Proteins are one of the most important nutrients in the human body. Without them, vital processes cannot function. And yet our bodies cannot produce some of them on their own. This makes it all the more important that we consume sufficient amounts of protein in our diet every day. In our article, we explain what proteins are all about, how much protein you should consume every day and why muscle growth and muscle regeneration in particular benefit from a sufficient intake of proteins.

Proteins: Why are they important for building muscle?

To understand how important proteins are for building muscle, it is worth taking a look at their function and structure. Proteins are also known as proteins. They consist of many small amino acids and, together with fats and carbohydrates, are so-called macronutrients - vital nutrients that provide the body with the energy it needs to function at all.

In addition to supporting the immune system, regulating important metabolic processes or transporting substances such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients and hormones in the blood, proteins have a very important function that is of particular interest to athletes. Studies have shown that proteins are essential for the development and function of muscles, support normal muscle function and optimal regeneration - for example, when fine micro-tears have occurred in the muscles during training (1).

The most important functions of proteins at a glance:

1. support for the immune system
2. regulation of metabolic processes
3. Transport of substances in the body (such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients and hormones)
4. Structural support through the stabilization of tissue and cells
5. Promoting growth and development of organisms
6. Support for muscle building, muscle function and regeneration

What are proteins made of?

From a chemical point of view, proteins are made up of long and differently structured chains of many individual amino acids (2). The human organism needs 20 amino acids to form the body's own proteins. These amino acids are therefore also known as proteinogenic (i.e. protein-forming) amino acids. The majority of these amino acids are formed in the cell metabolism itself, others must be supplied through food. A total of eight of the proteinogenic amino acids are considered essential (= EAAs, English abbreviation for "essential amino acids"), i.e. vital. If they are not regularly consumed in sufficient quantities, sometimes serious deficiency symptoms occur because the body is not able to produce them itself. Because we have stores for fats and carbohydrates in the body but not for proteins, the body is forced to break down proteins from our muscles unless we consume the proteins that the body needs for daily functioning. Ideally, you should therefore consume a combination of animal and plant protein sources with a high biological value. In addition, you can also take protein supplements before or after training.

Note: Some specialist sources speak of nine essential amino acids. Histidine is sometimes classified as an essential amino acid, but often also as a semi-essential amino acid.

How much protein do I need?

The recommended amount of protein you should consume daily can vary depending on your age, gender, health status and physical activity level.

• Adults between 19 and 65 years: For healthy adults between the ages of 19 and 65, the reference value for the recommended daily protein intake according to the German Nutrition Society (DGE) is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight (3).
  
• Adults over 65 years of age: The DGE has set an estimated daily recommended protein intake of 1.0 g per kilogram of body weight for people over 65 years of age. The reason: Due to various influencing factors, older people are assumed to have a higher protein requirement than younger adults.
  
• Athletes: those who do a lot of sport and are otherwise physically active in everyday life benefit from a slightly increased protein intake, as this promotes structural and metabolic adaptations in the training process. This means: a diet with sufficient protein promotes muscle building and regulates the level of the satiety hormone ghrelin, which in turn supports weight loss (4-8). Do you want to know how to meet your daily protein requirements and how much Athletic Whey you need to consume to achieve this? Then take our quiz and find out very easily (LINK).
  
  To build and maintain muscle mass, experts recommend a protein intake of about 1.4-2.0 g per kilogram of body weight per day (9). However, protein intake is not a fixed parameter, but can be flexibly adjusted depending on training goal, training status, training intensity and training volume.
  
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women : Different protein limits apply to pregnant women. The DGE recommends a daily protein intake of 0.9 g of protein per kilogram of body weight for pregnant women in the second trimester and 1.0 g of protein per kilogram of body weight in the third trimester. For breastfeeding women, the recommended value is 1.2 g per kilogram of body weight (3).
  

How can whey protein support muscle building?

Protein plays a crucial role in maintaining numerous body functions and building muscle. But how can whey protein in particular support muscle building? After all, whey protein is on everyone's lips. And that's literally true. Because many athletes rely on the classic protein shake. We explain why this makes sense and what you should definitely look out for when buying whey protein - because not all whey is the same!

Whey protein means whey protein in English - a protein that remains in the whey during cheese production and contains exactly the essential amino acids that the body cannot produce itself and must absorb through food (see above). These include:.

• isoleucine
• methionine
• leucine
• tryptophan
• lysine
• valine
• phenylalanine
• threonine

In addition to the essential amino acids, whey also contains important semi-essential (conditionally indispensable) amino acids such as histidine, arginine, cysteine ​​or tyrosine. The body can produce these semi-essential amino acids itself, but not always in sufficient quantities. They are particularly important during growth phases or in the event of injuries.

The advantage of whey protein is its high biological value. Because it contains all the amino acids necessary for protein formation, whey can be converted very efficiently into the body's own protein, which is available to the body within a very short absorption time - which in turn results in rapid muscle protein synthesis. However, before you buy any commercially available product, you should definitely take a closer look at the ingredients and manufacturing processes. Not all whey proteins available are equal in terms of the benefits mentioned above.

Depending on the manufacturing process, whey protein is divided into concentrate and isolate, which each differ in composition and taste:

Isolate:
Whey isolate is often produced using an ion exchange process that refines the protein better. This makes it much purer than the concentrate and can be absorbed more quickly by the body. Whey isolate scores with a protein content of 91 to 97 percent and, due to the manufacturing process, only contains very small amounts of fat, carbohydrates and lactose (significantly less than in most other protein powders on the market). Whey isolate is therefore ideal for people with lactose intolerance and is tolerated much better by them.

Concentrate:
Whey protein concentrate is usually obtained by ultrafiltration and thus achieves a protein content of between 70 and 80 percent , which is significantly lower than that of whey isolate. It does provide essential amino acids, especially BCAAs, but to a lesser extent than whey isolate. Aromas and flavor enhancers as well as unnecessary additives are also common components of the concentrate. The carbohydrate content of the concentrate is between 7 and 8 percent and it contains more lactose than isolate, which people with lactose intolerance should take into account. The fat content of the concentrate is also between 3 and 5 percent.

Concentrate vs. Isolate: Our Recommendation
We clearly recommend using whey isolate because:

• it is much purer than concentrate due to its manufacturing process
• can be absorbed faster by the body
• has a significantly lower carbohydrate and fat content.
• scores with its low lactose content, which allows even people with lactose intolerance to consume whey without digestive problems
• is often perceived as having a much more pleasant taste than concentrate

How can I prepare whey protein?
You can not only dissolve high-quality whey protein in water and milk or milk-free alternatives such as soy, almond milk and coconut water and drink it as a shake, but you can also stir the powder into fruit juices, smoothies or yoghurt. There are no limits to your creativity and you can even use whey protein for baking by using it instead of normal flour - for example in protein pancakes.

Please note, however, that calorie, protein and nutritional intake may vary when using the product with different liquids.

By adding milk, for example, you add more protein to your shake, but also more fat. Depending on the fat content , milk contains between 74 and 120 calories per 200 milliliters, which you must add to the protein powder you use when calculating your calories. Regardless of the fat content, milk also contains lactose and milk protein . The additional protein content and amino acid content of milk help to stimulate protein synthesis more effectively than water. By adding water, on the other hand, you do not add any additional nutrients to your shake, but also no additional calories.

Plant-based milk alternatives could be a good alternative for you if you prefer the creamy taste of milk but want to avoid cow's milk for personal or health reasons. Almond milk and the like score better than cow's milk in terms of nutrients and are very similar to cow's milk in terms of consistency. However, the carbohydrate content in plant-based milk can vary greatly depending on the source and processing. Unsweetened variants such as unsweetened almond milk or unsweetened soy milk often contain less than 1 gram of carbohydrates per 100 ml. Other varieties such as oat milk can contain slightly more carbohydrates, especially if they are sweetened. The same applies to fruit juice, which can sometimes contain extremely high amounts of sugar. For example, 100 ml of orange juice contains around 9 grams.

Depending on your training goals, tolerance and personal taste, decide how you prefer to consume your whey protein.

Protein Shake: Fast protein source for muscle building and regeneration

In addition to a balanced diet consisting of a variety of protein sources, healthy carbohydrates and fats, fruit, vegetables and sufficient fluids, protein shakes can also help you build muscle. This is because they provide a concentrated amount of protein and are quickly absorbed by the body - especially if they consist of quickly digestible proteins such as whey protein - and can therefore accelerate protein synthesis after training. In addition, protein shakes not only provide protein, but can also contain other important nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, which also help support muscle metabolism.

Science has already dealt extensively with the question of when you should ideally consume your protein shake. In a meta-analysis from 2015, no measurable effects of the time of consumption on training success could be observed (10). So you have the choice of whether you consume your shake before or after training.

• protein shake before training
  If you prefer to drink your shake before training, you should make sure not to drink it immediately before your workout, but rather wait one to three hours before. Protein can fill your stomach and therefore have a negative effect on your training, but it also depends on how quickly your stomach digests and how intense your workout should be. Observe yourself and find out when the shake is good for you.
  
• protein shake after training
  After training, proteins help the body to stimulate protein synthesis. This is important for increasing and maintaining your muscle mass. When it comes to the ideal period of protein intake after training, the so-called anabolic window is often mentioned. A period in which you should ideally consume protein-rich food because the muscles are now particularly receptive to protein absorption. However, studies have shown that the anabolic window is much longer than the previously assumed 30 minutes. According to American scientists, you have two to three hours after your workout to consume protein in the form of a shake or a protein-rich diet and still benefit from the maximum effect of the intake (11).
  

By the way: Even if you don't want to build muscle, it's worth reaching for a protein shake after training. Its ingredients help your muscles to regenerate. This means you can recover more quickly from strenuous training sessions and get back on track sooner. Protein shakes can also help to ensure a longer-lasting feeling of satiety and thus control your appetite.

Summary

• Proteins are one of the essential macronutrients and promote, among other things, muscle growth and muscle regeneration.
• Proteins are made from amino acids; the body needs 20 amino acids to form its own proteins. A total of eight of the proteinogenic amino acids are considered essential, i.e. vital.
• The majority of these amino acids are produced in the cell metabolism itself, others must be supplied through food.
• Personal protein requirements vary depending on age, gender, special life situation (such as pregnancy), physical activity and training intensity, as well as the training goal.
• Those who want to build muscle particularly benefit from whey protein because it has a high biological value, contains all the necessary amino acids that the body needs to produce proteins and is quickly available.
• Whether protein shakes are consumed before or after training is not crucial for the effect; what is more important is the total amount of protein.
  

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709–31.

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