Not only bodybuilders use protein shakes. Protein products are also popular with amateur athletes. But these are usually expensive – and often superfluous, as a nutrition expert explains.
In the fitness and health scene, protein products are now on everyone’s lips – in the truest sense of the word. They are designed to help build muscle. Whether in the form of protein shakes, bars or powders, the selection of protein products is almost endless.
Protein itself is not only important for athletes. Adequate protein intake is also essential for a balanced diet. The nutrient is essential for building and repairing tissue, maintaining muscle mass and regulating metabolism. In addition, protein-rich foods ensure a long-lasting feeling of satiety, which prevents cravings.
Proteins are found in both animal and plant-based food sources. Dairy products, eggs, grains, nuts, legumes and vegetables: Many protein sources are reasonably cheap in the supermarket. But you can also dig deeper into your pocket – and reach for expensive protein bars and powders. But according to a professor of nutritional science, you can often save yourself this.
Daily dose of protein can be ingested through food
In the Quarks interview, Anja Carlsohn recommends that endurance athletes should take in around 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily in the top range. The professor of nutritional science at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg believes that healthy adults can easily absorb these amounts through food.
You are not one of the sporty contemporaries? The German Society for Nutrition recommends 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for healthy adults.
Up to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for muscle building
If you want to build muscle, you should consume a little more protein. A lot helps a lot? This is not true in the case of protein products. According to a meta-analysis, more than 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight shows no further improvement in terms of muscle building, according to the Quarks knowledge format. Anyone who eats a high-protein diet will quickly reach this limit. Eggs, cooked lentils, low-fat quark, peanut butter, salmon: All foods that contain more than ten grams of protein per 100 grams of product weight.
“So the question is: Why do I have to add something that the body can’t store in muscle mass anyway?” Nutrition expert Anja Carlsohn from Quarks is quoted as saying. Converting excess protein into energy is just as bad as too much Chocolate to eat. Expensive protein products can be saved in this way.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editorial team cannot answer individual questions about clinical pictures.
This article was created with the help of machines and carefully checked by the editor Juliane Gutmann before publication.