[Closed] How much protein per day?

replace chocolate with cow and you'll be heading in the right direction. 🙂

neither chocolate nor milk contain much protein...

Is this for you or the Mrs?

According to this:

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about 55g per day.

What that actually means in terms of how much actual cow is anyone's guess.

Far less than the average westerner eats IIRC

55g is the recomended amount for an adult male

google is your friend

Veggie tables http://www.vegsoc.org/info/protein.html

Meat is about 20 - 30 % protein

Thankyou TJ - genuinely very helpful 🙂

I'm no expert, but I've been on a bit of a get-fit campaign lately using a protein/carb supplement - 60g a day of protein.

Personally, I think that using a good carb drink while riding and after riding does more towards aiding recovery. If I'm doing intense training - hard climbing and sprints - and afterwards my muscles are sore (like after a hard workout at the gym) then I feel the protein helps. But if I just feel fatigued and without energy, then I know I haven't had enough carbs and hydrated properly. The way I understand it, basically, the protein helps to rebuild the muscles, but the carbs rebuilds your energy.

Hope this helps!

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is it not something along the lines of, if you've used up all your energy, your body will start to break down your muscles for energy so when your done you take some carbs to stop that happening and then a bit of protein to help the muscles too.

There is some evidence that a 4:1 ration of carbs to protein helps to absorb the carbs which helps restore glycogen. I believe the science on this is very shaky however.

The only decent evidence I have found for protein helping recovery apart from the effect above is in severe ultra endurance types stressed to the limit, ultra marathon runners, polar explorers that type of thing. No decent evidence for protein doing owt for recovery for normal folk.

RS - to start braking down muscles for energy you have to be seriously malnourished.

from what I've read, your muscles have 4 sources of energy:
1) glycogen stored in the liver (limited amount but fast)
2) digestion - limited rate typically 300kCal/h
3) fat metabolism - also rate limited
4) protein catabolism - last resort when the other sources are maxed out

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Chubby overfed western/first worlder asking about the need for extra protein?

Get a grip.

OP. I believe that about 20-40g's of protien (depending on how big you are) immediately after excercise is about right. I think that if you've used your muscles hard enough to have damaged them and are getting that sore and stiff leg feeling the next day then your body needs protien to help rebuild them. Of course you can get that from meat or other sources but it's best immediately after excercise and sometimes it's easier to get it in the form of a protien powder in a milkshake.

This is absolutely basic for body builders, I don't see why it should be any different for us. I know that it works for me because a long time ago I did a lot of weights and know that feeling the next day if you haven't got enough protien. I get the same feeling now if I've had a hard day riding and didn't eat enough protien.

It's worth saying that for me I also get a different feeling. Not so much sore legs, more low energy and feeling sluggish on the bike. That's not a lack of protien though, that's either that I haven't eaten enough carb's OR that I'm dehydrated. Try out a few things and see what works for you. If you eat too much protien (short term) the worst that will happen is you'll spend a fortune on powders which will be going straight through you and down the drain...

I eat somewhere between 60-90grammes per day - I weigh about 58kg. All derived from natural sources, I don't bother with protein powders and milkshakes etc, I eat real food.

Kev

Doug - there is no scientific evidence for that at all however. A normal intake of protein gives you enough to meet your bodies needs unless placed under extreme stress.

i've been reading the anita bean books (food for fitness and another one) which show you how to work out how much protein you need, best sources to get it from etc etc. its pretty interesting and better than guestimating.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Fitness-Anita-Bean/dp/0713681284/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245757581&sr=1-2

TJ, yeah fair enough, to be honest I've never looked into the medical science / research on it. I just know what works for me in certain situations. After a hard ride I find it reduces my recovery time and when I was doing weights I found it essential. That's why I was saying try and see what works for you, it might not be the same for everyone because everyone has a different diet / metabolism / body type / excercise intensity etc etc. I don't see any harm trying and seeing if it works for you. Don't think it's an excuse not to eat properly though...

FWIW I don't take any supplements with normal riding. For instance I'll be out every day this week for about 5-6hrs of moderate intensity and I won't use or need any supplements (protien or carb drinks). Last week I was chasing a very fit roadie up hills all week and I was definitely taking protien supplements immediatly after a ride and first thing in the morning. (On top of two breakfasts and two dinners but that's just me and probably why I never drop below 80kg's no matter how much I ride!)