Muscle pain can develop through several triggers, including intense exercise, blunt trauma and unexpected strains of the muscle. This muscle pain can be debilitating and keep you from doing the things you would like at the intensities you prefer. Protein is not a cure for muscle pain, but when the muscle fibers themselves are trying to heal, protein is an important nutrient.
Muscle Pain Causes
Muscle pain often results from a straining or tearing of the fibers that make up your muscles. Pain usually develops in proportion to the amount of damage caused to the muscles. This is not always bad -- intense exercise sometimes causes muscle soreness that is necessary to stress the muscles and trigger muscle strengthening and growth. In any case, the healing process for your muscles can be aided by a diet featuring protein.
Role of Protein
Proteins are the building blocks of muscle. When you consume proteins, digestive enzymes break these down into small amino acids that comprise the protein molecule. Amino acids are then reorganized and put together to create new proteins that form the basis of your muscle fibers. Without protein in your diet, sore muscles will be much slower to heal and pain and soreness could last much longer.
Taking Protein
When you take protein can determine how effective it is in supporting muscle fiber healing and synthesis. Columbia University's Health Service recommends taking a protein-rich snack within 15 minutes of finishing a workout. This gives the body important nutrients that can be directly applied to the process of muscle recovering. Taking protein at night before going to sleep -- during which a good amount of muscle healing and growth occurs -- can also be beneficial. Adults need about 50 grams of protein every day, so make sure you are at least getting this amount, if not more.
Considerations
Protein can be found naturally in many foods, including most animal products, yogurt, nuts and some beans. You can also take natural protein supplements like whey protein to provide your body with high levels of protein. Be aware that protein isn't an instant fix for muscle pain -- you are still going to be sore and in pain while the muscles heal, but protein supports that healing process and ultimately strengthens your muscles. If you have swelling or sharp pain that does not subside after a few days, call your doctor.
