The topic of assimilation of protein compounds for athletes is very relevant. The main issue is the body's ability to absorb the nutrient. There is an opinion that the body is able to process only a certain amount of protein compounds at a time. At the same time, the named numbers are in a very wide range. This can be confusing for beginner athletes. Today you will learn the secrets of protein assimilation from the pros.
Everyone agrees that a bodybuilder needs more protein than an average person with a lean physique. The amount of nutrient consumed should depend on the lifestyle that the person preaches. Also, this is greatly influenced by the number of muscle tissues and metabolism.
Speaking about the capabilities of the organism, one should always keep in mind its high adaptive properties. Over the millennia of evolution of our civilization, the body has adapted to various nutritional conditions. Let's try to figure out what is the lump sum of protein compounds that can be processed without problems.
The mechanism of metabolism of protein compounds
In order to understand this issue, it is necessary to at least superficially imagine what processes occur in the body when protein is consumed. Only then can you go further and learn the secrets of protein assimilation from the pros.
To begin with, special enzymes and acids are formed in the digestive tract, which are designed to break down protein compounds into their constituent amino acids. When this happens, the amino acid compounds enter the bloodstream through special cells in the intestinal tract. It is important to note that the number of these cells performing the role of transport is limited and only a certain number of amino acid compounds can enter the bloodstream within an hour.
This metric is also often referred to as protein absorption. It has also been found that all types of protein compounds can be absorbed at different rates. One study found that, say, egg protein has a absorption rate of 3.1 grams in 60 minutes, and whey protein has an absorption rate of 8 to 10 grams.
Of course, these numbers cannot be called extremely accurate, since it is quite difficult to determine the rate of assimilation. However, they do provide some food for thought. You should also know that all nutrients have a different speed of movement in the gastrointestinal tract and are not able to leave it in the same sequence in which they entered it.
For example, when protein compounds are in the stomach, the body secretes special enzymes that retain food in the stomach. It begins to move more slowly through the intestinal tract, which allows you to increase the time it takes to absorb nutrients. In turn, carbohydrates and fats can be fully processed and absorbed while the body is working on protein compounds.
The second stage of protein metabolism begins after the delivery of amino acid compounds into the bloodstream. They are used by the body for various purposes, including storing them for a period of one day in muscle tissues. When excess amino acid compounds remain in the blood that are no longer needed by the body, they can be used as energy sources.
Controversial claims about the metabolism of protein compounds
All supporters of the theory of the possibility of assimilation by the body of a certain amount of protein compounds are based on two main reasons:
- Lack of understanding of the process of passage of food through the digestive tract.
- Results from studies of the anabolic response to protein intake.
Many people believe that it takes a maximum of three hours for any food to pass through the gastrointestinal tract. It is for this reason that it has been suggested that even fast-digesting protein can only be processed in an amount not exceeding 30 grams at a time.
If we talk about the experiment mentioned above, then its results indicate that 20 grams of protein was able to accelerate the synthesis of muscle tissue. This makes it possible to argue that more nutrient is not able to benefit.
However, in doing so, they forget about the impossibility of using these results in relation to the number of nutrients consumed. The anabolic response of the body simply cannot show the whole picture of what is happening. Assimilation should refer to the availability of amino acid compounds over a long period of time. This allows you to stop the destruction of muscle tissue and obtain building materials for their synthesis.
Other research is also cited to support the theory of the body's ability to process a certain amount of protein. It was attended by women who consumed about 54 grams of protein during the day. Moreover, this happened at a time. As a result, scientists were unable to distinguish between groups of subjects in terms of the production and breakdown of protein compounds.
Let us also mention one more experiment in which the effect of intermittent fasting on the body was studied. This nutrition program is based on prolonged fasting followed by meals for two to eight hours. As a result, it was found that the consumption of a daily dose of protein during this four-hour window did not lead to the destruction of muscle tissue.
At the same time, it is well established that the main protein metabolism depends on several factors:
- The amount of muscle tissue;
- Lifestyle activities;
- The age of the person;
- The hormonal system works.
Studies have found that consuming protein compounds every three hours, as recommended by some nutritionists, may not give the expected result. Significantly more important is the daily intake of the nutrient, rather than the regular one. Do your own experiment and find out how your body reacts to protein.
For more information on protein absorption in the athlete's body, see this video:
