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By Rose Giordano | June 17th 2009 11:31 AM | 3 comments | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
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About Rose Giordano

EDUCATION:
Postdoctoral Fellow 2007-present
University of California, Davis

Doctor of Philosophy, Nutritional Biology 2008
Graduate Group in Nutrition
University of California, Davis... Full Bio

As some of you already know, I've been sharpening my sports nutrition skills.  With that, I figured I would share with you guys some tips that I think would help you guys out.  

This first one is protein needs.

 As rowers and/or cyclists we would consider ourselves endurance athletes.  FYI:  These numbers apply for both men and women b/c they are based on body weight - not gender.

The current standard for the avg (i.e. sedentary person) is 0.4g per lb of body weight.

For example, 0.4g x 150 pound person = 60g

-Recreational exerciser:  0.5 - 0.7g per lb. of body weight
-Endurance athletes: 0.6 - 0.7g 
      
Therefore let's say for me:  150lb x 0.6g = 90g of protein per day

-Athlete restricting calories:  0.8-0.9g

If you are an athlete trying to lose weight you need more protein.  This is because you are, in theory, already restricting calories which is likely shifting the calories from protein that will be more likely used for energy NOT for muscle building.  So hence, you would need to up your needs to compensate for that shift.

--------
Avg protein intake of female athletes: 0.5 - 0.8g
Avg protein intake of male endurance athletes:  0.5 - 0.9g  

More isn't better.  It doesn't take much to meet your needs.   Just take a look at the food labels with special attention to portion sizes.  If you over do it, it just turns to fat and you pee more
frequently.  


Comments

Hank's picture
 If you over do it, it just turns to fat and you pee more frequently.

I've seen this before but always anecdotally (never in a study) so I might as well ask; does protein actually make you pee more?   Or are people who ingest large quantities of protein likely athletes ingesting large quantities of water as well?   Some of those protein drinks contain caffeine too, so getting up at night to pee might be because they can't sleep, right?   

Becky Jungbauer's picture
What about people who actually need more protein due to metabolic abnormalities? Do people with diabetes need more/less protein?

I think that's interesting that gender isn't a factor in protein needs.

jtwitten's picture
As a non-endurance athlete (rugby: sprinting, hitting things, pushing people), I'm curious to know how this relates to the use of protein supplementation in the training of speed/power athletes, who are looking to add significant muscle mass.  The conventional wisdom and marketing would make you believe that protein shakes are essential.
If you are an athlete trying to lose weight you need more protein.
 This is because you are, in theory, already restricting calories which
is likely shifting the calories from protein that will be more likely
used for energy NOT for muscle building.  So hence, you would need to
up your needs to compensate for that shift.

This paragraph would seem to argue that the use of protein supplementation is beneficial.

For starters, we are rarely calorie restricting. Indeed, during the competitive season, I have to "work" very hard not to lose too much weight.

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