manufacturers often add loads of added sugar. All of these nutrients work together to enhance recovery, muscle growth, and immune system function. The biggest benefits of consuming real food sources of protein are the other vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates in those foods. Protein powders and pre-made recovery shakes are convenient, but prioritize protein over comprehensive nutrition. Lunch: 4 ounces of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (22g)Īll of the scenarios above deliver 70-90 grams of protein, which is within the recommended range for a 170-190 pound adult and more than enough for any school-age athlete.Breakfast: 3 ounces of peanut butter (21g of protein).Or, how about the vegan teenager who consumes no animal products?: Dinner: 4 ounces of black or pinto beans (24g).Lunch: 2 ounces of peanut butter or almond butter (14g).Dinner: 4-ounce hamburger, grilled chicken breast, or salmon filet (28g)īut wait, your teenager is a vegetarian? Their intake could look more like this:.Lunch: 3 ounces of sliced chicken (21g).Breakfast: 4 ounces of yogurt (28g of protein).Nuts and legumes (peanuts) contain 4-7g of protein per ounce.Ĭonsidering the protein-rich components of our 80-pound student-athlete’s potential daily diet, here’s how easy it is to exceed the protein requirement: Dairy products contain about 1g of protein per ounce, and lean meats, fish, and beans contain about 7g of protein per ounce. It is not as difficult as you might think to get more than enough protein: Recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) have consistently shown Americans consume about twice the recommended or necessary amount of protein per day. Even if you wanted to increase protein intake as an ‘insurance policy’ to make sure they’re getting enough, you’d still only be looking at 50 grams.Įven vegetarians and vegans can eat all the protein they need The resulting value is a good starting point for the amount of protein they should consume, in grams.įor example, an 80-pound child should consume 40 grams of protein per day. ![]() Even though school-age children are actively growing in addition to participating in sports, their protein requirements are within the ranges above, at about 1-1.5g/kg/day.Ī convenient way to estimate your child’s protein requirement is to take their weight in pounds and divide by two. Protein intakes of 1.6-1.8 g/kg/day, combined with heavy weight training, have been shown to help strength athletes build muscle, however, very little research indicates additional benefit – for any athlete – from exceeding 2 g/kg/day. That requirement increases to 1.2-1.7 g/kg/day for amateur athletes, like adults who run and/or go to the gym 3-5 times per week. As a parent of a school-aged athlete, here’s what you need to know before fixing a protein shake for your active child.Īdults need about 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day in order to support an active lifestyle. Protein-rich recovery shakes have an important place in sports nutrition, but they are also over-used and consumed by people who don’t need them. How could you possibly build muscle without loading up on additional protein, right? High-protein recovery drinks are marketed as an essential requirement for any athlete who actually wants to make progress. ![]()
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