Proteins are the building blocks of muscles and therefore have the bodybuilder’s special attention. Unfortunately, there are quite a few misunderstandings and myths surrounding proteins. Time for some clarification.
1. THE MORE PROTEIN, THE BETTER
If you do strength training and muscle growth is your main goal, you need more protein than normal. The extra proteins facilitate the muscle protein synthesis that underlies muscle growth.
Many bodybuilders still think: the more protein, the more muscle growth. However, this is only true to a certain extent.
Many studies have shown that for optimal muscle growth you need to eat about twice as much protein as an ordinary mortal, namely between 1.6 and 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Anything above that 2.2 g/kg/d will normally not give you extra muscle growth.
In fact, eating even more protein is at the expense of your intake of carbohydrates and fats, two macronutrients that are also very important for muscle growth (see below). Especially in the cut you have to make sure that you don’t eat too much protein unnecessarily, although you do have to eat a little more protein than in the bulk.
2. EATING A LOT OF PROTEIN IS GOOD FOR YOUR TESTOSTERONE
Due to the anabolic (muscle-building) effect of proteins, it is sometimes thought that a high protein intake promotes testosterone production. However, that is not the case. It is mainly carbohydrates and fats that are good for your testosterone.
In fact, a high protein intake can even backfire when it comes to hormones. A new meta-analysis of scientific studies concludes that high-protein diets “greatly reduced total testosterone at rest and after exercise”.
Coach Menno Henselmans points out, however, that the analysis only concerns three relevant studies. In addition, the meta-definition of ‘high protein content’ was 3.4 g/kg/d. That is about twice as much as most strength athletes need to maximize muscle growth (the well-known 1.6 g/kg/d). With such intakes, protein can be indirectly harmful because they are at the expense of carbohydrate and fat intake. There was no negative effect of a lower protein intake.
3. AN INCREASED PROTEIN INTAKE IS BAD FOR THE KIDNEYS
One of the most common myths is that high protein diets are unhealthy, especially for the kidneys. However, there is no evidence that high protein consumption leads to reduced kidney function in people who are otherwise physically healthy. Two scientific meta-analyses (2023, 2018) confirm this. This even applies to people with an increased risk of reduced kidney function due to an existing health condition such as type 2 diabetes.
Note that if you have kidney disease, always consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, especially if you want to increase your protein intake.
4. YOU SHOULD EAT PROTEIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER TRAINING
Many bodybuilders reach for protein immediately after training, often in the form of a shake. But whether you need protein immediately after training depends on when you consumed protein before training, the current understanding is.
Unlike carbohydrates and fats, proteins cannot be stored and kept until the times when they are most needed. That is why it is not so much timing, but the distribution of proteins that is important: divide your proteins more or less evenly over four to six intakes per day, i.e. meals with 20 to 40 grams of protein, always with three to four hours in between. You plan your training exactly between two meals. This way you are always assured that your body has sufficient protein, even immediately after training.
5. YOU SHOULD EAT AS MUCH WHEY PROTEIN AS POSSIBLE
Yes, whey protein, usually offered as a supplement in powder form, strictly speaking has the most beneficial properties for muscle growth: an excellent amino acid profile (making it the protein with the highest biological value) with the highest content of leucine (the most important amino acid for muscle growth), the highest digestibility and the highest absorption rate. Moreover, a shake of whey protein powder is easy to prepare and to take with you.
Still, consuming whey protein is not a must. If you eat other proteins you also get enough amino acids, including leucine. And eating more leucine than necessary (2.5 grams per meal) does nothing extra for muscle growth. Whey protein also offers no other valuable nutrients (micronutrients) that are found in regular protein sources, such as eggs and fish, as well as vegetable proteins. Limit your whey protein to one intake per day, if desired around training, and otherwise eat healthy sources of protein through regular food, especially if you are cutting.
6. YOU CAN’T GET ENOUGH COMPLETE PROTEIN FROM PLANTS ALONE
The truth: you can. Experts used to think that you had to combine certain plant proteins to get a complete protein, that is, a protein that contains all nine essential amino acids that your body cannot produce on its own. Now we know that you don’t have to combine plant proteins perfectly within one meal, as long as you eat from different food groups throughout the day.
Beans, nuts and seeds can therefore meet your daily needs just as well as animal products. Vegetables also provide protein, albeit to a lesser extent.
7. CHEESE IS A GOOD SOURCE OF PROTEIN
While cheese in general is high in protein, this food source is also high in sodium, calories and cholesterol-raising saturated fat. So don’t eat too much cheese, especially not in the cut.
8. YOU MUST LIMIT YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE TO LOSE WEIGHT
Many people who are trying to lose weight believe that cutting back on protein is a great way to shed those extra pounds. The opposite is true: during a weight loss programme, such as the cut, you have to eat a little more protein (1.8 g/kg/d versus 1.6 g/kg/d in the bulk). This is to ensure that your muscle mass is maintained, despite the calorie deficit.
9. MORE PROTEIN ALWAYS MEANS MORE SATIETY
One of the positive effects of eating protein when you want to lose weight is that protein provides more satiety per kcal than the other macronutrients, carbohydrates and fat. If you eat a protein-rich meal, you will not get hungry again so quickly. Research confirms this.
However, there seems to be a ceiling effect after which protein loses its extra satiating effect, notes coach Menno Henselmans. The extra satiating effect of protein disappears once enough protein has been consumed for bodily functions and it decreases with the usual high protein intake. So for satiety, make sure you consume the optimal protein intake (1.8 g/kg/d in the cut). Eating more protein is not necessary; things like energy density and fiber are much more important than protein intake for satiety after this threshold is reached.
10. PROTEINS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN CARBOHYDRATES
Despite popular belief, both protein and carbohydrates are important components of a nutritionally balanced diet. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body; organs such as the heart, brain and kidneys cannot function properly without carbohydrates. And proteins can’t do their job properly without carbohydrates and other nutrients to fuel the body and facilitate processing. Finally, carbohydrates are also important as your main energy source for your workout.
We always advise not to eat more proteins and fats than necessary in the cut, so that you can still have enough carbohydrates despite the calorie deficit.