Maximus Gage
Muscle proteins are a valuable part of the human diet and are essential for human health and well-being. They are a high-quality source of protein nutrition, with a good balance of dietary essential amino acids and high digestibility. Muscle is a soft tissue and one of the four basic types of animal tissue. There are three types of muscle tissue in vertebrates: skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle. Muscle tissue contains contractile proteins called actin and myosin, which interact to cause movement. The total amount of muscle proteins in mammals, including humans, exceeds that of any other protein. About 40% of the body weight of a healthy human adult is muscle, which is composed of about 20% muscle protein.
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What You'll Learn
Muscle protein synthesis
Muscle is a protein. The total amount of muscle proteins in mammals, including humans, exceeds that of any other protein. About 40% of the body weight of a healthy human adult weighing about 70 kilograms (150 pounds) is muscle, which is composed of about 20% muscle protein.
MPS is the driving force behind adaptive responses to exercise and is a widely adopted proxy for gauging the chronic efficacy of acute interventions (i.e., exercise and nutrition). Nutrient-driven increases in MPS are of finite duration (about 1.5 hours), switching off thereafter despite sustained amino acid availability and intramuscular anabolic signalling. This 'muscle-full set-point' is delayed by resistance exercise (i.e., the feeding x exercise combination is 'more anabolic' than nutrition alone), even 24 hours beyond a single exercise bout.
To maximize MPS, the International Sports Sciences Association suggests upping your dietary protein intake within 48 hours after exercise, during what is known as the "anabolic window." This may have some small benefits for performance. The ideal protein intake per serving for athletes to maximize MPS varies but common recommendations are 0.25 g of a high-quality protein per kg of body weight, or an absolute dose of 20–40 g. These protein doses should ideally be evenly distributed every 3–4 hours across the day.
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Muscle protein sources
Muscle proteins are a valuable part of the human diet, as they have high digestibility and bioavailability. They contain all the dietary essential amino acids, which are necessary for normal body functioning. Meat, such as chicken, turkey, beef, and pork, is an excellent source of high-quality muscle protein and provides important nutrients like iron and zinc. However, the processing and preparation of meat can cause denaturation of meat proteins, leading to changes in appearance, texture, and water-holding capacity, which can impact consumer perceptions and preferences.
For those who prefer plant-based sources of muscle protein, soy and quinoa are considered complete proteins, providing all the essential amino acids. Tofu, produced from soy milk, is often used as a meat substitute and is also a good source of calcium for muscle function and bone health. Other plant-based sources include chickpeas, which provide both protein and carbs, and peanuts, which offer a mix of protein, fat, and carbs, along with essential calories for muscle gain.
To optimize muscle protein synthesis, it is recommended to evenly distribute protein intake throughout the day, aiming for about 25-40 grams of protein per meal every three to four hours. Consuming protein after a workout is particularly beneficial, as muscles are more sensitive to dietary protein during the 48-hour anabolic window post-exercise.
For individuals over 50, increasing protein intake to one gram per kilogram of body weight is crucial to maintain muscle mass, which tends to decline with age. Active individuals should aim for a higher protein intake of around 1.4-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to support muscle recovery and growth.
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Muscle protein breakdown
The ubiquitin-proteasome system degrades muscle proteins into individual amino acids, while the autophagy-lysosome system predominantly breaks down membrane-based proteins. The calpain proteases disassemble myofibrils into smaller component parts. The ubiquitin-proteasome system can also label proteins for destruction by the autophagy-lysosome system.
Complete degradation of a protein requires some combination of these three systems. Determination of MPB in humans is technically challenging, and available information primarily comes from stable isotopic methods. It is clear that resistance exercise increases MPB, but not as much as muscle protein synthesis (MPS).
MPS is the metabolic process that describes the incorporation of amino acids into bound skeletal muscle proteins. MPS and MPB act concurrently in response to various stimuli to repair, replace, and generate new muscle proteins. MPS is the primary metabolic driver of resistance exercise training (RET)-induced muscle hypertrophy.
To build muscle mass and maintain muscle mass, a daily protein intake in the range of 1.4–2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight is sufficient for people exercising. To optimise muscle recovery and build lean muscle mass, active individuals should aim for around 1.4–2 g of protein per kg of body weight each day.
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Muscle protein and exercise
Muscle is a protein. In fact, proteins are the major constituents of muscle, comprising approximately 20% of the total muscle weight or 80% of dry mass in lean tissue.
Muscle proteins are a valuable part of the human diet, as they have high digestibility and bioavailability compared to plant protein. They also contain all the dietary essential amino acids.
Exercise has a profound effect on muscle growth, which can occur only if muscle protein synthesis (MPS) exceeds muscle protein breakdown (MPB). This is known as a positive muscle protein balance. Resistance exercise improves muscle protein balance, but in the absence of food intake, the balance remains negative.
The interaction of post-exercise metabolic processes and increased amino acid availability maximises the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis and results in even greater muscle anabolism than when dietary amino acids are not present. Research has suggested that muscles are more sensitive to dietary protein for about 48 hours after exercise. Therefore, eating some protein after a workout can help increase MPS and build strength.
To optimise MPS, studies have recommended evenly distributing protein at about 25-40 grams per meal every three to four hours. The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests that active individuals should aim for around 1.4-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day to optimise recovery and build lean muscle mass.
Protein powders, shakes, and bars can be used to increase protein intake, but it is important to read ingredient lists and nutrition facts carefully, as they may be loaded with sugar and higher in calories than necessary.
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Muscle protein and nutrition
Muscle is a protein. The total amount of muscle proteins in mammals, including humans, exceeds that of any other protein. About 40% of the body weight of a healthy human adult weighing about 70 kilograms (150 pounds) is muscle, which is composed of about 20% muscle protein.
Muscle proteins are an important part of the diet in many cultures, as they make up the major proportion (other than water) of lean meat. These proteins provide most of the texture, colour, and nutritive value of meat and meat products. Muscle protein is a high-quality source of nutrition, with a good balance of dietary essential amino acids and high digestibility.
Research has shown that muscles are more sensitive to dietary protein for about 48 hours after exercise. During this time, upping your protein intake may increase muscle protein synthesis (MPS), which in turn could have benefits for performance. It is important to replenish your protein stores evenly throughout the day. The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends that active individuals should get around 1.4–2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day to optimise recovery and build lean muscle mass.
Protein powders, shakes, and bars can be used to supplement the diet with extra protein, but it is important to read the ingredient lists and nutrition facts carefully, as they may be loaded with sugar and higher in calories than you need.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle protein synthesis is the process of building strength by breaking down food source proteins into their base amino acids and distributing them across the body to build new proteins.
The amount of protein required to build muscle depends on the intensity of your workouts and your body weight. The recommended amount of protein for gaining muscle is between 1.2g and 1.8g per kg of body weight.
Meat, poultry, and fish are good sources of muscle protein as they contain all the essential amino acids and closely resemble the composition profile of the human body.
Muscle protein breakdown (MPB) is an important metabolic component of muscle remodelling and increasing muscle mass. It occurs through the integration of three main systems: autophagy, calpain, and the ubiquitin-proteasome system.
Muscle protein synthesis is the process of building muscle by creating new proteins, while muscle protein breakdown is the degradation of muscle proteins to regulate muscle mass.
