The protein requirements of athletes are generally slightly higher than the normal RDA for individuals who do not exercise intensively.
According to recommendations made by Burke and Deakin (2000), a 70-kg male endurance athlete would require about 112 g of protein a day, while a body builder would need to eat slightly more protein (119 g/day) during the build-up phase of his training.
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The highest protein intake is required by athletes who exercise at altitude, namely 154 g a day for a 70-kg male.
Sources of dietary protein
It is generally a good idea to obtain your protein requirement from foods, rather than supplements, because food also contains other nutrients that your body needs. The following foods are high in protein:
Lean beef, mutton, pork, chicken and other poultry – a 100-g portion contains about 30 g of protein; remember to cut off all visible fat and to use methods of preparation that don’t add additional fat, e.g. grilling, pan-frying with very little fat, boiling (stews - skim off the fat)
Lean cold cuts of cooked meat (see above), ham or corned beef – a 30-g portion provides 7 g of protein; select the leanest cuts you can find
Sausages such a boerewors, which is made mainly from meat; a cooked 90-g portion will provide 13 g of protein; grill to get rid of most of the fat
Fish and seafood – a 100-g cooked portion supplies 23 g of protein (avoid high-fat dressings such as mayonnaise)
Beef and game biltong – a 100-g portion (large piece) of beef biltong provides 44 g of protein, while the same portion of game biltong, which is usually drier, can contain as much as 64 g of protein (cut off all visible fat)
Eggs – a large 55-g egg contains about 7 g of protein; don’t overdo your egg intake because the yolks are high in cholesterol; use egg white instead, which contains 3-4 g of protein per egg white
Cow and soya milk and yoghurt – one cup (250 ml) provides about 9-10 g of protein (use fat-free or low-fat varieties)
Cottage cheese - ½ cup or 125 g provides 19 g of protein (use the fat-free varieties)
Cheeses such as Cheddar, Gouda – a 30-g portion will supply 7-8 g of protein (keep in mind that most hard cheeses are high in fat)
Cereals like cooked rice or pasta, or dry breakfast cereals – one cup supplies 5 g of protein
Bread, rolls, crackers – a 30-g portion (one slice of bread, one roll or 3-4 crackers) supplies about 3 g of protein
Legumes such as tofu, baked beans and nuts – a 100-g portion of tofu, a cup of baked beans and 50 g of nuts all contain about 10 g of protein
Menu for a 70-kg male athlete who requires 112 g of protein per day:
A 70-kg male endurance athlete would, therefore, be able to obtain the 112 g of protein he requires from the following foods:
Breakfast: One fruit or fruit juice, one cup cooked or dry cereal (5 g), omelette made with one large egg and one egg white (10 g), two slices of wholewheat bread (6 g) with one cup of milk for cereal and beverage (10 g) (Subtotal: 31 g protein)
Lunch: One cup of baked beans (10 g) on two slices of wholewheat toast (6 g) with a salad, one cup of milk (10 g) (Subtotal: 26 g of protein)
Snack: 1/4 of a cup of fat-free cottage cheese (9 g) on one slice of wholewheat bread (3 g) (Subtotal: 12 g of protein)
Supper: Grilled pork chops 100 g (30 g), one cup of cooked pasta (5 g), one cup of cooked mixed vegetables and fruit salad, with one cup of milk for custard and beverage (10 g) (Subtotal: 45 g of protein)
Total protein intake for the day: 114 g
It is, therefore, relatively easy to obtain your daily protein requirement by using standard foods.
Protein supplements
Some athletes may find it easier to obtain some of their protein from shakes and powders. The most common protein supplements contain soy isolates, caseinates, and whey or milk isolates. Research has shown that intact protein products are superior to protein hydrolysates when used for muscle growth.
Soy protein isolates have given good results and can decrease muscle damage.
Casein products tend to delay gastric emptying, which can cause abdominal distress in certain athletes. They also have a cholesterol-raising effect and should, therefore, be avoided by older athletes or those who have a tendency to high blood fat levels. Finally, casein products may cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. Casein products are thus not the best choice for protein supplementation.
Whey protein hydrolysates are more digestible than casein and have been found to increase whole-body protein synthesis, decrease body fat and boost peak power.
Amino acid mixtures
An ongoing debate exists about the usefulness of either using single amino acids or amino acid mixtures to improve performance and muscle gain.
Branch chain amino acids (BCAA) help to prevent or decrease protein breakdown and may be useful for endurance athletes.
Mixtures of essential amino acids (EAA) improve protein synthesis up to a dose of 6 g per day. Additional intakes probably do not have any effect.
Glutamine, a non-essential amino acid, which is also found in most foods, can assist wrestlers to maintain their nitrogen balance when there are making weight.
The most useful combination is probably one that includes soy protein, whey protein with glutamine and BCAA.
The decision to use a protein supplement should be taken in conjunction with your dietician and will depend on how you, the athlete, respond and how much you are prepared to spend on such products.
How to increase muscles tissue
The following should be kept in mind if you want to increase the percentage of lean, muscle tissue in your body:
It is impossible to lose weight or fat and at the same time increase your lean muscle mass, because most weight loss programmes cause some loss of lean tissue. If you are overweight, or if your body fat percentage is too high, you first need to lose weight or fat and then start building muscles. Do aerobic exercises and cut down on fat intake to lose weight or fat before you embark on a muscle-building programme.
If you are not overweight, you need to increase both your energy and your protein intakes.
You must have the proper training programme to stimulate muscle growth (e.g. strength training and working with weights).
Set yourself realistic goals, i.e. expect to gain 0,5 to 1 kg per week. Rome was not built in a day!
Be patient, muscle growth is a slow metabolic process that will take time. Consult a dietician to give you moral support during this period when you may become discouraged and lose motivation.
Don’t take more and more protein in the form of supplements, it will not speed up the process and can cause damage to your health.
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