Whey protein is a nutritional supplement that supplies your body with essential amino acids. These protein building blocks can't be synthesized by the body and therefore must be supplied by your diet. Whey protein is especially useful when your fitness goal is to build muscle because its high proportion of branched-chain amino acids aids in protein synthesis and muscle recovery. Taking whey protein three times a day offers benefits, but its drawbacks may dissuade you from consuming it this often. Seek the advice of a sports nutritionist before adding whey protein to your daily diet.
Protein Needs
As a healthy adult, you need dietary protein to support your level of physical activity in addition to your maintenance requirements. At minimum, you need 0.8 g of high-quality protein per day for each kg you weigh, states Bill Campbell in the September 2007 issue of the "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition." If your lifestyle is more than sedentary, your protein requirements increase to between 1.4 and 2 g per kg of body weight, with endurance athletes needing less daily protein than strength and power athletes. Whey protein taken three times each day can help you meet this nutrient requirement.
Benefits
Unlike other amino acids, the branched-chain amino acids in whey protein do not require metabolism by your liver before your muscle tissue absorbs them. Consuming whey protein multiple times in a day supplies your muscles with a consistent influx of amino acids they can readily use to recover from strenuous exercise and build new muscle fibers. This method of protein intake is more conducive to packing on muscle mass than consuming extremely high levels of protein less frequently, according to sports nutritionist Nancy Clark.
Disadvantages
Taking whey protein three times a day in addition to your regular meals can add unnecessary calories to your diet, leading to unwanted weight gain as excess protein converts to fat stores in your body. On the other hand, if your thrice-daily whey supplements substitute for whole-food proteins, you may miss out on essential nutrients lacking in whey. For example, salmon supplies you with heart-healthy fats and lean beef provides oxygen-carrying iron in addition to the high-quality protein these foods offer. Depending on whey as your principal source of protein may eventually result in malnutrition unless you design your diet to contain all your essential nutrients.
Considerations
Whey protein, similar to other nutritional supplements, is not subject to regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The contents listed on the label might therefore not correspond to the product in the container. Furthermore, whey supplements could contain harmful impurities not noted on the label, and consuming whey protein three times a day increases your potential exposure to such hazards.
References
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center; Creatine and Whey Protein Supplements; December 2008
- "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition"; International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise; Bill Campbell, et al.; September 2007
- BeginnerTriathlete.com: The Athlete's Kitchen - Building Muscles; Nancy Clark; July 2005
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