1-877-677-7797    info@feelgoodnatural.com             
1-877-677-7797
info@feelgoodnatural.com

New Routines and Protein!

by | Dec 30, 2024 | FG Staff Blog

Building New Habits

The festive holiday season may be full of joy and extra commitments, and it may contribute to added stress on your body and schedule. As we enter 2025, you may be thinking about new routines and the latest health and wellness sphere buzzword: protein– how to prioritize or reprioritize fitness, physical activities, and mindful eating habits. How can you best support your body and set yourself up for success? It will depend on the intentions and goals you have set for yourself. Fitness and eating habits are among the most commonly named objectives. Whether you are a seasoned athlete or considering an exercise/movement practice for the first time, there are basic principles that will help you get on track, stay on track and structure your wellness routines.

What is the obsession with protein intake?

Protein is a macronutrient made up of amino acids. Chemically, it differs from the other macronutrients (carbohydrates and fats) due to the presence of nitrogen. Functionally, protein acts as a structural nutrient, unlike carbs and fats that are primarily used for energy. The primary structure of the protein determines its function. These functions include:

  • Muscle health, tissue growth and repair
  • Metabolic health and blood sugar balance/regulation
  • Brain function, hormone and neurotransmitter production
  • Immune system support
  • Nutrient transport and digestive system support
  • Healthy skin, hair and nails
  • Energy source

How much protein?

It is generally suggested to aim for a daily minimum of 0.8g/kg of body weight for a sedentary adult and up to 2.5g/kg of bodyweight for active adults, athletes, and individuals over the age of 65. This may be achieved by distributing high quality protein consumption across 3 meals daily, typically around 30g/meal (the amount of protein in an average meal to get the minimum RDA of 2.5g leucine) and additional snacks or supplements as needed. To set yourself up for success, aim for 23-50g protein with your first meal of the day and pair with adequate carbohydrate and healthy fats to help keep you full longer and stabilize blood sugar. The specific amount and ratio of carbohydrates and fats will depend on your unique lifestyle and training. Keep in mind if you are trying to gain muscle you may increase this to four, five or six meals a day depending on the total daily protein goal. It is more effective to increase your meal number than to eat more and more protein at a single meal. Our bodies lack mechanisms for storing excess protein, so ongoing intake is required and is best spread throughout the day from a variety of animal and/or plant sources.

Animal vs. plant based dietary proteins

Animal based proteins are richer in the amino acids leucine, lysine, and methionine. Leucine is the key amino acid that drives muscle protein synthesis, serves as fuel for skeletal muscle, modulates insulin signaling, increases your ability to burn fatty acids and is a key nitrogen donor for the production of alanine and glutamine in skeletal muscle.

Lysine is an amino acid that plays a major role in synthesizing proteins within the body. It is also responsible for proteins in connective tissues, tendons, and ligaments. This inherently means lysine is also key to collagen formation. Lysine also forms the backbone of the molecule carnitine, which helps muscles burn fats for fuel. Lysine is extremely low in grain products and basically absent in wheat.

Methionine is the amino acid responsible for making creatine, synthesizing carnitine and synthesizing cysteine. Cysteine is an amino acid that when synthesized leads to the production of glutathione– a master antioxidant that supports a robust immune system, the production of DNA and taurine. It also plays a role in the detox of heavy metals, including lead and mercury and helps to protect cells from pollutants. It is always the first amino acid transcribed from mRNA so without it protein synthesis can’t even start. It is often present in very low amounts in plant proteins like legumes, lentils, and nuts.

It’s not impossible to get these amino acids when adhering to a vegan diet, however options are more limited and require an individual to consume more total protein and calories. Supplementation may be of particular significance in these circumstances to prevent any deficiencies.

Role of Insulin

To increase skeletal muscle mass, the body must be in positive nitrogen balance, which requires an adequate amount of protein and energy (calories). Amino acids are the building blocks of protein that increase muscle protein synthesis, while the hormone insulin helps deliver nutrients to muscles by increasing blood flow. Insulin serves a number of vital functions in the body and is actually made from proteins itself. It binds to endothelial insulin receptors, activating nitric oxide synthase. Nitric oxide relaxes smooth muscle in arterioles increasing blood flow. Insulin binds to insulin receptors on muscle cells, activating a cascade of reactions that promotes glucose uptake into muscles. It also promotes glycogen synthesis, which helps the body maintain glucose homeostasis and provides energy when needed.

Eating a protein rich meal triggers anabolism (muscle creation) and inhibits catabolism (muscle breakdown). As we age, muscle protein synthesis from dietary amino acids slows and the action of insulin weakens. Left unattended and unsupported, this contributes to an imbalance between daily anabolism and catabolism resulting in sarcopenia (progressive decline in muscle mass).

Our top protein supplements include:

Whey vs. Beef vs. Vegan

In general, whey protein is a fast absorbing, complete protein (contains all essential amino acids), particularly rich in leucine, supports muscle growth and is appropriate to consume pre or post workout. Beef protein is rich in essential amino acids that support muscle growth and repair, higher concentrations of creatine and vital minerals like iron and zinc, and is slower digesting with a sustained release of amino acids making it a great option and consideration for post workout recovery. Additionally, beef protein does not contain any lactose and is suitable for those with lactose intolerance or dairy sensitivities. Plant based proteins like hemp and soy are known to help prevent hypertension and increase endurance while providing essential amino acids for those with a vegetarian or vegan diet or lifestyle.

What are BCAA’s?

BCAA’s, or Branched Chain Amino Acids are a highly concentrated form of three amino acids: valine, leucine and isoleucine. Most amino acids stop at the liver to be metabolized (broken down) but BCAA’s are unique because they go straight to your muscles. BCAA’s are your friends when you’re consuming a lot of protein and are in a state of caloric restriction. Anti-catabolic, but not anabolic (prevents loss of muscle mass, but not muscle gain).

Benefits of BCAA’s:

  • needed by the body (essential amino acids)
  • ease muscle soreness especially when taken pre workout
  • reduce fatigue allowing you to exercise longer by lowering serotonin and interfering with absorption of tryptophan
  • prevent muscle wasting without being calorically dense
  • support mood balance and improved stress response

What about EAAs?

BCAAs do a fantastic job at stimulating protein synthesis, but the process is boosted when combined with the other essential amino acids (EAAs) to complete the recovery process. EAAs include all nine essential amino acids (including the three found in BCAAs) and are believed to stimulate muscle protein synthesis more effectively than BCAAs. This means that EAAs are appropriate at anytime, for anyone who is resistance training and wanting to gain muscle mass.

While we regularly consume EAAs through dietary sources of protein, there are times that a supplement may offer additional support and compliment training. You may consider adding a supplement of EAAs if:

  • You exercise regularly– Amino acid supplements encourage muscle strength and power gains, better body composition and greater resistance to fatigue.
  • You do any kind of fasting or are vegan– EAA supplements are an absolute consideration for optimizing performance and preventing muscle loss.

It is worth noting that supplements are not a substitute for optimal nutrition and protein consumption. It’s a supplement to a good diet. Supplements can be very powerful and helpful in real-world situations when perfect dietary conditions are not possible.

Our top BCAA and EAA supplements include:

Final Notes

Movement is medicine. It sounds cliche but do the thing(s) that you enjoy most and can be consistent with. Dietary and lifestyle nourishment are the best supports for mental health, physical health, lifespan, and healthspan.

Disclaimer

The content in this post is for information purposes only and is not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment of conditions that your health care practitioner should assess. The products discussed may not be suitable for you. Always read and follow the label.

For additional training and protein recommendations, you are always welcome to visit us in-store at 317 Brock Street S Whitby, ON L1N 4K3.

At FeelGood Natural Health, we deeply appreciate the ongoing support of our customers (returning and new) over the past 26 years. Like all small businesses, it is our customers that have allowed us to operate as long as we have and to continue doing our best to meet your natural health needs.

References:

Jones, A. 2017. “Conquering New Peaks”. <https://www.alive.com/health/conquer-new-peaks/>

Kamei, J., Hatazawa, Y., Uchitomi, R. et. al. 2020. “Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Function by Amino Acids”. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31963899/

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This