Ever since athletes started to understand the effects of nutrition on muscle growth people have speculated on how best to use protein to maximise performance. With so much speculation inaccuracies or protein myths are bound to occur. The problem is many of these protein myths just won’t die.
I want to once and for all debunk many of the top protein myths so you can spread the word amoungst your training buddies and finally set the record straight.
1. Too Much Protein Can Damage Your Kidneys
This one seems to have been around for ever. The problem is I can’t find any research to suggest this is the case in normal healthy humans, even with excessive amounts of protein.
What is known is that if there is excessive protein in the diet it is either eliminated in the urine or converted into fat. If you are still trying to pedal this kidney damage myth you must be looking for excuses not to put on muscle.
2. You can only absorb X grams of protein at one time
Mmmm…let me get this straight…your trying to tell me that Arnold Swarzenager can only utilise the same amount of protein as little old Mrs. Smith down the road…really?
Firstly, I will concede that this statement often gets confused between
- the amount of protein able to be absorbed and
- the maximum amount of protein required for muscle building and the point at which the extra protein consumed is either burned for energy or excreted
It is usually statement b that most people are interested in. However the fact is, research on the subject is very limited and while there must be a maximum level of protein that can be utilised (for muscle building) at any one time this amount will vary from individual to individual depending on factors like…
- lean body mass
- length of time since last protein-containing meal
- amount of protein at previous meal
- type of protein source
- training state (Post-workout? Pre-workout? Resting?)
- total calories in the meal
- caloric balance
So next time you hear somebody try and tell you you can only use X grams of protein at one time think about little old Mrs. Smith
3. Protein is best taken by itself without carbohydrates
I think this one was started when the extremely low carbohydrate Atkins diet became popular. This statement is generally false for a number of reasons…
- Protein lowers the Glycemic Index (GI) of the carbohydrate which reduces the chance of fat storage.
- Carbohydrate causes the release of insulin a highly anabolic hormone
- The release of insulin helps increase the uptake of the protein into the muscles especially after training when muscle tissue has been broken down and needs to repair and grow.
There are however times when limiting the amount of carbohydrate you consume is beneficial, like if you are trying to lose weight. So the question you first need to ask is “What are my fitness goals?”. Once you know that you adapt your carbohydrate intake accordingly…but I’ll leave all that discussion for another day.
As a general rule of thumb taking both protein and carbohydrate post workout is important to help maximise muscle growth and recovery.
4. The more protein you take the bigger you will get
I always laugh when I hear this one.
When I was working as a sales rep I would often hear this excuse when I went into ‘Woman Only’ gyms or alternative fitness centres like Martial Arts studios. I even remember the owner of one Womans gym saying “No we don’t sell protein products…our members aren’t into bodybuilding!” Funny I know.
If this protein myth was true there would be 1000’s of incredible hulks roaming the earth based on the amount of protein some of my friends eat. If only it was that easy. The fact is muscle growth (we’ll assume ‘bigger’ means more muscle) is determined by a number of factors including…
- Training intensity
- Calorie intake
- Genetics
- Hormonal balance (read steroid usage)
- Protein intake
- Plus many more…
At the end of the day muscle is basically protein and a lack of protein (1g per pound of body weight is the general recommended intake for athletes) will limit muscle growth but it is not the only factor.
5. Protein is protein is protein (Or All Protein is created equal)
This is another classic myth that struggles to die. It is outside the scope of this article but it is well known that whey protein has immune boosting properties, casein is harder for the body to break down so is released over a longer period of time, soy protein contains isoflavones which in themselves have specific health benefits for women AND men…and the list goes on.
The one fact you can’t argue is that all protein contains the same calories per gram but this is where the similarities and hopefully this myth end.
6. You get enough protein from your normal diet
It’s funny how this myth is usually used by those who wouldn’t know the meaning of exercise. I’m afraid the high carb, low fat, low protein diet of yesteryear is still alive and well in some quarters.
Sure if your a couch potato, are not an athlete or seeking to maximise your training results this could well be the case. But I’m guessing if you are reading this article that is probably not the case.
This myth is still pedalled by those who like to stick to the guidelines provided in the RDA. However you must remember that the RDA is what’s recommended for ‘joe average’.
In Dr. Peter Lemon’s study on protein intake (Is increased dietary protein necessary or beneficial for individuals with a physically active life style? Nutr. Rev. 54:S169-175, 1996) he found for endurance and strength training athletes the levels of protein needed were 150%-225% (or 1.2g-1.8g of protein per kg of body mass) that of the RDA. For a 90kg (198lb) individual that is equivalent to about 4-5 chicken breast per day.
How many of you would eat that much protein from food on a daily basis?
7. Soy Protein reduces testosterone in men should be avoided like the plague!
This myth is probably the most controversial of them all and I’d say that more men would believe this to be true than false.
It is the isoflavones in soy which are believed to have estrogen like properties that causes men to run with fear. Although they have chemical structures similar to estrogen they actually bind to the estrogen receptors preventing the real estrogen from having an effect.
So the isoflavones actually help reduce estrogen activity (water retention, gynecomastia and increased body fat) which should be the goal of any muscle building male. In fact one study of soy protein consumption caused a reduction of serum DHT (a testosterone derivative) and DHT/testosterone without affecting the level of any other types of testosterone.
Added to that Soy has high amounts of glutamine, arginine and BCAA’s and it’s hard to find a reason not to include soy in your diet.
So there you have it 7 protein myths finally laid to rest and hopefully it has cleared up some confusion for many of you.
Are there any other protein or nutrition myths that you can think of that just won’t go away?
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