In order to build muscle the macronutrient split of the diet should be 25% fats, 25% protein and 50% carbohydrate. Put simply, fats are essential for providing the building blocks for hormone production; while protein provides the amino acids and carbohydrates supply the energy.
Protein and Muscle Growth
One of the key reasons that protein is important for muscle growth is the role of Nitrogen. Nitrogen is present in protein but not fats or carbs. If the body is to be receptive to growth then it must have a positive nitrogen balance. This means that it is retaining more protein than it is excreting. This puts your body in an anabolic state ready to build muscle, rather than a catabolic state, where muscle is being broken down.
How Much Protein for Muscle Growth?
To build muscle the ideal protein intake is between 1.8 and 2.4 grams per kilo of body weight. The notion that the body can only absorb 30 grams of protein per meal is something of a myth. However it is essential that protein intake is regular throughout the day so it is a good idea to split your intake and eat protein at each meal.
The Best Food Sources of Proteins
The best food sources are from animal protein as they contain a complete range of amino acids. Food proteins have different biological values according to the percentage of the protein in the food that is absorbed by the body. Animal proteins tend to have a higher BV than vegetable sources. Egg white is the best food source, with a BV of 100, followed by meat and fish. Whey also has a BV of 100 and is often used in supplements as either Whey Isolate or Whey Concentrate.
Fats for Building Muscle mass
Fats are essential for building muscle mass as they are the hormone precursors in the body. Without sufficient levels of lipids, particularly cholesterol, the production of hormones such as insulin, testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH) would be impaired.
While saturated fat can slow the metabolic rate and slow energy production, essential fats are key drivers in increasing energy production. They also help reduce body fats by encouraging the burning of fats for energy rather than glycogen.
Carbohydrates for Building Muscle mass
Carbohydrate intake should be from low GI complex carbs, not sugars. Sugars are easily converted into fats. Carbohydrates have some important influences on building muscle.
Firstly it is the driving source of energy for your workout. If you want to gain muscle you must train hard, and for that you need carbs to power the muscles.
Secondly, carbohydrate intake produces insulin, which is an anabolic hormone that helps drive both carbs and amino acids ( protein) into the cells. This is especially important with regards to pre and post exercise nutrition.
A pre exercise meal combining carbs and protein taken about 1 hour before exercise provides energy and free amino acids to stave off catabolism during training. Post exercise carbohydrate intake gives an insulin spike to help drive the post exercise protein into the muscle cells to aid in muscle growth, help avoid negative nitrogen balance and keep the body out of a catabolic state.
Meal Replacements and Protein Supplements
Meal replacements and protein supplements are a good way to get regular carbs and protein into the body, especially when it is difficult to eat the 6 meals necessary per day to maintain calorie intake and nitrogen balance when training for muscle growth. Good mass gain supplements usually contain hydrolysed whey protein with branched chain amino acids that are easily absorbed, along with carbohydrates in good proportion. Typically this is 30 – 50g protein with 30 – 50g carbohydrate.
Nick Wilkinson - Nick is a member of the British Association of Nutritional Therapists and an experienced Personal Trainer and Rehab trainer, with degrees ...
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