Protein: New Insights and Practical Tips

For as long as I've used protein powder, the recommendation has been to consume only 20 g at a time. There's no way for the body to synthesise more. This led to the distribution recommendation of spreading out 20 g of intake over a day to complete the daily total.

But now we have some evidence that we don't need to do this.

This 'BBQ study' found that over 12 hours, 100 g protein doses continue digesting and enhancing muscle synthesis beyond the initial hours, contradicting the idea that excess protein merely increases oxidation.

Less than 15% of excess protein is oxidised; most is used constructively, suggesting that larger protein doses in single meals can be effective.

Daily total protein intake is crucial; meal distribution is less critical, allowing flexibility in protein consumption patterns.

Practical approach: 20 g protein if the next meal is within 5 hours, 40 g if longer, or simply focus on total daily intake for convenience and efficiency.

Read the study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.go...

On my mindTesting and mindset

I had an athlete this week who 'failed' a test by not finishing the prescribed time. 24 minutes if you're interested, noting that if it was an interval in a normal session, they would have been able to complete it.

There are many ways to shift mindsets around testing, but I find that during the efforts, focusing on controlling your mind and body to perform the test is a solid approach.

You want to experience the test, examining how you are mentally and physically reacting. When you feel yourself fading, forcefully exhale like you’re blowing all the air out of your lungs. The next breath you take will be fuller and deeper. This acts as a mental reset.

If you do stop before the time, this is also a lesson as an indicator of something wrong in your mindset. It's time to examine why, but more importantly, how to deal with disappointing results. This is generally my recommendation. Don't be too hard on yourself and look at it as an opportunity for you to improve on for your next test. On reflection, think about the test and where did you have an opportunity to do better? It could during the test, or even you didn’t have a great night’s sleep, or maybe your nutrition was off the night before. If you examine your result in the context of all the information—whether you like it or not—that can help you reach your goal. Remember, you can be better tomorrow than you were today!

Damian