Even with all the
emphasis placed on the importance of protein for building muscle most people still don't
get the amount they need to ensure optimum muscle growth.
Look people, muscle is synthesized from protein. Protein is an athlete's
most essential nutrient. If you're looking to build muscle and strength the first place
you need to look is at your daily protein intake.
How much protein is enough?
Of all the studies that have been done on protein there has never been a
study performed to try to find out the optimum amount of protein a weight trainer should
consume in order to put on the maximum amount of muscle in the shortest period of time. It
just hasn't been done.
What we mostly have to rely on is anecdotal feedback - which in many cases
eclipses that of actual controlled studies. Now don't get me wrong, controlled studies
reveal tons of valuable information. And having been involved in numerous studies, I can
personally attest to their value. In fact, AST Sports Science is currently putting
together a placebo-controlled, double-blind study on protein intake and its effect on lean
muscle mass and strength in weight training athletes as we speak. This will be a
multi-part study that is sure to reveal some interesting information. Stay tuned.
What we do know is that an athlete's demand for protein far exceeds that
of regular people. Weight trainers, bodybuilders, and powerlifters seem to have the
largest demand. Simply put, building new muscle tissue requires extra protein. And it
requires a lot.
It's kind of like taking sand and slowly releasing it through your hand
into a pile. The very center of the pile represents muscle. The sand in your hand
represents protein intake. As you release the sand, the center of the pile grows slowly
bigger. But, the majority of the sand falls to the side.
This is a good representation of how protein consumption results in muscle
growth. Only a small portion of protein you consume actually results in new muscle growth.
The rest is used for other tissue repair and energy for vital organs to function.
So how do you know how much protein is being used for muscle growth? You
don't. As of now we just don't have those answers. Hopefully these new studies we are
conducting will shed more light on this area.
What we have seen time and time again is that the more quality protein you
consume the greater the net gain in lean muscle mass. And let me tell you the 1 1/2 grams
of protein per kilogram of body weight that is generally recommended is way below the
mark. This might be fine to maintain the muscle mass on your grandmother, but try gaining
any appreciable muscle on that amount and you're likely to give up in frustration. It's
not going to happen.
So how much do you need? We recommend a minimum of 2 grams of protein per
pound of body weight. So if you weigh 175 pounds you should shoot for at least 350 grams
of protein per day - minimum.
There is no question you will pack on more muscle at this level that at
the .75 gram per pound area. I've seen it over and over again. I don't know how many times
I have increased a bodybuilders protein intake levels to 2 grams per pound and the next
thing you know they're putting on muscle like crazy.
It's simple really. Muscle is literally made from protein. You hammer your
muscles daily with heavy weight. You're placing overload demands on the muscle whose only
choice is to respond by growing. But it has to have the tools to respond. And the main
tool is protein. Give your muscles the incentive (weight training) and the tools (protein)
to grow and you'll see results fast. Supply the stimulus but skimp on the tools and
results will suffer.
Protein Quality
The major factor determining protein utilization - what your muscles
actually use for repair and growth - is the quality of the protein you consume.
Now unless you have been living in a cave for the last 5 years or you are very new to the
sport, you are well aware that whey protein is the most efficient and effective protein.
However, the quality of whey protein varies considerably. In fact, there are more bad whey
proteins sitting on store shelves than good whey proteins.
The most effective whey protein available is the fractionated and
hydrolyzed whey peptide isolate we developed for the New VP2 Whey Peptide Isolate. VP2 stands for VyoPro II.
What we have done is isolate the various protein fractions contained in
whey through a new technique called "Dynamic-Nano-Filtration". This is a
technique that uses ultra-sonic vibrations during one of the filtering processes to
isolate the individual fractions according to their response to certain sonic levels. This
is a very unique and high-tech process that gently isolates the different fractions
completely with no molecular damage to the protein's delicate structure! Through strategic
licensing agreements, VP2 is the only whey protein to utilize this new technology.
This allows us to tailor the protein's fractional profile to yield
functional properties not available in native whey protein. By emphasizing the bio-active
whey fractions, VP2 exhibits unique properties more favorable to muscle growth and
recovery.
After careful fractional isolation, the protein is then hydrolyzed. This
is a process where specific enzymes are used to cleave the protein fractions into
predetermined peptide chains. VP2 uses the research proven "oligopeptide" chain
length. Oligopeptide chains are between 8 to10 aminos in length. Research has shown that
oligopeptides increase nitrogen retention by over 400% when compared to regular whey
protein and free amino acids. That's 4 times greater nitrogen retention than regular whey
protein. In other words, you would have to take 4 times as much regular whey protein to
equal the nitrogen retaining ability that VP2 has. The greater the nitrogen retention a
protein imparts on muscle tissue, the greater that protein's influence on muscle growth.
Because of the rise in popularity of whey protein over the last 5 years
almost every company has included it into their supplement line. Some are just
capitalizing off the high popularity and others are attempting to claim theirs is better
for one reason or another. But as you can see, there's a lot more to it than just buying a
container that says "whey protein".
We have tested just about every brand on the market and let me tell you,
some of the results were pretty sad to say the least. Only a couple met what their labels
claimed. Some were way off label specs and some did not even contain whey protein at all.
This is what you run into when you buy the bargain basement whey proteins out there. Quite
simply, there is a reason why they are being sold so cheaply. When a company's product
only has 50% of what the label says they can sell it much cheaper, don't you think?
How to Easily Add 212 Grams of Protein to Your Daily Diet
 Some find it
difficult to consume the amount of protein they need to ensure muscle tissue recovery and
growth. Here's an easy way to add an additional 212 grams of state-of-the-art protein to
your daily intake.
Morning Protein:
Ny-Tro PRO-40
blended with 16 ounces of skim milk.
I will take a packet of Ny-Tro PRO-40, put it in a bowl, add
about 6 spoons of dry instant oatmeal, 1 1/2 ounces of raisins and about 12 ounces of skim
milk. I mix it up like a pudding. It's awesome and gives me loads of energy to start the
day. |
Mid-Morning Protein:
1 1/2 scoops of VP2 Whey Peptide Isolate mixed in 8 ounces skim milk.
VP2 Whey Isolate is without question the most effective
protein in existence. When you drink it you can actually "feel" it. It's really
hard to explain, but it's like you can feel it permeating your muscles. VP2 is really
potent stuff. |
Mid-Afternoon Protein:
1-Ny-Tro PRO-40 blended with 16 ounces of skim milk.
I just take a blender, add 16 ounces of skim milk. Turn the
blender on and add 1 packet of Ny-Tro PRO-40. I then drop in about 5 ice cubes and blend
on high for about 60 seconds. Sometimes I will add about 5 frozen strawberries instead of
ice. Yum, a dessert for sure! |
Night Time Protein:
1 1/2 scoops of VP2 Whey Peptide Isolate mixed in 8 ounces skim milk.
Adding this extra protein to your diet is easy and tastes great. You'll be
amazed at how this will kick-start new muscle gains.
Remember, you must feed your muscles plenty of high-quality protein to get
the maximum growth from your training. With today's high-tech protein supplements it's
both easy and tasty, and much more effective for igniting muscle growth than with whole
food protein.
Lastly, understand that all other supplements are secondary to protein. In
other words, creatine, glutamine, androstenedione, and so on are useless if your protein
requirements are not properly met. So to get the most out of other supplements protein has
to be present and in sufficient quantities that muscle growth requires. By not choosing
the right protein and taking it consistently, other performance supplements' effectiveness
will be reduced dramatically.
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