The Truth About Cyclists and Protein. A good nutrition plan includes proper amounts of each macronutrient protein, carbohydrates, fat. Athletes need to fuel their training and to give their bodies these nutrients to perform, repair and recover properly. On top of this an athlete needs also to think about their overall general health, which includes a strong immune system.
One area that I find is still largely misunderstood even though well studied is the area of protein for endurance athletes. Most of my clients come to me with nutrition regimes that include too much protein and fat and not enough carbohydrates their main fuel source.
There is this fear that we need MORE protein, but in reality, excess doesn't benefit the endurance athlete. Research indicates that endurance athletes should consume a diet of approximately percent carbohydrates, percent fats and percent protein.
This clearly has some flexibility and we need to also consider grams of carbohydrates per kg of bodyweight as well as percentages when making a detailed plan.
Also some endurance athletes, such as Kenyan marathon runners, have reported consuming up to 70 percent carbohydrate diets. More: Carbohydrates: Fuel for Your Cycling. However, with the billion dollar diet industry pushing lower carbohydrate and zone-esque like diets, some athletes still seem to have jumped onto the higher protein, lower carbohydrate bandwagon. Whether it is in an attempt to lose weight or simply because media has led them to believe this is what they need to lose weight, it is a mistake.
Although we do need protein, it is not the endurance athlete's fuel of choice. In recent months, those same nutrition companies have started to promote protein-based products to cyclists as the latest must-have nutritional supplement. So is this just a ploy to get us to buy more stuff, or is the accepted wisdom about what cyclists should eat undergoing a rethink?
Emma Barraclough, senior nutritionist at sports nutrition company SiS, suggests it may simply be a reflection of food trends in general. This filters through to guys riding their bikes at weekends and is reinforced by the knowledge that pro riders are using it much more readily now.
However there is a current trend to demonise carbohydrate in the media, so this has left a lot of people confused and is fuelling the growth in the use of protein by the general population. This is about more than just trend, however.
Protein is made of chains of amino acids, which are small molecules with a carboxyl carbohydrate-like group and that all-important nitrogen atom. Ingested protein is broken down by the body into amino acids, which are then assembled into new proteins that form the action molecules of cells.
It is also the foundation of training adaptation. Correct protein supplementation promotes anabolism and minimises catabolism. Exercise will always stimulate the rate of muscle protein synthesis — which is basically muscular recovery — because during activity your muscles are contracting and trying to produce force so they have to stop making new tissue in that time.
So the idea with consuming more protein is that it actually kick-starts that protein synthesis again so you can recover more quickly. The role protein plays in recovery is well established in the muscle-building world — no rugby player would miss his post-training protein shake — however its benefits for athletes in the endurance world are less well researched.
However, very few studies have looked at post-exercise protein and training adaptation in endurance exercise. Although understanding has developed considerably over the past 10 years, there are aspects of this research area that remain understudied. Moving images that make you sit in front of them until the end of time.
Or until you are ready to ride out again. Bodybuilders and protein-shake sellers might tell you that the more the better but others say excess protein can be harmful.
When it comes to endurance cycling, protein is helpful for two reasons: it helps recovery and maintenance of optimal weight. Proteins are the building blocks for growth and repair of muscle tissue and production of enzymes and hormones. So, sufficient protein intake makes recovery much easier. Protein is also very filling and keeps hunger away and it lowers the chance of overeating.
The World Health Organisation recommends 0,8 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight per day. For a cyclist that weights 80 kg that would make 64 g of protein per day. But this recommendation is only meant as the minimum to avoid disease for a sedentary person. Most people trying to live an active healthy life will need more.
Research suggests that endurance athletes should get between 1,2 and 1,4 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight a day. For an average 80 kg cyclist, this would mean eating between 96 — g of protein a day.
This means including roughly grams of high-quality protein in each meal.
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