DIET/NUTRITION PART 2: Protein Requirements for Young Athletes

As I mentioned in my last post, MEETING THE NUTRITIONAL AND SLEEP NEEDS OF YOUNG ATHLETES IS CRITICAL IF EACH YOUNG ATHLETE IS TO GROW AND DEVELOP PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY!

Diet and Nutrition Part 2 will feature information on PROTEIN needs for young athletes. I chose Protein as the first of the THREE MACRONUTRIENTS in part because of the large amount of misinformation and marketing hype aimed at athletes in general and especially the high school and junior high athletes.

A 2008 study of high school athletes by Duellman, Lukaszuk, Prawitz and Brandenburg (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Vol. 22, #4, July, 2008) found a greater level of misconceptions about protein supplementation from those that used Protein supplements when compared to those who did not use Protein supplements. 

These misconceptions by those who used protein supplements most likely came from marketing hype that targets young athletes with advertisements in magazines (online as well as newsstand varieties) aimed at training, body-building, health and specific sports. 

Radio and TV advertising, by retail outlets like GNC and Max Muscle, are hardly good sources for young athletes when it comes to both the need to supplement and what type of supplement works best.

Since coaches, parents and peers are usually the primary sources of advice about protein supplements, or the need to supplement, it would best benefit the young athlete IF parents, coaches and schools provided them with Nutritional Information. Topics like, “Is there really is a NEED for supplementing the diet with protein, the effectiveness of protein supplementation AND what types, if needed, would be best suited FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL would be a good start. Coaches and Athletic Departments should make this a mandatory seminar at least once, and probably twice, during each school year.

Nutritional Education for PARENTS AND ATHLETES can, and should be, an easy solution. The harder task may be FINDING good, reliable sources of information to follow in terms of recommended dietary allowances for YOUNG ATHLETES and the BEST ways to realistically meet those requirements. 

So, let me try and give information from a diverse array of sources AND provide recommendations SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUNG ATHLETES. Remember, growing and maturing athletes, both prior to and during puberty have different needs than professional or collegiate athletes.

Let us start with the ranges of protein intake as a percentage of the daily diet. Power Sport Athletes are recommended to eat a diet comprised of 55-60% carbohydrates, 12-15% protein and 30% fat (with less than 10% coming from saturated fat). 

By Power Athlete I am talking about Olympic Weight Lifters, Football players, Track & Field athletes, Volleyball and Basketball athletes, etc. Basically any sport or event where explosive, fast movements that last from 2-6 seconds are the primary focus of performance.

THESE RATIOS ARE SPECIFIC TO POWER SPORT ATHLETES and recommended by the International Society of Sports Nutrition and will provide 1) enough protein to support the normal regenerative processes and promote muscle growth and strength gains, 2) stock glycogen stores for athletic performance, 3) maintain a positive energy balance, 4) replenish intramuscular triglyceride stores and 5) SUPPORT ANABOLIC HORMONE production (extremely important for the pubertal growth spurt that occurs in high school). 

A good source of relevant, nutritional information for athletes of all ages can be found by accessing the International Association of Athletic Federations (association made up of governing bodies of sport from over 200 countries) IAAF  Nutrition forAthletes Guide (2007) at https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bzux-9tuGfqGdU9KMndBQnVIWUk/edit Nutrition for Athletes Guide (2007) In this document,  Protein for Training information starts of page 8 and Special needs of the young athlete starts on page 19.

 Their recommendations for protein (taken from page 8) appear below:

“Some scientists have suggested that endurance and resistance-trained athletes in heavy training may have increased daily protein needs - up to a maximum of 1.2-1.7 g per kg body weight (BW), compared to the recommended intake of 0.8 g/kg BW for a sedentary person. However, the evidence for this increase in protein needs is not clear or universal. Part of the confusion is caused by problems involved in scientific techniques used to measure protein requirements. The debate over the precise protein needs of athletes is largely unnecessary. Dietary surveys show that most athletes already consume diets providing protein intakes above the maximum recommended level, even without the use of protein supplements. Therefore, most athletes do not need to be encouraged or educated to increase their protein intakes.  These surveys, however, relate mostly to athletes eating typical Western-style diets, and more information is urgently needed on athletes eating different food types. Athletes most at risk of failing to meet their protein needs are those who severely restrict their energy intake or dietary variety. An adequate energy intake is important in promoting protein balance or increasing protein retention. Although some resistance-trained athletes and body builders consume more than 2-3 g/kg BW, there is no evidence that these high daily protein intakes enhance the response to training or increase the gains in muscle mass and strength. Such diets are not necessarily harmful, but they are expensive and can fail to meet other nutritional goals, such as providing the fuel needed to optimize training and performance.”

Despite some conflicting numbers, young athletes who are training in addition to practicing and competing in a sport or multiple sports NEED a higher amount of protein. Simply stating protein should make up 12-15% of the daily caloric intake of athletes IS not helpful when most athletes, especially young athletes, do not have any idea of how many calories they consume each day.

So, recommendations usually follow the amount of grams per kilogram (2.2 pounds=KG) of body weight per day. The most reliable sources and studies regarding this amount for young athletes that are TRAINING and competing averages between 1.2-2.0 grams per KG of body weight. The above recommendation of a daily protein intake of 12-15% of the daily diet would amount to 75 grams per day for someone who consumes 2,000 calories a day or 93.5 grams for someone who eats 2,500 calories a day. WE KNOW MOST adolescents who are actively participating in sports and/or training NEED much more than the average young person.

So, bodyweight calculations are best as they come closer to individual needs for growing teens that will optimize body composition, gene expression and overall health IN addition to providing enough protein to PREVENT MUSCLE TISSUE LOSS and promote growth and maturation of all the body systems including muscle, tendon and bone strength.

According to reliable sources that are based on recent, quality research on athletes, intakes of 1.5 to 2.0 grams / KG of Body Wt./ day FOR POWER ATHLETES and 1.3-1.8 grams/ KG of Body wt./ day for ENDURANCE ATHLETES seems to be the best general guideline for young athletes. Athletes participating in sports such as soccer, rugby and lacrosse, which have elements of both POWER and Speed or Special Endurance, should strive to be closer to 1.5-1.8 range. ANY YOUNG ATHLETE WHO IS ENGAGING in additional strength training outside practice of their sport or sports, should aim for the top limits of 1.8-2.0.

                                                  SOURCES OF PROTEIN

The best source of quality protein can be found in red meats. Red meats are superior to other protein sources, especially if you are trying increase or maintain muscle mass and strength, because of it’s superior amino acid profile, high creatine content and red meat’s high supply of much needed hemi-iron. In fact, it is the only source of hemi-iron and therefore should be included in the diets of all athletes, young and old in order to keep Red Blood Cell counts normal and prevent anemia.

Other sources include Dairy products, Eggs, Soy, Hemp and various plant proteins.

                                        TIMING PROTEIN INTAKES

Protein should be distributed throughout the day. Most reliable recommendations advise eating 3-5 protein rich meals spaced throughout the day. Studies show that 3-5 larger doses are better than 6-8 smaller doses, especially for young athletes.

Studies also show that protein ingestion AFTER weight training can lead to greater gains in muscle mass and strength.  Although the window of time after training varies with researchers, YOUNG athletes who ingest 20-25 grams (OR o.25 grams/KG of body weight) after strength training help trigger MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS and prevent MUSCLE PROTEIN BREAKDOWN.

It is important to note that the 20-25 grams or 0.25 grams/KG recommendation above should be the limit. More is NOT BETTER. Basically, a tuna sandwich is what we are talking about.  Foods, if possible, are better than Protein bars and shakes but many times athletes do not have access to protein rich foods within an hour or two after their workout.

MY NEXT POST WILL FOCUS ON TYPES OF PROTEIN POWDERS  (many with other supplements that may be of concern) to use IF SUPPLEMENTATION is necessary to attain the required daily amounts.

BELOW YOU CAN READ SOME ARTICLES ON PROTEIN that may be of value in planning a successful diet for young athletes. In the second article I highlighted some information in bold print in case you want to skim through it.

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Do You Need Protein Powders?

By Gina Shaw/ WebMD Feature

Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

If you go to a gym, you’ve probably heard the guys by the weight machines talking about the protein shakes they drink after a workout and what kind of shake they prefer. Protein powders -- made into a shake or consumed however you like -- are getting more and more popular as a nutritional supplement.
You can buy protein powders in every nutrition store and all over the Internet. You can even find pre-mixed, ready-to-drink protein shakes in many stores. But are protein powders just for bodybuilders, or can the average everyday athlete benefit from them as well?

What Are Protein Powders?

Protein powders come in various forms. The three common ones are whey, soy, and casein protein. “Whey is the most commonly used, because it’s a water-soluble milk protein,” says Peter Horvath, PhD, associate professor in the department of exercise and nutrition sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo. “It’s also a complete protein, so it’s got all those advantages.” (Complete proteins contain all nine of the amino acids necessary for human dietary needs.) People who are vegan may prefer soy protein, although Horvath notes that its taste is sometimes considered to be more unpleasant, and it doesn’t dissolve as well in water.
Protein powders also come with widely varying price tags. “For the casual athlete who doesn’t have a specific need at a certain time of their training, the cost is not that important,” says Horvath. “So if you’re going to use them, you can get pretty much the same benefit out of the less expensive, more commercially available proteins.
In very specific circumstances, protein powders can be useful. “They’re an easy and convenient source of complete, high-quality protein,” says Carole Conn, PhD, RD, CSFD, associate professor of nutrition at the University of New Mexico. But remember: Most people, even athletes, can also get everything they offer by eating sources of lean protein like meat, fish, chicken, and dairy products.
So when might you want to use them? There are a few reasons why an ordinary athlete might want more protein in their diet, says Barbara Lewin, RD, LD, a dietitian and sports nutritionist who has worked with NFL, NBA, and NHL athletes and trained Ironman competitors:

• When you’re growing. A teenager needs more protein to fuel his workouts because his body is still growing and uses more protein in general.
• When you’re starting a program. If working out is new to you and you’re trying to build muscle, you’ll require more protein than you normally would.
• When you’re amping up your workouts. If you normally work out for half an hour a few times a week, but now you’ve decide to train for a half-marathon, your body will need more protein.
• When you’re recovering from an injury. Athletes with sports injuries frequently need more protein to help them heal.
• If you’re going vegan. People who pursue a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle eliminate a number of common protein sources from their diet, including meat, chicken, and fish, and sometimes dairy and eggs as well.

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How Much Protein Do You Really Need?

By Eirik Garnas
www.OrganicFitness.com

 

Official dietary guidelines generally recommend that everyone should get between 10-20% of their daily energy from protein, and some health authorities even argue that high protein diets (>20%) have adverse effects on health. Even though people who are very physically active have higher protein needs, the recommendations still apply as these individuals usually consume more total calories. However, if we look at the human dietary patterns throughout our evolutionary history, it’s clear that the average protein intake in most countries today is on the low side. While this doesn’t mean that high protein diets are necessary optimal, the mismatch between the typical protein intake in the western diet and the average protein intake in ancestral diets, in combination with the scientific evidence showing the benefits of “high” protein diets for weight loss, muscle growth, and prevention of several types of chronic diseases, suggests that the official recommendations are lower than optimal for many people. This is especially true for strength trainees and other physically active people who want to maximize protein synthesis and gain muscle and strength.
When discussing intake of the different macronutrients, the most common practise is to either present the percentage of daily energy intake or grams per kilogram or pound of bodyweight per day. For the average female eating around 2000 kcal per day, a protein intake of 15% equates to 75 grams of protein, and for a male eating 2500 kcal the same percentage gets him about 93,5 grams of protein.
Dietary protein recommendations, such as the RDA in the U.S. of 0.8 g protein per kg bodyweight per day, are largely based on nitrogen balance studies. While these studies indicate the amount of protein that is needed to avoid loss of protein from tissue, they don’t say much about the level of protein intake that will optimize body composition, gene expression, and health.

Processed, westernized food is often low in protein
These changing macronutrient patterns have become even more apparent over the last centuries, as new products with an “unnatural” macronutrient composition have made their way into the human diet. While highly processed foods often are high in both carbohydrate and fat, foodstuff available to our prehistoric ancestors didn’t contain this potent combination. Yes, nuts provide a fair amount of both of these macronutrients, but they are generally considered low in carbohydrate. Also, the amount of work that goes into making nuts edible suggests that they’ve never been a substantial part of the human diet.
One of the characteristics of many westernized foods, such as potato chips, pastries, and baked goods, is that they are calorie-dense and high in carbohydrate and/or fat, not protein. Unless they had access to tubers and other plant-based foods that are relatively rich in calories, our ancient ancestors had to subside on animal source foods, which are often (not always) high in protein, to get enough energy. However, today we can quickly meet our daily energy requirements by eating food that is high in calories and low in protein.
If we take a closer look at the western dietary pattern, there’s no surprise that the average protein intake is so low compared to ancestral diets. Highly palatable and calorie-dense foods are typically high in fat, starch, sugar, salt, glutamate, and/or other highly rewarding food ingredients, and protein is therefore diluted in favor of the other two macronutrients. It’s well established in the scientific literature that protein has a potent effect on satiety, and it’s therefore no surprise that food manufacturers deliberately engineer products that are fairly low in protein; one of the strategies that keep us buying and eating more of that specific food.
The fact that quality sources of protein are far more expensive than sources of carbohydrate and fat is another reason many food manufacturers deliberately keep the protein content of their products low. Also, since grass-fed meats, eggs, and seafood are relatively expensive compared to sources of the two other macronutrients, there’s no surprise that so many people end up with a less than ideal protein intake.
Essentially, when we eat these types of “westernized” foods, we have to consume more total energy throughout the day to meet our daily protein requirements.

Fat loss

• Protein has a very strong thermic effect
  You can basically eat more calories on a high protein diet than you can on a low protein diet, since the thermic effect of macronutrients is about 2-3% for lipids, 6-8% for carbohydrates, and 25-30% for proteins (2).
• Protein has a potent effect on satiety
• Studies suggest that a low percentage of protein in the diet leads to a higher total energy intake
  The protein-leverage hypothesis suggests that protein intake is prioritized over fat, carbohydrate, and total energy intake. The idea that humans prioritize protein when regulating food intake is interesting in terms of the western dietary pattern as it probably means that we’re not only diluting protein in favor of the other macronutrients, but that one of the reasons so many people eat more food than they need to sustain body weight is that they’re trying to reach a targeted protein intake. There’s no compelling evidence showing this type of leverage for any other nutrients in the human diet. Some researchers have proposed that we keep eating in an attempt to reach a targeted intake of certain micronutrients, but this has not been scientifically shown. If you substitute some of the protein in your diet for carbohydrate or fat, you’ll probably feel the effects of this protein leverage pretty quickly.
• High-protein diets potentially improve leptin sensitivity in the central nervous system (3)

High-protein diets seem to be especially beneficial for resistance-trained athletes who want to preserve lean body mass during a prolonged calorie deficit. For this population, consuming as much as 2.3-3.1 g/kg of lean body mass per day of protein (depending on the severity of caloric restriction and leanness) will likely maximize muscle retention (4,5). This elevated protein need largely stems from the high levels of muscle mass these athletes carry and the energy deficient diet (absolute protein intake required to achieve nitrogen balance is generally higher when you eat a low-calorie diet).

Strength development, muscle growth, and athletic performance

Generally, bodybuilders and most experienced strength trainees tend to consume a much higher percentage of protein than the average Joe. A high protein intake in this population primarily stems from conventional wisdom linking high protein diets to enhanced muscle growth. The notion that we need to consume a lot of protein is so ingrained in the fitness community that some trainees seem to think that more is always better. However, not everyone feels this way. Dietary recommendations from “official” sports institutions rarely advocate a protein intake that is higher than 1.4-1.7 g/kg/day, and while this protein intake might seem high to a layman, many strength trainees and bodybuilders consume a lot more than this. And this is where there’s a lot of controversy; how much protein do you really need to optimize athletic performance? Let’s have a look at the literature:

Total intake: Most studies indicate that a protein intake of 1.6-2.0 g/kg/day is sufficient to maximize muscle protein synthesis and optimize strength gains and hypertrophy (6,7,8.9) Dr. Stu Phillips, one of the world’s leading researchers on protein consumption and hypertrophy, revealed in a recent interview with Bret that his most recent study shows that about 1.8 g/kg is enough to maximize muscle protein synthesis (10). However, more protien is not going to have adverse effects, and some studies indicate that a higher intake (2-3 g/kg) could enhance hypertrophy- and strength-related adaptations (11).

For athletes involved in endurance training, getting between 1.3-1.8 g protein per kilogram of body weight seems to be a good general guideline (12).
Although there’s now plenty of research on protein intake and athletic performance, there are some limitations to these studies. Two of these are: 1) Studies showing benefits of a very high protein intake (e.g., 3 g/kg/day) typically compare the high protein group to a control group eating well below recommendations for strength/power athletes (e.g., 1.2 g/kg/day). It’s therefore no surprise that the high protein group see greater resistance training induced muscle and strength gains. It would be interesting to see more studies comparing a high intake (e.g. 1.8-2 g/kg/day) to a very high intake (2.5-3.0 g/kg/day).

2) Studies on protein intake and athletic performance typically look at protein synthesis, hypertrophy, and strength gains.
High protein diets have been linked to increased satiety, elevated thermogenesis, and a lower absolute energy intake, indicating that simply looking at protein intake from the perspective of maximizing protein synthesis could be too narrow.
Protein timing: When should you be getting these essential building blocks into your body? I recently wrote an article where I took a closer look at protein timing and strength training, and the conclusions from the most recent meta-analysis suggest that the so-called post-workout window doesn’t close 30-60 minutes after a workout, and that your results won’t suffer from waiting a couple of hours after training before you consume food.

When it comes to protein distribution throughout the day, a general recommendation is to eat 3-5 protein rich meals. If you eat less than 3 meals, you’ll have problems getting enough total protein into your diet. However, contrary to what many people think, there’s no advantage to eating 6-8 meals a day if the goal is to maximize protein synthesis. Actually, studies indicate that 4-5 large meals are superior to 6-8 when it comes to protein synthesis and muscle repair, given the same daily total protein intake (13,14). The notion that eating every other hour is the optimal way to go for muscle growth is one many lifters still cling to. However, it has scant support in science, and from an evolutionary and physiological perspective it makes little sense

Protein quality

I’m not going to talk a lot about protein quality in this article, as I think this is common knowledge for most folks reading this blog. Personally I find that there is a significant advantage to eating red meat on a regular basis if the goal is to build muscle and strength (No, unlike what you’ve been told, high-quality meats don’t give you colon cancer or heart disease). This beneficial effect largely stems from the amino acid profile and high creatine content in red meat, but there could also be other factors that are important. Scientists often refer to the red meat factor when discussing the benefits of red meat on absorption of nutrients such as iron, and this “unknown” factor definitely also extends to other areas.
Wrapping it up
Optimal protein intake depends on several factors, such as activity levels, goal, and the amount of lean mass you carry. Since a lot of data suggest that the body has its own hard-wired mechanisms for regulating protein intake (the protein-leverage hypothesis), it could be argued that protein consumption takes care of itself. However, these mechanisms were forged in the ancestral natural environment and evolved to deal with a diet rich in simple, whole food. When you eat a diet with a low percentage of protein (as so many modern humans do), reaching this target level could mean eating more calories than you need to sustain body weight. This is especially true for athletes and strength trainees who have higher protein needs.

The idea that high protein diets are harmful has little support, neither from an evolutionary nor scientific point of view (15,16,17). However, getting your protein from quality sources, such as grass-fed meats, free-range organic eggs, traditionally fermented dairy products, and seafood, as opposed to for example processed meat, is clearly important.
In the end I want to emphasise that although “high” protein diets are very effective for a wide variety of purposes – especially for weight loss and muscle growth – this doesn’t mean that everyone should eat these types of diets. Many healthy populations have thrived on diets that contain only 10-15% protein, and those who aren’t working out and just want to stay relatively healthy don’t really need that much protein. However, I would argue that keeping protein fairly high (compared to the average intake in the western diet) is often beneficial, as an increased intake of high-quality protein often leads to a lower intake of other inferior sources of energy. Also, protein’s effect on satiety, weight regulation, and a wide range of health markers suggests that getting at least 15-20% of your calories from protein is beneficial, regardless of your goal.