How to use protein for bodybuilding

Some people want to consume protein supplements, and protein supplements are one of the most consumed supplements for building muscle, and they are available in the form of powder, capsules, shakes, and bars, and here are some general tips for how to use it:

Consult your doctor or nutritionist before using protein supplements.
Choose a high-quality type of protein supplement.
Consuming protein powder as a shake during breakfast, or in the form of a porridge dish, or it can be eaten in the form of a shake as a healthy and filling snack between the main meals.
Consuming protein powder within 30 minutes of completing a workout, it may help reduce muscle loss and speed up recovery after exercise.
It is enough to eat protein powder once a day; This is unless the person is preparing for a bodybuilding competition, or consumes small amounts of protein during his diet, but when increasing physical activity, protein intake must be increased.
Mixing flavored protein powder with water according to the instructions on the product packaging, and it can be said that it is not always necessary to use water only to mix the powder, although mixing it with water helps to speed up the delivery of protein to the muscles. Protein can be combined with milk, or one of its alternatives, instead of using water, thus producing a creamy shake similar to the texture of a milk shake, and a person can prepare a protein shake with different flavors by combining the powder with one portion of fruits, or a spoonful of peanut butter, and others. of useful components.

It is worth noting that there are many different flavors of protein powder, which differ depending on the components, and the source of the protein itself, and many companies use flavorings, or other materials prepared by specialized food scientists to enhance the flavor of the powder, and produce flavors other than those usual flavors; Such as chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

How to choose protein for bodybuilding

There is no information about how to choose protein for bodybuilding in particular, but in general, athletes are advised to check the biological value (in English: Biological value), known as BV, for the protein powder to be selected, and this value expresses how effectively the body benefits from the acquired protein. From food, a biological value of 100 indicates that the body can benefit from all available protein, and the following are some types of protein powders and their biological values:

Whey protein: It is one of the types of proteins extracted from milk, and it contains all the essential amino acids that the human body cannot manufacture alone, and needs to be consumed from food, and its biological value is 104; This makes it an excellent source of protein that the human body can use.
Casein protein: This slow-digesting protein is extracted from milk, and it contains all the essential amino acids, such as whey as well, but its biological value is less; Where she is 77.
Soy protein: which is a good vegetarian alternative to casein and whey protein, and also contains all amino acids, but its biological value is lower than them; Where it is 74.

When choosing a protein shake, it is recommended to pay attention to three important things:

Ensure that the protein is of high quality; Like whey, or something else.
Checking the purity of the product, and free from sugars or unnecessary additives.
Ensure that the protein powder is mixable and easy to dissolve, in addition to choosing the flavor that the person prefers.

When can bodybuilders eat protein

There is no specific time for bodybuilders to eat protein, but in general, some indicate that the appropriate time depends on the health and fitness goals that a person wants to achieve. Some may prefer to consume it at a certain time of the day based on their desire to lose weight, or build Muscles, or preserving them, but this is not supported by scientific studies confirming it.

If the goal of a person’s intake of protein supplements is to build muscle, the best time to achieve optimal growth is still being researched, but the International Society of Sports Nutrition indicates that consuming protein at any time, up to two hours after exercise, is appropriate to enhance the building of muscle mass, Some athletes may recommend consuming protein supplements 15 to 60 minutes after exercise, and point out that this period is ideal to get the most out of the nutrients; Like protein, but this is not confirmed by scientific studies, and on the contrary, a review published by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2017, showed that this period extends for a much longer time than previously thought.

For the normal person, research has shown that doing resistance training and consuming adequate protein is more important than when, as found in a statistical analysis of 23 studies, published in The International. Sports Nutrition Society 2013, on the other hand, does exercise while fasting. Like exercising before breakfast, you may benefit most if you eat protein soon after your workout. This is because the body has not had it for a while, and it must be noted that there is a need for more studies to determine whether there is an effect of the time of protein intake for the bodybuilder, and the appropriate time to take it.

A look at the benefits of protein for bodybuilding

There is protein In every cell of the body, it is formed from the association of a group of amino acids within long chains, and the different arrangement of these acids contributes to determining the role of the resulting protein, and it is worth noting that there are 20 different types of amino acids, and it should be noted that protein is an essential element In the diet, it is involved in building and repairing all types of tissues in the body; Like muscles, bodybuilders can enhance their performance by including protein-rich foods in their diets or snacks, however some people prefer to use protein supplements.

How much protein does a bodybuilder need?

A person should determine his nutritional needs before using protein powders, as they can be consumed in the event that he does not obtain sufficient amounts of protein from his diet, and it should be noted that the recommended amount of protein for the average person is 0.8 grams of per kilogram of his weight.

As for bodybuilders, the required quantity and dose varies depending on several factors, including; Age, body composition, exercise volume, total energy consumption, as well as the athlete’s training status, differed in determining this amount, as some have indicated that the recommended daily amount ranges between 1.2-1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

While others reported in recent recommendations that the average amount of protein recommended for athletes ranges between 1.4 to 2 grams per kilogram of a person’s weight per day, for people who practice resistance exercises, and aim to increase muscle mass, and it must be noted that the real amounts that it takes Bodybuilders are usually higher.

The amount of protein for bodybuilding

The amount of protein that bodybuilders need can be calculated in two ways:

The first method: The number of grams of protein that a person needs per kilogram of body weight is determined, which ranges between 1.2-2.0, where the weight in kilograms is multiplied by the number of grams of protein needed by the individual.

The second method: The number of calories that the body needs per day to maintain the current weight is determined, then the percentage of protein is determined, which ranges between 15% and 30%, then the percentage is multiplied by the total number of calories that the body needs during the day to determine the total Daily calories from protein, and the final result is divided by 4, to produce the number of grams of protein that an individual needs during the day.