Role of Protein in Sports Performance

 Proteins provide the building blocks of all our tissues . Protein is  a vital macro nutrients and must be present in daily diet of an athletes. Sportsperson consumes dietary protein to repair and rebuild all muscle and connective tissues . Dietary protein promotes the growth, repair the damaged cells and tissues. An increase in lean body mass contributes to strength and power development. strength and power are related to muscle size . Increases in lean body mass enables the athletes to generate more force in a specific period of time.

Protein works as structural unit

As a structural protein. Protein  helps in the formation of different body tissues like tendons, ligaments and structure of  vital organs . Proteins compose structural and motor elements in the cell and they serve as the catalysts for virtually every biochemical reactions that occurs in living things. Protein also as works as enzymes in so many bioenergetics pathways.

Protein helps maintaining the muscle mass and build stamina

Not only does eating protein helps prevent muscle breakdown, but it can also help build muscles. enhances recovery from strength training.

Combining regular activity and exercise with protein intake promotes muscle growth.

High-quality proteins contain all of the essential amino acids and are rich in branched chain amino acid.  Leucine, one of these BCAAs, plays a major role in promoting muscle growth and recovery after resistance and endurance exercise. leucine is also the most studied amino acid in sports and is critical in enhancing protein mediated recovery and adaption .These high-quality proteins exist in animal-based protein foods such as lean poultry, beef, fish, dairy, egg products, and whole eggs.

Protein helps athletes to adapt to his/her particular training

The type of protein, timing of protein ingestion relative to exercise, concurrent ingestion of other nutrients with protein, as well as the type of exercise training performed will impact the adaptations to training with the intake of protein. Protein is an important nutrient for muscle hypertrophy with training.

protein consumption can increases muscle protein synthesis and possibly decreases muscle protein balance rate so eventually enhancing the NPB. Improvement in NPB accumulate to promote greater protein retention in resistance exercise, enhance training-induces adoptions with endurance training . Optimum timing for protein ingestion to promote the most favorable recovery and adaption is after exercise “window of opportunity “high protein consumption at the expense of carbohydrate .Improves amount of fat loss in addition to preserves the lean tissue. synergism between resistance exercise and higher protein intake increases lean mass during hypo energetic periods.

In maintaining weight ,provide satiety ,improve metabolism

Body weight can influence an athlete’s speed, endurance and power, whereas body composition can affect an athlete’s strength, agility and appearance . Athletes   trying to lose weight but also  burning a significant amount of calories everyday can leaves them constantly hungry. Here  consuming protein can be especially beneficial because it helps  Athletes feel full for a longer period of time as compared to carbohydrates or fat.  protein promote satiety, protein can also help increase metabolism, which can aid in burning calories more efficiently, which is important for anyone trying to change their body composition. As protein provides  stratification also helps  the athletes to avoid unhealthy snacking.  Having adequate muscle mass also is essential in maintaining your metabolism.

 protein has good satiety promoting effect and also its satiety promoting effect is  more than carbohydrate and fat .

Proteins boost immunity

A healthy immune system can overcome invading disease pathogens as well as cancer cells . on other side athletes are usually exposed to different environmental conditions for the training and competitions . a good immune system is must to remain healthy all the time .

Proteins help to form immunoglobulin. antibodies eventually help to fight the infections . amino acid  like methionine  acts as antioxidants  and glutamine amino acids supports the immune system. some amino acid like tryptophan  has relaxing and calming affects. protein can also helps in diabetes by controlling blood sugar .

Protein also act transports proteins

transports proteins –  Hb, transferring .It intervenes in the correct distribution of basic nutrients for sports performance such as oxygen and glucose, making them reach where they are most needed (especially to the muscles when they are at full effort while exercising). 

Protein also act as hormones like  insulin, glucagon, epinephrine, nor-epinephrine.                                                                       Therogenic  effect of protein is also more than carbohydrate and fat.

Protein plays important role in maintaining acid -base balance

protein plays important role in maintaining  the acid base balance and helps in  lactic acid removal.   Hemoglobin is the principal protein inside of red blood cells and accounts for one-third of the mass of the cells. During the conversion of co2 into bicarbonate, hydrogen ions liberated in the reaction are buffered by hemoglobin ,which is reduced by the dissociation of oxygen. This buffering helps maintain normal pH.

An increases in the capacity of the acid buffer system improves the anaerobic and aerobic fitness of athletes . the maintenance of alkalinity in intracellular fluids enables a faster removal of hydrogen ions from muscle cells resulting in a delayed muscle fatigue which occurs due to increased acidosis.

Protein regulates body process to maintain fluid balance

Prolonged exercise leads too progressive water and electrolyte loss from the body as sweat is secreted to promote heat loss.

 Fluid and electrolyte proteins in the blood are called albumin and globulin, and they maintain the body’s fluid balance by keeping water in the blood . Blood proteins have the ability to attract and keep fluid in blood stream.

Negative  Effects of over and under protein consumption  on sports performance

Sometime increase dietary protein automatically dietary carbohydrates decreases which results in compromised performance  . lower than optimal carbohydrate put the individual at greater risk especially sports demanding intense training efforts.

ALWAYS REMEMBER increased protein intake means that overall energy intake must increase. 

consumption of  fat also decreases . because athletes most of the time want to consume more proteins and always avoid fat . even if he/she consumes an egg , athletes discards the yellow part of egg does not understands the role of good fat as most of time he was told to have more or only protein .

AS per the studies, increased proteins does not have ill effect of kidney function, bone health, lipid profile and liver function but in very rare cases it increases the uric acid if not utilized well causing the joint pains.

on the other hand, low dietary proteins prolongs recovery time, triggers muscle weakness and inhibits the immune system .  diet lacking in enough protein will cancel the positive effect of athlete’s workout . on poor protein diet, athletes will become prone to fatigue, lethargy, anemia and some other severe disorders. 

 

 Understand type and amount of protein you need in a day with Dietitian Kamal Bajwa

 

 

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