Protein supplements are an option used by some people who do sports frequently. We wanted to consider whether or not they are a good alternative. “It depends a lot on the objective we have and the protein requirements of our diet”, begins by explaining Nieves Cuesta, Reto48 nutritionist, who points out that shakes are always a good option if we do not eat enough protein throughout the day or if we have trouble eating large amounts of meat, fish, eggs, legumes… since shakes provide us with at least 20 g of complete protein with each scoop that we take, so they are fast and provide us with all the necessary amino acids in one shot. “But they are not completely necessary if we are able to meet protein requirements with diet, it would not be necessary,” adds the expert, who clarifies that in general, they can be of great help, but they are not essential.
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The importance of the training we do
Nieves Cuesta also clarifies that it is important to take into account the training that is done, since many times, the training itself does not increase the amount of protein that should be taken and with the normal diet from day to day would be enough and without the need to modify anything. “The shakes are more useful in diets with a lot of calories and, therefore, they have to consume a lot of food and protein itself, for example, in elite athletes or in the case of hypertrophy or bodybuilding, but for a training of a normal gym 2-3 days a week that combines strength and cardio, it is almost never necessary, unless it is convenient for us and it replaces a meal, but never as an extra”, he explains.
“As I said before, the benefits they provide us are the comfort when taking them, they are shakes that we choose the flavor and in a few sips we have taken, and that also provide us with the minimum amount of protein necessary per intake (20 g) and with a complete balance of amino acids”, explains Nieves Cuesta.
Read also: And after exercising, what should I eat?
Are they contraindicated in any case?
We ask the nutritionist if they are contraindicated in any case. “Only when there is a underlying health pathology in which the amount of protein consumed must be controlled, such as kidney or liver disease. But in the general population, there is no contraindication in any case. As long as you are not allergic or intolerant to any of its components, for which there would be different options and you could drink that same shake but from another source, for example, instead of wheysoy protein”, he details.
How much protein do we need to consume daily?
As personal trainer Ana Ginto (@anitaginto) explains, the recommended daily amount, which is the average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of almost all healthy people, is 0.8 g of protein /kg body weight/ day for adults. Meanwhile, physically active people may require protein intakes of up to 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day.
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Benefits of protein supplementation
We wonder if protein supplementation is convenient. “Dietary protein may decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness compared to water when ingested before muscle-damaging exercise in active men and women,” the personal trainer tells us.
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It has been seen that dietary protein can decrease muscle pain and delayed (muscular) onset compared to water when ingested before exercise.
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A randomized controlled trial among 352 adults with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension was conducted to validate an inverse association between dietary protein intake and blood pressure (BP), informed by observational studies. Taking soy protein like milk protein lowers systolic blood pressure.
Is there any risk?
“Although many studies have theoretically demonstrated the benefits of protein supplementation on the recovery of muscle function and performance, it seems that there is not enough bibliography and agreement”, Ana Ginto tells us. It would be best to get protein requirements from natural sources such as food. And it summarizes possible risks:
-albumin. A daily increase of 0.1 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight was associated with an increased risk of microalbuminuria, which is a predictor of renal and cardiovascular (kidney and heart) disease in people aged 50-70 years.
-It has been seen that diets high in proteins for weight loss processes during periods of 6 weeks and low in carbohydrates led to a marked load of acid for the kidneysincreased risk of stone formation, decreased estimated calcium balance, and therefore increased risk of bone loss.
-Caution is necessary, because an increase of 34 g/day of animal protein in the diet significantly increased urinary calcium (23%) and oxalate (24%), which corresponded to a marked increase in the total relative probability of stone formation and 250%.
-Amino acids can lead to the development of insulin resistance and also to the development of type 2 diabetes.
-Despite the fact that diets rich in protein can lead to weight loss, possibly because it takes more energy for your body to assimilate them, (your body “spends” more energy using them than, for example, carbohydrates) , if you consume more protein than recommended, especially if the person leads a sedentary life, it can lead to obesity, since protein is intermediately stored as glycogen and then stored in the body as fat.