How much protein do you need?

Protein

Amino acids from proteins are the building blocks for new tissue and repair. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Amateur Athletics Federation recommend 1.2-1.7g of protein per kg of body weight per day. However, this recommendation depends on the activity being performed. An endurance athlete will normally need less than a strength athlete. See table below (Bean, 2009).

Athlete Type	Daily protein per kg body weight (g)
Endurance (moderate to heavy training)	1.2-1.4
Strength/power	1.4-1.8
Fat-loss programme	1.6-2.0
Weight-gain programme	1.8-2.0

Taking me as an example. I weigh 65kg, so if I was endurance training I would need between 78-91g/day. If I was strength/power training I would need between 91-117g/day.

There is also the misconception that necking protein shakes throughout the day will increase your muscle mass. You will get bigger, but without muscle stimulation and the muscles needing rebuilding and repair, it will be your waistline.

During fat loss periods it’s good to increase protein levels to avoid the body breaking down muscle to fuel itself.

So that’s how much you need in a day, but you don’t just eat it all in one sitting, and how much can the body take in at one time and utilise anabolically (in muscle building) before it is used as fuel, stored as fat or excreted in urine.

A recent study of 6 athletes averaging 86kg were given 1.4g/kg/day, and put through 5 different leg training sessions. The weight was one that produced failure at 8-10 reps. The subjects were given 0, 5, 10, 20 or 40g of protein supplement after the sessions and injected with a traceable leucine, to see if it was incorporated into the muscle or burned as fuel.

The 0g dose was the worst for muscle synthesis and subsequent doses up to 20g produced better results for leucine incorporation. At 20g some of the leucine was diverted into the metabolic pathway and burned as fuel. The 40g dose had more diverted and protein synthesis was no better than at 20g.

In another study of male/female and young/elderly people with no weight training background, they were given a meat meal contain 30g of protein or 90g and examined over 5 hours after the meal. The higher protein content had no greater anabolic effect than the lower one.

In conclusion, if you are taking more than between 20-25g of protein in one sitting, you are probably wasting the difference.

Abridged account of the last 6 months of 2012

So brief update on last year before I start on this year..
Magic wood and the outdoor show at Friedrichschaffen - cadged a lift with Gaz and Kate and the dogs to the outdoor show in Germany. I was there to try and make contact with nutrition companies for a review of products for Climber magazine, but it ended up being a waste of time (though more about this later). My back was almost better after 3 weeks off from damaging my QL and I was psyched to climb outside. Met the boys; Strong Martin, Al and Mike out there and Lukasz came later in the week. Tia also came out. Highlights were my first 7b - Right hand of Darkness stand start, a 7a that took me 3 goes and the best 6c+ I've done, which took me longer than the other two put together.
Gaz on Darkness into Light.

 Tia on some slab ... note one handed spot (my hands were cold!!)

Spain ... Tia and me got a flight out to met up with Gaz and some of his clients. I hadn't been on a rope outside for about 18 months and this was really just a holiday. I got psyched again for sport climbing and, although I didn't do anything hard (apart from the hardest 6c+ in the world at Lliber), I really enjoyed myself, and Tia did too, after her back problems it was good to see her on a rope and climbing, and enjoying it.

Work - an amazing year, more route setting at more walls - White spider, Westway, the Reach, Urban Ascent and, obviously, the mothership - the Castle. Had a good time working with everyone; Mike, Gaz, Slim, Harry P, Al etc (anyone I've missed is due to shear laziness on my part, not because I don't like you ... well maybe). A better bunch of friends and colleagues you couldn't wish to meet!!
 Urban Ascent
 Guns out at the Reach

Towards the end of the year it got hectic and due to this I got quite ill, not having enough time to recover. I had to knock training on the head and just get through. 5 weeks with no proper training. So no running, no weights and no climbing apart from the testing. I ended up with a nasty chest infection which only cleared just before xmas and I missed my first day of setting through illness (back on it now but slowly, this will be the next blog subject!).
Anyway, back to hectic. There was the Sportiva comp and party followed by the mighty BlocFest and then a load of resetting at the Castle.
 BlocFest

My PT work was ticking over well, not too much but not too little ... and got involved with the GB bouldering team as a strength and conditioning advisor and the Castle Comp squad ...psyched

... the end of the year, also saw me living off of supplements, bars and gels and writing a review of nutrition products for Climber, as well as helping Gaz with his article.

And, I moved-ish back to Derbyshire, Matlock Bath. A bolt hole where I'm going to spend time R&R between setting and PT.

So, what next

Training plan to get back into it, slowly, I don't want to get injured or ill again
Nutrition, see last comment
Stretching, shoulder extension is pish
Castle new build
3 month trip starting in May

Happy new year

Peace be with you