Protein myths abound in the strength-building community, but the truth is your body can get all the protein it needs from a balanced, healthy diet. So avoid protein supplements unless your doctor or nutritionist recommends them. Instead, choose lean protein sources, such as poultry, eggs, fish, low-fat dairy products, nuts, legumes and seeds.
Benefits
Everybody needs protein, not just those who want to build muscle mass. Protein plays an important role in many bodily processes. For example, protein is necessary for building and repairing tissues; making hormones, enzymes and other body chemicals; transporting nutrients; muscle contraction; and helping regulate other body processes, such as water balance.
Building Muscle
Although protein is necessary for building tissue, you can't add muscle mass just by eating large amounts of protein. The only way to increase muscle tissue is to engage in a strength-training program that taxes your muscles sufficiently. The vigorous exercise will tear your muscle fibers slightly. Then, during the recovery process, your body uses protein to restore and improve the muscles, which leads to larger muscles. You also need sufficient calories in your diet for your body to produce muscle tissue. Typically, eating 500 to 1,000 more calories a day than you need to maintain your current body weight is sufficient for muscle growth, according to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
Excess Protein
It's a myth that strength trainers experience enhanced muscle growth by exceeding their recommended daily amount of protein. There's no benefit to excess protein. In fact, ingesting too much protein might cause toxicity, metabolic imbalance, kidney problems or nervous system disorders, according to the American Dietetic Association. Also, the waste product urea is a byproduct of the breakdown of protein. Your body excretes urea through urination, which uses up your body's water stores, so excess protein can lead to dehydration.
Recommended Daily Amounts
Recreational exercisers only need 0.5 to 0.75 g of protein per pound of body weight, according to the ADA. Adult weightlifters who want to add muscle mass might need as much as 0.7 to 0.8 g of protein per pound of body weight, while teen athletes might need 0.7 to 0.9 g of protein per pound of body weight. If you're not sure how much protein you need, consult your doctor or nutritionist. Just 8 oz. of milk provide 8 g of protein, and 3 oz. of lean beef provide 30 g of protein, so you can get your recommended amount of protein through a typical balanced diet.
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