Thread: Protein

Your body can certainly "absorb" all the protein you eat, but it can only use so much for repair, so it converts the rest into energy, and stores it as fat (although a small amount may be lost in the urine). Protein can't be stored and saved for later the way sugars (as liver and muscle glycogen) and fats (as body fat) are stored. So excessive protein is wasted because it just gets converted into sugars (gluconeogenesis) or fats.

If you workout your body will need amino acids right away, regardless of when you took protein before the workout.

Otherwise, within 2-3 hours most of the food you eat will have left the stomach and will be in the large intestine. Then you can have more protein...

But there is really no point in overdoing it. Absorbing more protein than you need or can use, (1-1.5gms/lb) doesn't mean you will have bigger muscles. But it might give you a bigger belly.


VanessaNicole

Originally Posted by VanessaNicole

But there is really no point in overdoing it. Absorbing more protein than you need or can use, (1-1.5gms/lb) doesn't mean you will have bigger muscles. But it might give you a bigger belly.

Do you factor in the protein you get from your carb sources(rice, oats, & veggies)? I haven't and my protein is alittle higher than 1.5gms/lb

Originally Posted by sonofman

Do you factor in the protein you get from your carb sources(rice, oats, & veggies)? I haven't and my protein is alittle higher than 1.5gms/lb

No, I don't factor in incomplete proteins. (Like grains, etc).

As long as you're not eating too many calories, don't worry about getting a little extra protein.

Just don't expect it to increase your gains if you chug huge amounts of it on top of your regular meals.

VanessaNicole

In my personal training certification course and in Muscular Development magazine they said that protein DOESN'T get stored as fat, but rather all excess is either converted into creatinine or is excreted in urine.

Ok, so your body can absorb protein 2-3 hours after your last max consumption. How much exactly can your body use per meal.

Originally Posted by jaim91

In my personal training certification course and in Muscular Development magazine they said that protein DOESN'T get stored as fat, but rather all excess is either converted into creatinine or is excreted in urine.

This is simply wrong.

Excess protein undergoes a metabolic process called gluconeogenesis, which means "creation of new glucose" whereby it is converted into glucose.

Excess glucose in the bloodstream (weither originally from protein or carbohydrates) stimulates the pancreas to release insulin which shuttles glucose from the blood into the fat cells.

Creatinine is the decomposition product of the metabolism of phosphocreatine, which is an energy source for muscular contraction.

Elevated levels of creatinine would indicate renal failure, as creatinine levels in the blood are kept relatively constant and have nothing to do with protein intake.

VanessaNicole

Originally Posted by Bajenman88

Ok, so your body can absorb protein 2-3 hours after your last max consumption. How much exactly can your body use per meal.

That, my friend, depends on the body. Every body has a different metabolism.

The only way to find an exact value for that would be a special test your doctor can give you where you have a fasting blood sugar drawn, consume a given quantity of protein and then have subsequent blood samples drawn every hour for the next three hours along with urine samples.

But the best answer is that it doesn't matter. Just get enough protein throughout the day without getting too many calories and get on with your life.


VanessaNicole

Thanks.