There is a lot of misinformation about protein intake to promote increased muscle mass. eye! That not by taking more, you will grow more. Some firmly claim that our body can only absorb about 30 grams of protein per meal, the rest becomes glucose. Obviously it is false.
There are also those who say that eating large amounts of protein in main meals, negatively influences the body causing protein deficits. So how did our hunter ancestors survive?
Do not worry, today we solve the question about how often you should eat protein to do it safely.
How does protein absorption work?
When we eat protein, the stomach uses acid and enzymes to break it down into different particles called amino acids . These molecules are transported to the bloodstream by cells that line the small intestine , and from there they are distributed to different parts of the body.
The small intestine only has a number of transporter cells , so the amount of amino acids is limited every hour. This process is known as " protein absorption ".
There are fast absorbing proteins such as whey (10gr / h) or slow absorbing proteins such as eggs (2'9gr / h). In addition, you should know that nutrients do not move uniformly through the digestive system, and are not distributed as they arrive. There is no order here like in the fish market.
For example, when the stomach is aware of the presence of proteins, it stimulates the production of a hormone that delays gastric emptying . This slows down intestinal contractions and "buys time" to absorb it and not go unnoticed by the small intestine.
Carbohydrates and fats have no problem moving through the intestine and being absorbed in their entirety while you continue working with the protein.
Once amino acids reach the blood, your body can:
- Repair muscle tissue and promote growth.
- Store excess in muscle.
- Convert them to glucose to feed the brain and other cells.
Do we have an absorption limit?
The myth that the body can only absorb X amount of protein comes from the idea that food remains in the small intestine for about 2 hours. Imagine, if this were real, how would you be able to process all the meals you eat per day?
As I explained before, it is your body that regulates the speed at which the protein moves in the small intestine. This ensures that you can absorb all possible amino acids.
Now that intermittent fasting is very fashionable, there was a study that makes us reflect on this.
In this type of diet, people have "feeding windows" that are usually 12/12 or 16/8. As long as it is done correctly, it neither influences sports performance nor we lose muscle mass. I speak from my own experience, since I fast 16/8 and train before breakfast.
In the aforementioned study, it was found that ingesting the entire amount of protein daily at 4-hour intervals (followed by 20 hours of fasting), did not negatively influence muscle preservation.
Another study was conducted that showed that eating more than 20 grams of protein after training did not greatly stimulate muscle growth. Although while it is true, each person needs more or less protein depending on:
- The amount of muscle you have . The greater your muscle mass, the more amino acids you will need to maintain your muscles.
- How active you are. The more you move, the more protein you will need.
- Your age. The older you get, the more protein your muscles need to sustain themselves.
- Your hormones. If you have high levels of growth hormone, muscle synthesis will be stimulated.
So how should I take protein?
You may have seen that it is not very practical to limit the amount of protein that our body can absorb through food. I assure you that there are cases in which 30 grams are scarce for some people.
In addition, you will also have realized that the time in which we consume it is not as important as you think. You don't need to be depending on eating protein every 2-3 hours to increase your muscle growth or avoid a catabolic state.
It is much better to consume enough protein throughout the day, regardless of frequency.
Logically, it is smart to have a good amount of protein before and after training , but in the rest of the day do not be so demanding and let your body handle what you introduce.
If you like to eat every so often, perfect; And if you prefer to make fewer meals, perfect too.
