Tag: protein
Core Workouts To Develop Abdominal Muscles
A strong, chiseled midsection with well-defined abs is a fitness goal that many aspire to achieve. Beyond the aesthetics, a strong core offers many benefits, from improved posture and reduced risk of injury to enhanced athletic performance and functional fitness. However, building a solid midsection requires a focused approach that combines targeted core workouts, […]
The post Core Workouts To Develop Abdominal Muscles first appeared on .
Understanding Calories and Ways To Cut Them
When you settle down for a meal, your hunger might override your concern for its nutritional balance. Understanding the fundamentals of macronutrients and their corresponding calorie content can assist you in crafting well-rounded meals. Although calories aren’t an ingredient in your food, they play a crucial role in comprehending what you consume. Equipping yourself […]
The post Understanding Calories and Ways To Cut Them first appeared on .
7-Day High-Protein Diet Plan for Weight Loss
You probably know that protein is the go-to macronutrient for building muscle and getting strong. But did you know it is just as vital for anyone trying to strip body fat?
Protein is, in fact, the key to winning the weight loss war. In this article, we discover what lies behind protein’s fat-fighting power and find out how you can optimize your diet to benefit from this amazing macronutrient. We’ve also included a complete seven-day protein diet plan for weight loss.
Protein and Weight Loss
The word protein is derived from the Greek word proteios, meaning ‘most important.’ It is one of the three macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and fats.
There are three ways protein helps us lose body fat:
It helps us build lean muscle tissue. Once you remove the water, muscle tissue is almost exclusively made of protein.
Protein has a higher thermic effect than carbohydrates and fat. Around 25% of protein calories are used during digestion, compared to just 6-8% for carbs and 2-3% for fat.
Protein fills you up, which helps you go longer between meals without feeling hungry.
A large number of studies have shown that the combination of these three factors is effective for fat loss. People that eat more protein lose more fat, retain more muscle tissue, and are satiated for longer throughout the day.
In contrast, studies have shown that lower protein intake leads to overeating, fat gain, and muscle loss. Such results have led some researchers to propound the protein leverage hypothesis, stating that humans should prioritize protein consumption over other dietary components. We eat more food when we have less protein in our meals and vice-versa. [1]
The protein leverage hypothesis seems to gel with what we see in society. Researchers have been scratching their heads for decades at the statistics which show that the wealthiest people in society are also the leanest, while the poorest people are the fattest. Of the three macronutrients, protein is the most expensive. So, if all you eat is low-quality, mass-produced food, you’ll need a lot more to reach your daily protein target.
The bottom line is that you will get bigger and fatter if you eat cheap, low-protein foods.
Not All Proteins Are Created Equal
Protein is a lot like a train engine, with many cars adjoined to it. Each of those cars is an amino acid. You may know that 60% of your body is water. Well, the balance of 40% is mostly taken up with protein. That is because protein is the building mortar of every single part of us. Our skin, hair, toes, muscle cells, and organs are all made of protein.
Animal Protein Sources
There are twenty amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Of these, nine are essential, meaning the human body cannot manufacture them, and they must come from the foods we eat. The nine essential amino acids are:
Phenylalanine
Valine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Methionine
Leucine
Isoleucine
Lysine
Histidine
When it comes to building muscle, leucine is the most important. Muscle is crucial to fat loss. That’s because muscle tissue takes five times more energy to maintain itself than fat tissue! So, every extra pound of muscle on your body will help you burn more calories throughout the day — even while sleeping.
As a result, a higher amount of muscle mass will give you a higher resting metabolic rate. You will also burn more calories during digestion.
Maximum protein synthesis happens when you have 1.5 grams of leucine in your muscle tissue. Leucine-rich foods include:
Chicken breast
Cottage cheese
Soybeans
Whey protein
How Much Protein Do You Need?
Researchers have tried to figure out the ideal protein intake in terms of protein leverage. They believe that 30% of total calories is about right.
In a meta-study, researchers examined 24 weight-loss studies that compared higher protein diets (25 to 35% of total calories) with standard protein calories (12 to 18%); study participants ate the same amount of fat and total calories. On average, individuals who ate more protein lost one pound more over various durations, from a month to a year. [2]
Now, you may think that one pound isn’t much. However, the subjects ate the same amount of food. Those eating more protein not only lost slightly more weight but also improved their body composition by gaining a small amount of muscle and eating more fat than those who ate less protein.
So, if you eat 2,000 calories daily, you must consume 750 protein calories daily. To find out how many grams that is, we need to divide that figure by four (because there are 4 calories in every gram of protein).
750 / 4 = 187.5 grams of protein
The most effective way to get this protein into your body is to spread it over the course of your day. Researchers have published several studies in which consuming six meals per day has proven more effective at weight loss than three larger meals. This generally works out to eating every three hours. In the case above, you consume 31.25 grams of protein at each of your six meals. [3]
As I mentioned at the start of this section, the most common belief about protein is that it builds muscle, which can improve your physique aesthetics and make you look like an athlete. But muscle also helps you stay lean by increasing your metabolic rate, enabling you to burn more calories throughout the day.
So, with every added gram of muscle tissue to your body, you transform your system into a fat-churning machine.
Protein for Weight Loss — The Research
Let’s look at some exciting research that has ramped up protein’s fat loss profile in recent years.
A 2014 study investigated the effects of protein intake on between-meal snacking and resultant weight loss. A group that was given dairy protein every four hours was compared to a control group that only ate protein once per day but was also fed every four hours. Not only did the protein group resist the urge to graze between meals, but their average weight loss after 28 days was also 17% greater than the control group. [4]
A 2011 study of overweight and obese men revealed that increasing your protein intake while reducing carbs at every meal resulted in greater body fat loss than only eating protein in the evening. [5]
In 2011, a study was undertaken that showed that eating an ample amount of protein for breakfast significantly reduced food cravings throughout the remainder of the day. The test subjects were teenagers who usually skipped breakfast. They were exposed to visual food responses after being given a normal versus a high-protein breakfast. Those given the high-protein breakfast exhibited significantly greater neural resistance to the temptations. [6]
Many studies have shown that eating protein throughout the day preserves lean muscle mass when a person is losing body fat. This was recently seen in a 2008 study published in the “Journal of the American Dietetic Association.” [7]
A 2002 study specifically showed that eating more protein leads to an increase in fat loss. [8]
Another major advantage of protein? Unlike carbohydrates or fats, eating more protein does not affect your insulin levels!
Several diets promise rapid weight loss. That is never what you want. You should only ever be interested in body fat loss. Why? Because weight loss usually means getting rid of a tiny bit of fat and a whole lot of muscle.
Your 7-Day High-Protein Meal Plan For Weight Loss
Your protein fat loss plan has three aspects:
Eating a quality protein source at every meal.
Eat five times daily (three meals and two snacks).
Your portions will be based on your hand size as follows:
Main meal: The size of your whole hand
Snack meal: The size of two thumbs
Day One
Breakfast:
1 whole hand-sized portion of scrambled eggs (2-3 eggs)
1 slice of whole-grain toast
1 small avocado
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 25 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of Greek yogurt (plain, unsweetened)
1 small handful of almonds
Calorie count: 200-250 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Lunch:
1 whole hand-sized portion of grilled chicken breast
1 cup of mixed green salad (with vegetables of your choice)
1 tablespoon of olive oil and vinegar dressing
Calorie count: 350-400 calories
Total protein: 28 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portion of cottage cheese
1 small apple
Calorie count: 150-200 calories
Total protein: 22 grams
Dinner:
1 whole hand-sized portion of baked salmon
1 cup of steamed broccoli
1/2 cup of quinoa
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Day Two
Breakfast:
1 whole hand-sized portion of omelet made with 3 eggs, spinach, and feta cheese
1 slice of whole-grain toast
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of almond butter
1 small banana
Calorie count: 200-250 calories
Total protein: 25 grams
Lunch:
1 whole hand-sized portion of grilled chicken breast
1 cup of quinoa
1 cup of roasted vegetables (such as broccoli, bell peppers, and zucchini)
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 33 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portion of hummus
A handful of baby carrots
Calorie count: 150-200 calories
Total protein: 26 grams
Dinner:
1 whole hand-sized portion of lean beef steak
1 cup of sweet potato fries (baked)
1 cup of steamed asparagus
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 31 grams
Day Three
Breakfast:
1 whole hand-sized portion of Greek yogurt (plain, unsweetened)
1/2 cup of mixed berries
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
Calorie count: 300-350 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of cashews
1 small orange
Calorie count: 200-250 calories
Total protein: 22 grams
Lunch:
1 whole hand-sized portion of grilled shrimp
1 cup of quinoa
1 cup of mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes and cucumber
Calorie count: 350-400 calories
Total protein: 27 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of turkey jerky
1 small pear
Calorie count: 150-200 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Dinner:
1 whole hand-sized portion of baked cod
1/2 cup of brown rice
1 cup of stir-fried mixed vegetables (broccoli, snap peas, bell peppers)
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 33 grams
Day Four
Breakfast:
1 whole hand-sized portion of smoked salmon
1 whole-grain bagel
2 tablespoons of cream cheese
Sliced tomatoes and red onions
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 27 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of mixed nuts
1 small orange
Calorie count: 200-250 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Lunch:
1 whole hand-sized portion of grilled tofu
1 cup of quinoa
1 cup of stir-fried vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, carrots)
Calorie count: 350-400 calories
Total protein: 28 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of edamame
1 small apple
Calorie count: 150-200 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Dinner:
1 whole hand-sized portion of roasted chicken breast
1/2 cup of whole-wheat pasta
1 cup of roasted Brussels sprouts
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 35 grams
Day Five
Breakfast:
1 whole hand-sized portion of egg white omelet with spinach, mushrooms, and low-fat feta cheese
1 slice of whole-grain toast
Calorie count: 300-350 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portion of sunflower seeds
1 small banana
Calorie count: 200-250 calories
Total protein: 22 grams
Lunch:
1 whole hand-sized portion of grilled lean pork tenderloin
1/2 cup of quinoa
1 cup of mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes and cucumber
Calorie count: 350-400 calories
Total protein: 28 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of sliced turkey breast
1 small pear
Calorie count: 150-200 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Dinner:
1 whole hand-sized portion of baked halibut
1/2 cup of wild rice
1 cup of steamed asparagus
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 35 grams
Day Six
Breakfast:
1 whole hand-sized portion of cottage cheese
1/2 cup of sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon of honey
Calorie count: 300-350 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of almonds
1 small orange
Calorie count: 200-250 calories
Total protein: 21 grams
Lunch:
1 whole hand-sized portion of grilled salmon
1 cup of quinoa
1 cup of roasted vegetables (such as broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots)
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 27 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of guacamole
A handful of baby carrots
Calorie count: 150-200 calories
Total protein: 27 grams
Dinner:
1 whole hand-sized portion of lean ground turkey
Lettuce wraps with turkey, topped with diced tomatoes, onions, and avocado
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 33 grams
Day Seven
Breakfast:
1 whole hand-sized portion of spinach and mushroom omelet (made with 3 egg whites and 1 whole egg)
1 slice of whole-grain toast
Calorie count: 300-350 calories
Total protein: 23 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of trail mix (almonds, cashews, dried cranberries)
1 small banana
Calorie count: 200-250 calories
Total protein: 27 grams
Lunch:
1 whole hand-sized portion of grilled shrimp
1/2 cup of quinoa
1 cup of mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese
Calorie count: 350-400 calories
Total protein: 26 grams
Snack:
2 thumbs-sized portions of hummus
A handful of baby carrots and sliced bell peppers
Calorie count: 150-200 calories
Total protein: 24 grams
Dinner:
1 whole hand-sized portion of baked chicken breast
1 small baked sweet potato
1 cup of roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze
Calorie count: 400-450 calories
Total protein: 35 grams
Wrap Up
This seven-day high-protein weight loss diet plan can be a template for your long-term nutritional plan. Feel free to switch foods in this diet with your favorite protein sources and recipes. Just make sure to maintain similar calorie and protein counts in each meal.
Combine this diet plan with cardio and strength training to burn more calories, speed up your metabolism, and build lean muscle tissue. Do these things consistently, and you will be well on your way to achieving your weight loss goals.
References
Saner C, Senior AM, Zhang H, Eloranta AM, Magnussen CG, Sabin MA, Juonala M, Janner M, Burgner DP, Schwab U, Haapala EA, Heitmann BL, Simpson SJ, Raubenheimer D, Lakka TA. Evidence for protein leverage in a general population sample of children and adolescents. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2023 Jun;77(6):652-659. doi: 10.1038/s41430-023-01276-w. Epub 2023 Feb 16. PMID: 36797489; PMCID: PMC10247372.
Moon J, Koh G. Clinical Evidence and Mechanisms of High-Protein Diet-Induced Weight Loss. J Obes Metab Syndr. 2020 Sep 30;29(3):166-173. doi: 10.7570/jomes20028. PMID: 32699189; PMCID: PMC7539343.
Yasuda J, Tomita T, Arimitsu T, Fujita S. Evenly Distributed Protein Intake over 3 Meals Augments Resistance Exercise-Induced Muscle Hypertrophy in Healthy Young Men. J Nutr. 2020 Jul 1;150(7):1845-1851. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa101. PMID: 32321161; PMCID: PMC7330467.
Paddon-Jones, D., and Leidy, H. 2014. Dietary protein and muscle in older persons. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 17(1): 5–11.
Leidy et al. 2011. The effects of consuming frequent, higher-protein meals on appetite and satiety during weight loss in overweight/obese men. Obesity (Silver Spring) 19(4): 818–24.”
Leidy et al. 2011. Neural responses to visual food stimuli after a normal vs higher protein breakfast in breakfast-skipping teens: A pilot fMRI study. Obesity (Silver Spring) 19(10): 2019–25.
Bopp et al. 2008. Lean mass loss is associated with low protein intake during dietary-induced weight loss in postmenopausal women. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 108(7): 1216–20.
Parker et al. 2002. Effect of a high-protein, high–monounsaturated fat weight-loss diet on glycemic control and lipid levels in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 25(3): 425–30.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals Key to His Mostly Vegan Diet & Preferred Protein Sources
Legendary bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger is arguably the most influential competitor in the history of the sport. The seven-time Mr. Olympia continues to lead a healthy lifestyle and uses his influence to promote the same. In a recent episode of Arnold’s Pump Club podcast, Schwarzenegger revealed the key to staying consistent with his mostly vegan diet and laid out his preferred protein sources.
Arnold Schwarzenegger moved on from professional competition decades ago but has not lost his passion for staying fit. He dominated the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division with his stellar muscle mass, size, and symmetry in the 1970s. He set the record for the most Mr. Olympia victories at seven, which stood in place until fellow legend Lee Haney won eight Sandow trophies in 1991. During his prime, Schwarzenegger went head-to-head against the likes of three-time Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva, Franco Columbu, and Lou Ferrigno.
Following a decorated bodybuilding career, Schwarzenegger explored his passion for acting and found success as the lead man for several cult classic films, such as Conan the Barbarian (1982), The Terminator (1984), and Predator (1987). He also launched the Arnold Sports Festival, regarded as the second most prestigious fitness showcase in the world next to Mr. Olympia.
Schwarzenegger / Instagram
Schwarzenegger regularly educates his fans on how to improve their personal fitness. Earlier this year, he offered a five-minute workout routine to ignite the body. The no-equipment workout consisted of four exercises that could be used as a warm-up or first thing in the morning to start your day. Then, he stressed the importance of getting enough sleep to boost weight loss efforts. He recommended sleeping for more than seven hours and about eight hours ideally.
The 75-year-old reflected on the evolution of physique over the years from when he was the “best built man” on the planet to now that he’s in his 70s last month. He admitted to struggling with the way his physique looks in old age and declared his plans to never retire.
Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed his Olympia-winning PED (performance-enhancing drug) protocol weeks ago. He listed Dianabol and testosterone as his go-to substances of choice that he utilized at the height of his powers. Further, he took issue with the rise of deaths in bodybuilding due to drug overdose and cautioned fitness enthusiasts against following the same.
Schwarzenegger gave fans a look into his secrets for training consistently three weeks ago. He encouraged his followers to focus on doing instead of thinking to avoid derailing progress in the training room and provided two intense circuit workouts.
Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals the key to his mostly vegan diet & preferred protein sources
In a recent Apple podcast, Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed he follows a mostly vegan diet and his protein sources of choice.
“Some people feel forced to eat animal proteins to support muscle and strength. But you actually have more flexibility than you’ve been led to believe. New research suggests that it doesn’t matter if you eat plant protein or animal protein. Both dieting styles can deliver similar body transformation results.”
“Animal proteins have more essential amino acids so if you eat more plants,” added Schwarzenegger. “You usually need to eat a little more protein to compensate.”
“To be clear, I’m not fully vegan. I just about eat 80% less meat than I used to. For protein, my staples are eggs, salmon, and chicken. But I have more and more veggie burgers with lentils and beans. My soups have chickpeas. I also use pea-powered protein.”
Schwarzenegger shared the key to his diet and laid out his daily eating regimen.
“The key to my diet is being pretty boring. In the morning, after my workout, I usually have oatmeal or greek yogurt with granola. For lunch, I always have a salad, sometimes with a plant-based burger or maybe salmon or chicken. Other times, it’s with a scramble or omelette. For dinner, I always have soup. I like to eat light for my last meal.
“Every so often I go crazy and have a schnitzel or a steak or a delicious hamburger. My friends can tell you that I grill a fantastic New York strip but my real key is being very routine so that when I eat a big meal it doesn’t set me back since I’m automatically eating well most of the time.”
Try our Protein Intake Calculator
The US-based management team under Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken the reigns of the Arnold Classic UK and announced a relaunch of the competition for next March earlier this month.
Schwarzenegger took a trip down memory lane in his recent Netflix documentary, Arnold. He opened up about the beginning of his journey in Austria and reflected on his personal ‘Mecca of weightlifting’ where it all started for him.
His latest offering will help add clarity to the protein sources one needs to consume and might encourage others to follow in his footsteps.
Related:
Published: 18 June, 2023 | 10:19 AM EDT
Does Alcohol Affect Muscle Growth?
Alcohol is part of many people’s life. From the occasional celebratory drink to regular weekend-long benders, a large percentage of the population enjoys consuming alcohol. Of course, some people prefer to abstain and don’t drink alcohol at all. But this article is not for them!
Whether you limit yourself to a couple of drinks a month or are a regular happy hour attendee, you probably want to know if and how drinking alcohol affects muscle growth.
The bad news is that alcohol can hurt your gains, especially when consumed regularly and to excess.
In this article, we reveal how alcohol affects muscle growth.
Alcohol and Muscle Protein Synthesis
Muscle is constantly being broken down and rebuilt. This is called muscle protein synthesis, or MPS for short. Your workouts cause increased muscle breakdown, and your diet provides the amino acids your body needs to repair and build your muscles and make them bigger and stronger. Try our Protein Intake Calculator.
So, to increase muscle size, muscle building must exceed muscle breakdown.
Unfortunately, studies show that drinking alcohol, especially in large quantities, can decrease muscle protein synthesis (1). It seems that alcohol disrupts the signaling pathways that tell the body how to build muscle. Alcohol consumption can reduce MPS by as much as 37% compared to not drinking alcohol after training.
So, while you can still drink alcohol and build muscle, your rate of progress is likely to be significantly slower. As such, you should avoid consuming alcohol after training and for the next 24-48 hours, which is when MPS tends to be highest.
Alcohol and Testosterone Production
Testosterone is one of the prime anabolic or muscle-building hormones. Working alongside human growth hormone and insulin growth factor-1, testosterone directly and indirectly drives muscle growth.
Testosterone Molecular Structure
Men produce testosterone in their testes, while women make it in their ovaries, and men typically have ten times more testosterone than women. This is why men are generally more muscular than women and find it easier to build muscle mass.
Testosterone is such a potent muscle builder that some athletes and bodybuilders use exogenous testosterone to raise their levels abnormally high. Most anabolic steroids are testosterone derivatives.
Unfortunately, alcohol is bad for testosterone production, and excess consumption can significantly lower your testosterone levels. It appears that, in large quantities, alcohol is toxic to the testes.
While 1-2 drinks won’t have much, if any, impact on your testosterone levels, consuming 4-8 drinks can lower testosterone levels by as much as 40% (2). Regular heavy drinking can even result in testicular atrophy or shrinkage.
Needless to say, this is a literal kick in the balls for muscle growth!
The good news is that this testosterone-lowering effect only lasts a day or so, meaning the occasional big night out won’t hurt your gains too much. However, frequent overconsumption of alcohol will significantly undermine your muscle-building efforts.
Related: Seven Ways to Boost Your Testosterone Naturally
Alcohol and Insulin Resistance
Insulin is another anabolic hormone that plays a crucial role in muscle building. The main function of insulin is transporting nutrients into your muscle cells. It drives both glucose and protein into your muscles, facilitating recovery and growth.
Consuming large quantities of alcohol has been shown to increase whole-body insulin resistance, essentially blocking the flow of nutrients into your muscles (3). This will impair post-workout recovery and, in turn, undermine muscle growth.
In addition, insulin resistance often goes hand in hand with fat gain. This is because the nutrients that should be entering the muscles end up being diverted to the fat cells. So, smaller muscles and a higher body fat percentage – talk about a terrible combination!
Alcohol and Cortisol
Where testosterone and human growth hormone are anabolic or muscle-building substances, cortisol is catabolic, meaning it causes muscle breakdown. Cortisol is often produced in response to stress. However, high alcohol consumption is also linked to elevated cortisol levels (4).
A little cortisol is no bad thing, as it’s one of the triggers of anabolism and muscle growth. However, too much cortisol, or prolonged elevation, will impede muscle growth.
Alcohol and Sleep
Sleep is critical for muscle growth; it’s when your body gets busy repairing the muscle damage caused by your workouts. Anabolic hormone levels tend to rise while you sleep, as does muscle protein synthesis. So, while you’re pushing out the zzzs, your body is busy repairing and rebuilding your muscles. As such, most people should try and score 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
While alcohol can make you drowsy and may even help you drop off to sleep faster, alcohol-fueled sleep is often of poor quality, disrupted, and not especially restful (5). Poor sleep can have a significant impact on your training performance, recovery, and muscle growth.
Interrupted and insufficient sleep can cause cortisol levels to rise, testosterone and growth hormone levels to fall, and insulin resistance to increase. In addition, sleep deprivation can lower your motivation to train and impair your recovery.
This all means that alcohol-fueled sleep is not good and won’t help you build muscle.
Alcohol and Motivation
Let’s face it – building muscle is hard work. It takes consistent effort and determination to push yourself through workouts that are often uncomfortable and even painful. If you aren’t motivated, you will probably miss more workouts than you complete, significantly undermining your progress.
Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic, but ultimately, YOU must drag your butt to the gym and do the work required to build muscle.
Regular alcohol consumption, especially when you feel hungover the next day, can severally undermine your motivation to train (6). You’re much more likely to skip workouts, and your motivation to eat well will probably also take a dive.
The bottom line is if you want to stay motivated and skip fewer workouts, you should limit your alcohol intake.
Alcohol and Nutrition
Successful muscle building has as much to do with your diet as it does your workout. Your diet supplies the calories and nutrients your body needs to fuel your training and repair and build your muscles.
While alcohol contains calories, weighing in at seven calories per gram, it doesn’t have any other beneficial nutrients. In fact, alcohol is an anti-nutrient, meaning it uses resources but doesn’t provide any.
Drinking alcohol, especially to excess, can cause you to make improper food choices and reduce your motivation to eat healthily (7). A poor diet will undermine your workouts and impede your muscle-building progress.
How Much Alcohol is Okay for Muscle Growth?
It’s often said that drinking alcohol in moderation is okay and might even be good for you. However, there are no proven benefits associated with regular alcohol consumption – sorry! That said, a couple of drinks now and then probably won’t hurt you (8).
But what does a moderate alcohol intake look like? And will it interfere with your fitness and muscle-building progress?
According to research (1), consuming 0.5g/kg of alcohol or less won’t affect muscle recovery following exercise. So, for someone who weighs 180 lbs., that’s about 2-3 standard-sized drinks. However, consuming 1.5g/kg of alcohol or 8 drinks will significantly impact muscle protein synthesis and undermine your ability to recover and grow.
So, if you want to drink alcohol without derailing your gains, you should limit yourself to no more than a couple of drinks at a time and have a few dry days per week when you don’t drink alcohol at all. You should also avoid binge drinking, where you consume multiple drinks in short succession.
Alcohol Affect Muscle Growth – Closing Thoughts
While some people prefer not to drink, alcohol can be part of a healthy diet. However, when consumed to excess, alcohol can hurt your gains and undermine your health. This is especially true for habitual and binge drinking.
Your body views and treats alcohol as a toxic substance and reacts very negatively to its presence. Consuming alcohol can impair muscle protein synthesis, reduce your testosterone, increase cortisol, and undermine your motivation to train and eat healthily. It also hammers your liver.
Building muscle is hard enough without sabotaging yourself with alcohol!
So, by all means, have the occasional drink if you wish, but if you are serious about building muscle, keep your intake to a minimum, or don’t imbibe it at all.
References:
1 – Parr EB, Camera DM, Areta JL, Burke LM, Phillips SM, Hawley JA, Coffey VG. Alcohol ingestion impairs maximal post-exercise rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis following a single bout of concurrent training. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 12;9(2):e88384. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088384. PMID: 24533082; PMCID: PMC3922864. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24533082/
2 – Vingren JL, Hill DW, Buddhadev H, Duplanty A. Postresistance exercise ethanol ingestion and acute testosterone bioavailability. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013 Sep;45(9):1825-32. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31828d3767. PMID: 23470309. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23470309/
3 – Lindtner C, Scherer T, Zielinski E, Filatova N, Fasshauer M, Tonks NK, Puchowicz M, Buettner C. Binge drinking induces whole-body insulin resistance by impairing hypothalamic insulin action. Sci Transl Med. 2013 Jan 30;5(170):170ra14. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3005123. PMID: 23363978; PMCID: PMC3740748. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3740748/
4 – Badrick E, Bobak M, Britton A, Kirschbaum C, Marmot M, Kumari M. The relationship between alcohol consumption and cortisol secretion in an aging cohort. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Mar;93(3):750-7. doi: 10.1210/jc.2007-0737. Epub 2007 Dec 11. PMID: 18073316; PMCID: PMC2266962. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2266962/
5 – Park SY, Oh MK, Lee BS, Kim HG, Lee WJ, Lee JH, Lim JT, Kim JY. The Effects of Alcohol on Quality of Sleep. Korean J Fam Med. 2015 Nov;36(6):294-9. doi: 10.4082/kjfm.2015.36.6.294. Epub 2015 Nov 20. PMID: 26634095; PMCID: PMC4666864. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4666864/
6 – Shamloo ZS, Cox WM. The relationship between motivational structure, sense of control, intrinsic motivation, and university students’ alcohol consumption. Addict Behav. 2010 Feb;35(2):140-6. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.09.021. Epub 2009 Oct 1. PMID: 19836901. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19836901/
7 – Fawehinmi TO, Ilomäki J, Voutilainen S, Kauhanen J. Alcohol consumption and dietary patterns: the FinDrink study. PLoS One. 2012;7(6):e38607. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038607. Epub 2012 Jun 12. PMID: 22719905; PMCID: PMC3373562. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22719905/
8 – Chiva-Blanch G, Badimon L. Benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease: current findings and controversies. Nutrients. 2019 Dec 30;12(1):108. doi: 10.3390/nu12010108. PMID: 31906033; PMCID: PMC7020057. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020057/
Chicken Protein Calculator
It’s no secret that chicken is a fantastic source of lean, high-quality protein. However, determining the exact protein content can be a bit challenging. That’s where our Chicken Protein Calculator comes in. It’s a simple but powerful tool that allows you to accurately measure and understand the protein content of your chicken dishes.
Chicken Nutrition Calculator
Protein Content
Chicken Cut:
Weight:
Cooking Method:
Serving Size:
Protein:
Protein (% of daily intake):
Calories:
Fat:
Vitamins:
Minerals:
Copy Results
How to Use the Chicken Protein Calculator
Select the Chicken Cut: Choose the type of chicken cut you will be using from the dropdown list. Options include Chicken Breast, Chicken Thigh, and Chicken Drumstick.
Enter the Chicken Weight: Input the weight of the chicken in the provided field. You can enter the weight of a single chicken piece or the total weight if using multiple pieces. Select the appropriate unit (grams or ounces) from the dropdown list.
Choose the Cooking Method: Select the cooking method you will be using from the dropdown list. Options include Grilled, Baked, and Fried.
Specify the Serving Size: Enter the desired serving size in the provided field. This refers to the portion size of the chicken dish that you will consume. Select the appropriate unit (grams or ounces) from the dropdown list.
Enter the Daily Protein Intake: Input your daily protein intake goal in grams in the provided field. This helps you determine the percentage of your protein intake that the chicken dish will fulfill.
Calculate: Click the “Calculate” button to generate the results based on the provided inputs.
Clear Inputs: If you want to reset the form and start over, you can click the “Clear” button.
Understanding the Results
The results section will provide you with detailed information about the nutritional content of your chicken dish. Here’s what each section represents:
Chicken Cut: Displays the type of chicken cut you selected.
Weight: Shows the weight of the chicken you entered, along with the specified unit.
Cooking Method: Indicates the cooking method you chose.
Serving Size: Represents the specified serving size of the chicken dish, along with the unit.
The following nutritional information will be provided:
Protein: Displays the protein content of the chicken dish based on the inputs you provided.
Protein (% of daily intake): Represents the protein content as a percentage of your daily protein intake goal.
Calories: Shows the calculated calorie content of the chicken dish.
Fat: Indicates the fat content of the chicken.
Additionally, you will find information about the vitamin and mineral content of the chicken dish in separate sections:
Vitamins: Provides a list of vitamins contained in the chicken dish.
Minerals: Provides a list of minerals contained in the chicken dish.
Feel free to use the “Copy Results” button to copy the generated results for your reference or further analysis.
The Science Behind the Chicken Protein Calculator
The Chicken Protein Calculator isn’t just a random number generator. It’s a precision tool rooted in scientific research and data analysis.
Data Collection for the Chicken Protein Calculator
The Chicken Protein Calculator is built on extensive data from the USDA National Nutrient Database. This data comprises the protein content of various chicken products based on their weight and preparation method.
Mathematics of the Chicken Protein Calculator
The Chicken Protein Calculator uses this data to calculate the protein content of your entered chicken product and portion size. This calculation involves proportions, making it accurate and reliable.
How Much Protein in Chicken? Breast, Thigh and More
Chicken Breast:
Chicken breast is a popular choice due to its high protein content. A skinless, cooked chicken breast weighing 172 grams contains about 54 grams of protein, equivalent to 31 grams per 100 grams. It is a low-fat and protein-rich option, making it favored by bodybuilders and those aiming for weight loss.
Chicken Thigh:
Chicken thighs are a flavorful and cost-effective cut of meat. A 52-gram skinless, boneless, cooked chicken thigh contains 13.5 grams of protein, equivalent to 26 grams per 100 grams. Each chicken thigh has around 109 calories, with 53% of the calories coming from protein and 47% from fat. The darker color and slightly higher fat content contribute to their succulent taste. In summary, chicken thighs provide 13.5 grams of protein and a balanced protein-to-fat calorie ratio.
Chicken Drumstick:
Chicken drumsticks, the lower part of the chicken leg, are a protein-rich choice. A 44-gram skinless, boneless chicken drumstick contains approximately 12.4 grams of protein, or 28.3 grams per 100 grams. With 76 calories per drumstick and 70% of calories from protein, they offer a flavorful and satisfying option.
Chicken Wing:
Chicken wings, commonly enjoyed as snacks, contain approximately 6.4 grams of protein in a skinless, boneless wing weighing 21 grams. This is equivalent to 30.5 grams of protein per 100 grams. With around 42 calories per wing and 64% of the calories coming from protein, they offer a flavorful option. When consumed with the skin, a chicken wing provides 99 calories with a protein-to-fat calorie ratio of 39:61.
Read also: Turkey Vs. Chicken: Which Is Healthier
Which Cut Should You Eat for Maximum Benefit?
The choice of chicken cut depends on your personal preferences, dietary goals, and nutritional needs. Chicken breast is known for its high protein content and lower fat content, making it a popular choice among those aiming for lean muscle development. Chicken thigh and drumstick are slightly higher in fat but still provide a good amount of protein. Chicken wing, while lower in protein compared to other cuts, can still be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.
Consider your dietary preferences and goals when selecting the chicken cut that suits you best.
FAQs
How accurate is the Chicken Protein Calculator?
It is highly accurate, thanks to the extensive USDA data it is based on.
Can I use the Chicken Protein Calculator for other meats?
No, this calculator is specifically designed for chicken products.
How do you calculate protein in chicken?
To calculate the protein content in chicken, you need to know the weight of the chicken and the protein content per 100 grams. You can use the following formula:
Protein Content = (Weight of Chicken / 100) * Protein Content per 100 grams
First, determine the weight of the chicken. Then, obtain the protein content per 100 grams from a reliable source such as a food database or packaging information. Divide the weight of the chicken by 100 to convert it to the equivalent value per 100 grams. Multiply this value by the protein content per 100 grams to calculate the protein content in the actual amount of chicken you have.
By applying this formula, you can accurately determine the protein content in chicken based on its weight and protein content per 100 grams.
How much protein is in a 4 oz serving of chicken?
4 oz serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast generally contains approximately 25 grams of protein. It’s important to note that this protein content may vary slightly depending on factors such as the specific chicken breast and cooking method used.
The Bottom Line
The Chicken Protein Calculator is a valuable tool for anyone looking to measure and understand the protein content of their chicken dishes. It helps you make informed dietary choices and promotes healthier living. By using this calculator, you can optimize your protein intake and tailor your chicken dishes to meet your nutritional needs.
Now you’re all set to calculate and understand the protein content of your chicken dishes using the Chicken Protein Calculator!
Related:
Calories Per Gram Calculator
Are you looking to convert the amount of macronutrients from grams to calories? Look no further! Our Grams to Calories Calculator is a simple and convenient tool that allows you to convert the grams of macronutrients into their corresponding calorie values. Whether you want to track your daily intake, maintain a healthy diet, or achieve your weight goals, this calculator will be your go-to resource.
Calories Per Gram Calculator
Calculate
Clear
Calories Breakdown
Macronutrient
Grams
Calories
Carbohydrates
0
0
Proteins
0
0
Fats
0
0
Total Calories
0
0
Protein and carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram, while fats offer a substantial 9 calories per gram. This user-friendly macronutrient calculator is here to assist you in computing the total calories derived from proteins, fats, and carbs in any given meal, ensuring an accurate overall calorie count.
Understanding the Conversion: Grams to Calories
Food labels often provide information about the total calories and grams of macronutrients present, but they rarely mention the specific calorie breakdown for each macronutrient. That’s where our calculator comes in handy. By using it, you can easily understand the relationship between grams and calories and learn the conversion rules.
Let’s take a closer look at the calorie content of each macronutrient:
How Many Calories in a Gram of Carbohydrates?
In general, carbohydrates provide approximately 4 kilocalories (kcal) per gram. Simple sugars offer around 3.87 kcal per gram, while complex carbohydrates range from 3.57 to 4.12 kcal per gram. For simplicity, the conversion is often rounded to 4 kcal per gram.
Try Carbohydrate Intake Calculator!
How Many Calories in a Gram of Protein?
Protein also provides around 4 kcal per gram. It plays a vital role in cell structure and function, and you must obtain it from your diet since the human body cannot synthesize all necessary amino acids.
Try Protein Intake Calculator!
How Many Calories in a Gram of Fat?
Among the macronutrients, fat has the highest calorie content. Each gram of fat provides 9 kcal. Fats are essential for various bodily functions, including maintaining cell membranes, regulating body temperature, and aiding in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Try Fat Intake Calculator!
How Many Calories in Alcohol?
Alcohol contains 7 kcal per gram. To calculate the calories from alcohol, multiply the amount of alcohol in grams by 7. For example, if you have 50 mL of vodka with an alcohol content of 40%, the calculation would be 7 kcal/g × 50 mL × 0.40 × 0.78924 g/mL = 110 kcal.
Gram to Calorie Conversion Table
Convert the macro’s nutritional values by the this calculator precisely.
Gram
Calories
1g
7.7162 kcal
2g
15.43 kcal
3g
7.7162 kcal
4g
23.15 kcal
5g
30.86 kcal
6g
38.58 kcal
7g
46.3 kcal
8g
54.01 kcal
9g
61.73 kcal
10g
69.45 kcal
15g
108.03 kcal
20g
146.61 kcal
25g
185.19 kcal
30g
223.77 kcal
35g
262.35 kcal
40g
300.93 kcal
Understanding Calories: Calorie vs. Kilocalorie
When discussing calories, it’s important to note that there are two main definitions:
Small calorie or gram calorie (cal): This is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius.
Large calorie, food calorie, or kilocalorie (Cal, calorie, or kcal): This is the unit commonly used in nutrition to express the energy value of food and drinks. It’s equivalent to 1,000 small calories.
In the context of nutrition, the terms “calories” and “kilocalories” are often used interchangeably. So, when using our grams to calories calculator, you may come across both terms referring to the same conversion.
Practical Example: Converting Grams to Calories
Let’s walk through a practical example to understand how to convert grams to calories using our calculator. Suppose we have the following nutritional information for a food product:
Carbohydrates: 25 grams
Protein: 10 grams
Fat: 10 grams
To calculate the total calories in this food product, we apply the appropriate conversion rate for each macronutrient:
Carbohydrates: 4 kcal/g × 25 g = 100 kcal
Protein: 4 kcal/g × 10 g = 40 kcal
Fat: 9 kcal/g × 10 g = 90 kcal
Total: 100 kcal + 40 kcal + 90 kcal = 230 kcal
Therefore, this particular food product contains 230 calories.
Benefits and Applications
Now that you understand how to use the Grams to Calories Calculator,
let’s explore some practical applications:
Following a Healthy Diet: The calculator helps you maintain a balanced and nutritious diet by tracking the calorie content of macronutrients. By knowing the calorie breakdown of your meals, you can make informed choices and meet your energy requirements effectively.
Monitoring Energy Intake: Whether you’re trying to lose, maintain, or gain weight, understanding the calories you consume is crucial. Our calculator enables you to monitor your energy intake accurately and helps you make adjustments to achieve your weight goals.
Supporting a Healthy Lifestyle: By being aware of the calorie content in your food, you can make conscious decisions about your eating habits. Additionally, the calculator provides insights into the calorie content of alcohol, which can be beneficial for those interested in mindful drinking.
FAQs about Grams to Calories Conversion
How many calories are in a pint of beer?
The calorie content of a pint of beer typically ranges from 160 to 180 kcal, depending on the beer type. This estimate takes into account the calories derived from the alcohol content (7 kcal/g) as well as the calories contributed by carbohydrates (4 kcal/g). For example, a pint of 5% beer contains approximately 130 kcal from alcohol and 40 kcal from carbohydrates.
How many grams are in 200 calories?
For carbohydrates and proteins, approximately 50 grams are equivalent to 200 calories. However, for fats, 200 calories would be approximately 22.2 grams.
Why does fat have 9 calories?
Fat contains a higher number of carbon and hydrogen atoms. The bonds within these atoms store more energy, resulting in a higher calorie content. As a result, fats provide 9 calories per gram.
What is the calorie content of 1 pound of fat?
One pound of body fat is estimated to contain approximately 3,500 calories. Therefore, to lose 1 pound of body fat, you need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories. It’s recommended to aim for a healthy calorie deficit of around 500 calories per day to achieve gradual and sustainable weight loss.
Which macronutrient has the most calories per gram?
Fats have the highest calorie content per gram, providing approximately 9 calories per gram. In comparison, both carbohydrates and proteins offer around 4 calories per gram. However, it’s important to consume fats in moderation and choose healthier sources of fat, such as unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, avocados, and fatty fish.
Related Calculators:
Wrapping Up
In summary, our Grams to Calories Calculator is a valuable tool that simplifies the conversion of macronutrients from grams to calories. By utilizing this calculator, you can easily understand the calorie content of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and even alcohol. Start tracking your macronutrient intake, achieve a healthy weight, and make informed dietary choices today!
7 Benefits of Collagen for Muscle Growth: Unlock Your Muscle-Building Potential
We all know that protein is the key macronutrient for muscle growth. And when it comes to a protein supplement, most people immediately think of whey. Yet, while it’s the most popular protein supplement, whey isn’t the only one — and it may not even be the best.
Collagen represents the most abundant protein in your body. It is available in several supplement forms, including as a powder that can be added to shakes. So, how good is it for muscle growth? In this article, we discover whether collagen supplementation can help you pack muscle tissue.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is the most common protein in the body, representing between 25-35% of your total protein. The connective tissue that constructs your muscles, ligaments, skin, and tendons is made from it.
Collagen is made from the following three amino acids:
Proline
Glycine
Hydroxyproline
Depending on their configuration, these amino acids will produce one of 28 different collagen forms. The four most common forms are:
Type I
Type II
Type III
Type IV
Type I collagen represents 90% of the total collagen in your body. This dense form of collagen is responsible for the structure, support, and strength of your skin, bones, ligaments, and tendons.
Type II collagen is found in joint ligaments, where it enhances elasticity. It is also part of the intervertebral disc material that cushions the spine.
Type III collagen is contained in muscle, skin, and blood vessels.
Type IV collagen is found in the layers of the skin and ears, and kidneys.
Collagen is part of what is called the extracellular matrix. As such, it involves the construction and structure of every cell in your body.
As we age, our bodies produce less collagen. This decline begins in our late 20s or early 30s and is a major contributor to the wrinkles, joint stiffness, and sagging skin that are the hallmarks of aging. Lifestyle factors such as poor diet, smoking, and excessive exposure to the sun may exacerbate age-related collagen loss.
Collagen supplementation has become popular over the last decade or so to replace the amounts we naturally lose and for its claimed health benefits. Collagen supplements come in various forms, including collagen peptides, which are usually sold in powder form, collagen capsules, liquid collagen, and collagen chewable or gummies.
There are four main sources of collagen for use in supplements:
Bovine (cow)
Porcine (pig)
Marine (fish)
Poultry (chicken)
Benefits of Collagen Supplementation
Collagen supplementation has been shown to provide the following health benefits:
Improves Skin Health
Collagen is well-known as a skin rejuvenator and is used in most skin health products to help reduce wrinkles and replenish skin health. There is some solid science backing up collagen’s ability to enhance skin health. One study involved 114 women aged between 45 and 65. Over eight weeks, the women took either 2.5 grams of collagen or a placebo. At the end of the study period, the collagen group had reduced their wrinkles by 20%.
The researchers found that the supplementation increased elastin production and stimulated the body to produce its own collagen. As the anime suggests, elastin boosts the skin’s elasticity to help prevent wrinkles. [1]
Eases Joint Pain
Joint pain is often a result of degenerative bone disease or a breakdown of bone cartilage. Collagen supplementation can help by building up your protein stores to rebuild cartilage. It also stimulates the body to produce more natural collagen to contribute to this building process.
In one study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 80 people with severe joint pain were given either 2 grams of collagen daily or a placebo for 70 days. The collagen group experienced a decrease in joint pain from Day 35 onwards. The pain progressively decreased up to Day 70. [2]
Hormonal Balance
Collagen plays a big part in modulating hormones, especially estrogen. Once more, glycine is the key player here. This amino acid helps to activate estrogen receptors. This helps to channel the free estrogen floating around in your system and use it effectively. Doing so will help to prevent such problems as water retention and oxidative damage.
Promotes Better Sleep
One of the main reasons that people have trouble sleeping is that they are overheated. The most abundant amino acid in collagen is glycine, which has been shown to be able to cool the body. It does this by acting upon the NMDA receptor, which relaxes the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more effectively through the body. This helps to cool the body down.
Glycine also inhibits a neuropeptide called orexin, which stimulates arousal and wakefulness. So taking collagen can help diminish its effects, helping us attain the relaxed, calm state needed to fall asleep.
Improves Liver Function
The glycine that makes up collagen assists in creating bile, the body’s main fat emulsifier. If we cannot produce enough bile, we will feel bloated and sick after eating a fatty meal. By supplementing with collagen, you can get the glycine you need to kickstart the bile production process. [3]
Collagen also helps offset liver inflammation resulting from excessive alcohol consumption.
Promotes Muscle Recovery
Collagen has been shown to improve muscle recovery after an injury. In one study, researchers found that collagen taken directly after a muscle rupture was able to significantly improve muscle recovery. It was noted that, following the injury, the body was, in effect, screaming out for more collagen. The researchers identified that the injury site needed more Type III collagen straight away; however, weeks later, there was still a demand for more collagen, but this time the Type I version.
Enhances Brain Functioning
Collagen helps support a healthy brain-blood barrier by exchanging compounds between the blood and the brain. The anti-inflammatory effects of collagen also protect the brain. There is also emerging research that suggests that collagen may play a part in neurogenesis, the formation of new brain cells.
Can Collagen Increase Muscle Mass?
Being the most abundant protein in the body, you’d think that collagen must have a role to play in building muscle, which is made of protein. And you’d be right — at least in people with sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). Sarcopenia affects all men once they reach the age of around 30, with a loss of about 3-5% of total muscle mass every decade from 30 onward.
In a study by Zdzieblik et al., 53 men with an average age of 72 were put on a 12-week resistance training program. Half of them were given a daily dose of 15 grams of collagen, while the other half were given a placebo. Post-study testing revealed that the collagen group had a significantly greater increase in fat-free mass (4.2 kg average compared with 2.9 kg for the placebo group). Muscle strength gain and fat loss were also greater in the collagen group. [4]
Scientists believe that a key mechanism by which collagen boosts muscle growth when combined with resistance training is that it improves muscle protein synthesis and acts as a stimulus for muscle repair and growth after a strenuous workout.
Collagen has been shown to be especially good at inducing protein synthesis in people on a low-protein diet. Of course, most people trying to add muscle are just the opposite, but if you are on a keto diet or follow an intermittent fasting protocol, your protein intake will probably be lower than normal.
Collagen is an excellent source of the amino acids glycine and arginine, both of which are ingredients in creatine. So, when you take a collagen supplement, you are also ingesting two key building blocks of creatine. Creatine synthesizes ATP from the moment you start your workout. It’s what powers you through the initial seconds of your workout. In other words, a collagen supplement will help you generate maximum strength at the start of your workout. That is why the elderly men in the study cited above had an increase in muscle strength while those on a placebo did not.
Is Collagen Better Than Whey for Muscle Gain?
When it comes to supplements, many people have an either-or mentality. They need to know if this is better than that so that they can choose one over the other. The reality is that, in many cases, supplements are complementary. That is certainly the case when it comes to whey and collagen protein.
Whey could be considered a ‘better’ source of protein for muscle growth than casein because it contains more BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids). The three BCAAs – leucine, valine, and isoleucine — are the key drivers of protein synthesis.
Whey protein is a by-product of the cheese-making process. Whey liquid is dehydrated to form a powder. Whey protein is valued because it contains all nine essential amino acids and is fast digesting. Collagen, in contrast, is not an essential amino acid. Though high in glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, it is relatively low in tryptophan, methionine, and histidine.
A 2018 study directly compared whey and collagen’s ability to build muscle. Eight men were given either 22 grams of whey or collagen protein 45 minutes before exercising, 22 grams intra-workout, and another 22 grams post-workout. The workout consisted of a 75-minute intensive cycle session. The post-study analysis revealed that the whey group had significantly greater protein synthesis levels. This was attributed to the higher levels of BCAAs in whey protein. [5]
A 2009 study by Hays et al. compared the nitrogen balance that results from whey and collagen supplementation. Nitrogen balance relates to the relationship between the level of nitrogen that enters the body through the diet and the levels that the body excretes. Positive nitrogen balance is needed to build new muscle. In this study, nine healthy women were given a whey protein supplement for 15 days. After a one-week washout period, they were given the same amount of collagen for 15 days. The analysis showed that the women had significantly higher levels of positive nitrogen balance during the collagen trial. [6]
The researchers also noted that, while collagen has a lower protein digestibility, on a per-gram basis, those proteins contained more nitrogen. This boosts the level of available nitrogen in the body, meaning that you can be in a higher nitrogen balance with less protein intake than you’d need if you were taking another protein source such as whey.
These studies confirm that collagen plays a vital role in building muscle. It boosts protein synthesis and promotes positive nitrogen balance. This is different from the muscle-building potential of whey protein, which is mainly based on its high levels of BCAAs. Ideally, you should take both collagen and whey protein supplements to maximize your muscle-building potential. In other words, you get more bang for your buck from collagen when it comes to maintaining a positive nitrogen balance.
Collagen Dose for Muscle Growth
The best way to determine the effective dosage for a supplement is to consider the dosages used in clinical studies. In the case of collagen, the study dosages range from 2 to 15 grams per day. If you’re training hard to build muscle, you should err on the higher side because your stressed muscle will have a higher demand for nutrients.
We recommend taking 15 grams of collagen daily for muscle growth.
Side Effects
While collagen supplementation is safe for most people, some may experience unpleasant effects due to intolerance or excessive dosage. Collagen supplements may be manufactured from fish and eggs, so people with an intolerance or allergy to these foods should look for an alternative source that is safer for them.
The following side effects may be experienced:
Skin rash
Acne
Inflamed skin
Scar tissue (fibrosis) in the liver
Kidney stones
Stomach upset
Diarrhea
Constipation
Heartburn
Abnormal heart rhythm
How Long To Take It
Collagen takes a relatively long period to be synthesized in the body and deliver noticeable results. Don’t expect results any sooner than six-eight weeks after beginning collagen supplementation.
The average length of collagen studies is about eight weeks. There have been no reported negative effects of long-term collagen use.
Alternatives
Collagen contains a unique chemical makeup, so finding a like-for-like substitute is not easy. Keratin, which is another form of protein found in hair, nails, and skin, has been promoted as a collagen substitute, but the existing research does not support its ability to replicate the benefits of collagen supplementation. [7]
There have been attempts to cater to vegans wanting to supplement with collagen. By adding human collagen genes to yeast, it can produce its own form of collagen.
You could also purchase individual supplements that contain the three key amino acids in collagen production; glycine, lysine, and proline.
Wrap Up
Several studies support collagen’s ability to promote muscle growth. It appears to simulate both muscle protein synthesis and the positive nitrogen balance needed for it to occur. When you combine this with the other research-backed benefits of taking collagen, it appears that taking collagen is a smart choice. A great way to get your collagen is in the form of a bone broth. To make bone broth, you simmer animal bones and connective tissue, which releases collagen and other nutrients into the liquid. Bone broth also contains muscle growth-promoting minerals such as magnesium and calcium.
I’ve been taking collagen in the form of bone broth for several years. I take a cup of it about an hour before my workout. Then post-workout, I have a whey protein shake. Combining collagen and whey in this manner gives me the best of both worlds. Whether you take collagen in the form of a powder, bone broth, capsule, or liquid, get into the habit of consuming it daily, and your muscle growth potential will get a serious boost.
References
Proksch E, Schunck M, Zague V, Segger D, Degwert J, Oesser S. Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113-9. doi: 10.1159/000355523. Epub 2013 Dec 24. PMID: 24401291.
Schauss AG, Stenehjem J, Park J, Endres JR, Clewell A. Effect of the novel low molecular weight hydrolyzed chicken sternal cartilage extract, BioCell Collagen, on improving osteoarthritis-related symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Apr 25;60(16):4096-101. doi: 10.1021/jf205295u. Epub 2012 Apr 16. PMID: 22486722.
Yamashina S, Ikejima K, Enomoto N, Takei Y, Sato N. Glycine as a therapeutic immuno-nutrient for alcoholic liver disease. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2005 Nov;29(11 Suppl):162S-5S. doi: 10.1097/01.alc.0000189281.82523.6c. PMID: 16344603.
Zdzieblik D, Oesser S, Baumstark MW, Gollhofer A, König D. Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men: a randomized controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2015 Oct 28;114(8):1237-45. doi: 10.1017/S0007114515002810. Epub 2015 Sep 10. PMID: 26353786; PMCID: PMC4594048.
Impey SG, Hammond KM, Naughton R, Langan-Evans C, Shepherd SO, Sharples AP, Cegielski J, Smith K, Jeromson S, Hamilton DL, Close GL, Morton JP. Whey Protein Augments Leucinemia and Postexercise p70S6K1 Activity Compared With a Hydrolyzed Collagen Blend When in Recovery From Training With Low Carbohydrate Availability. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018 Nov 1;28(6):651-659. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0054. Epub 2018 Oct 1. PMID: 29757056.
Hays NP, Kim H, Wells AM, Kajkenova O, Evans WJ. Effects of whey and fortified collagen hydrolysate protein supplements on nitrogen balance and body composition in older women. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Jun;109(6):1082-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2009.03.003. PMID: 19465192.
Mokrejs P, Hutta M, Pavlackova J, Egner P, Benicek L. The cosmetic and dermatological potential of keratin hydrolysate. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017 Dec;16(4):e21-e27. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12319. Epub 2017 Feb 6. PMID: 28164425.
Intermittent Fasting and Collagen Production: How Fasting Can Enhance Your Skin and Health!
Intermittent fasting is fast becoming the go-to diet for achieving different health goals, most importantly, weight loss. Many celebrities, business tycoons, and famous entrepreneurs have endorsed this transformative fasting strategy as the sure-shot way to a healthier mind and body.
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you fast for a certain number of hours a day and reserve calorie intake to a small eating window. When you do this, in the fasting period, your body uses up the glycogen stores it utilizes for energy and undergoes a “metabolic switch.” With this metabolic switch, the body enters a state known as ketosis, where the liver produces ketones from the stored fat reserves to use as an energy source.
There are several intermittent fasting techniques, the most common being 16/8, where you fast for 16 hours and eat calories in the eight-hour feeding window. Some fasters like to do the 5/2 fasting schedule, where they eat normally for five days of the week, and on two non-consecutive days, they limit calorie intake to 500-600 calories. Yet more advanced fasters prefer to go for OMAD fasting (one meal a day), 36-hour fasts, and monk fasts, with extreme fasters also taking it as far as a 60-hour fast.
Many variants of intermittent fasting exist, like water fasting and fat fasting, each with its own special benefits. People also work out towards the end of the fasting period to lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously.
Despite its growing popularity, one of the most overlooked benefits of intermittent fasting is its significant impact on collagen production within the body. We need collagen, a protein, for healthy skin, nails, joints, and hair. Recent research suggests that intermittent fasting can assist in stimulating the body’s production of collagen. This article examines the relationship between intermittent fasting and collagen production, supporting the theory with scientific studies and research. Keep reading to discover the connection between intermittent fasting and collagen synthesis.
What is Collagen?
Among the different kinds of proteins in the human body, collagen is the most abundant, accounting for 30% of the total protein composition. It is a building block for muscles, skin, tendons, bones, ligaments, and other kinds of connective tissue. You can also find collagen in the blood, intestinal lining, and organs.
All proteins are made from amino acids, and collagen is no exception. Proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline are collagen’s main amino acids. These three amino acids are grouped to form protein fibrils in the famous triple helix structure.
Role of Collagen in the Body
The main role of collagen is to provide strength, structure, and support to the body. Its specific roles are:
Helping the formation of fibroblasts in the dermis, thereby helping the formation of new skin cells.
Replacement of dead skin cells.
Giving a protective covering to the different vital organs in the body.
Providing skin strength, structure, and elasticity.
Blood clotting.
What are the Different Types of Collagen in the Body?
To date, researchers have identified 28 types of collagen. The differentiation is based on the molecule assembly, the cell components, and the location of the collagen in the body. All these different collagen fibrils consist of a triple helix structure.
Here are the main types of collagen as well as their various functions:
Type I: This consists of 90% of the collagen in the body, and it is densely packed, providing structure to ligaments, tendons, bones, and skin.
Type II: It is found in the elastic cartilage that supports joints.
Type III: It is found in organs, arteries, and muscles.
Type IV: This can be found in the different layers of the skin.
Type V: It is found in the cornea, some skin layers, and the hair and tissue of the placenta.
What Factors Affect Collagen Production?
Here are the different factors that can affect collagen production in the body:
Age: With age, collagen production naturally diminishes, which leads to sagging skin, wrinkles, as well as pain in the joints.
Nutrition: Consumption of proteins and vitamin C can help produce collagen in the body.
Sun Exposure: Collagen fibers can get damaged from prolonged exposure to UV rays, which can cause skin damage and premature aging.
Smoking: Collagen production reduces if you smoke, causing skin damage and premature aging.
Stress: Chronic stress causes increased production of the stress hormone cortisol, which can potentially inhibit collagen production.
Exercise: If you exercise regularly, collagen production increases.
Sleep: If you can get enough quality sleep, your body’s production of collagen increases. This is because the body repairs and regenerates itself when you sleep.
Apart from these factors, it has also been found that fasting, especially intermittent fasting, can increase collagen production. We shall take a look at this phenomenon now.
What is the Relationship Between Intermittent Fasting and Collagen Production in the Body?
Intermittent fasting can stimulate collagen synthesis in multiple ways. Check them out here:
Intermittent Fasting Increases Human Growth Hormone Secretion
It has been proven that intermittent fasting can increase and enhance the secretion of an important hormone, Human Growth Hormone (HGH). HGH is a very important regulator of collagen production in the body. HGH stimulates collagen production in two ways. Firstly, it helps the fibroblasts differentiate into myofibroblasts, cells that produce collagen. Secondly, HGH upregulates collagen gene expression.
A study published in the Nutrition Research journal revealed that 24-hour intermittent fasting led to an immense increase in HGH levels in both women and men [1]. Another study proved that a 37.5-hour fast elevated basal HGH concentration by 10-fold and additionally reduced the metabolic clearance of HGH. [2]
As we know, HGH is essential for collagen synthesis. This increase in HGH levels during intermittent fasting suggests that the latter is a very useful tool for increasing collagen production in the human body.
Intermittent Fasting Induces Autophagy
Cancer.gov defines autophagy as “ A process by which a cell breaks down and destroys old, damaged, or abnormal proteins and other substances in its cytoplasm (the fluid inside a cell). The breakdown products are then recycled for important cell functions, especially during periods of stress or starvation.”
As the body ages, it gets increasingly exposed to free radicals from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the different products we use daily. This stresses out the individual cells and causes them to get damaged faster than normal. These damaged cells can linger in connective tissues and organs, causing inflammation and disease. Autophagy removes the task of maintaining these useless and inefficient cells in the body. It frees it to fight inflammation, deter diseases, and line the body up for optimal functioning.
After age 30, the fibroblasts in the skin begin to store more waste, slowing down the collagen-producing and autophagy rates. This then causes a deterioration of the fragility and integrity of the skin and leads to sagging and wrinkled skin. Hence, an increased autophagy rate will help clean the fibroblasts, removing unwanted cellular debris and slowing down the signs of skin aging.
A study found that intermittent fasting induced autophagy in mice, helping remove dead and damaged cells and produce healthy and new cells. [3]
As we know, autophagy is crucial for collagen synthesis, and increased autophagy rates brought about by intermittent fasting lead to improved and increased collagen synthesis by inference.
Intermittent Fasting Reduces Inflammation
Intermittent fasting can reduce body inflammation in many ways. It reduces oxidative stress by producing antioxidants, promotes autophagy, lowers insulin levels, activates anti-inflammatory pathways, and modulates the gut microbiome, all contributing to reduced inflammation.
A study found that intermittent fasting reduces chronic inflammation in mice by activating an anti-inflammatory pathway known as the Nrf2 pathway. [4]
As we know, inflammation is a big cause of collagen breakdown. Hence, the above reduction in inflammation in the mice suggests that intermittent fasting can help protect collagen.
Intermittent Fasting Improves Gut Microbiome
There are several ways in which intermittent fasting can improve gut health. Firstly, it improves the motility of the gut, helping the digestive system move food through the GI tract. Secondly, it improves the gut microbiota, modulating the composition of the trillions of microorganisms residing in the gut. Thirdly, it refines the gut barrier function by increasing mucus formation, reducing inflammation, and finally enhancing the absorption of nutrients from the gut.
A study has conclusively shown that intermittent fasting improves overall gut health. [5]
Now, the gut is where most of the nutrients necessary for collagen synthesis get absorbed. Hence, a healthy gut can ensure that the body has all the ingredients it needs for the production of collagen, and this can be made possible through intermittent fasting.
Can I Use Collagen as a Protein Source While Fasting For Weight Loss?
Collagen is a great way to help you achieve your weight loss goals, but you’re probably using it wrong. When used correctly, it can help prevent snacking, reduce cravings, and help you get to your weight loss goals.
The biggest mistake that you are making is that you are using collagen as your main protein source. If you do this, you will lose weight, but it will be in the form of a loss in muscle and bone mass, leading to a decrease in metabolism, which you do not want.
To achieve healthy weight loss, use collagen supplements in tandem with a rich protein source. Suppose you are making a collagen supplement smoothie. We suggest you reinforce this smoothie with a rich source of protein, like Greek yogurt or even another protein supplement.
If you use bone broth, you can sip on it but do not use it as a replacement for protein. Rather, use it as an add-on to a meal. For example, you can sip on bone broth while relishing a chicken salad. This gives you collagen and a complex protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will collagen intake interrupt my fast?
Strictly speaking, yes. Collagen intake during fasting periods will break your fast. Even if you eat hydrolyzed and unflavored collagen peptides, remember that each scoop of collagen contains 30 calories.
2. What slows down the production of collagen in our body?
The collagen tissues in our body are responsible for forming tendons, ligaments, and bones. However, you can lose collagen in your body if you are exposed to UV rays, if you consume tobacco, or if you take excessive sugar, as well as with age. Additionally, chronic stress can make you lose collagen.
3. How long does it take to generate collagen?
It has been observed that new collagen growth can take anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks to complete.
4. Why is collagen important for weight loss?
Collagen supplements can make you feel satiated. This helps with weight loss and the prevention of hunger pangs when you are doing intermittent fasting. Collagen has this effect because it is a form of protein.
5. Which foods are rich in collagen?
The top foods rich in collagen are bone broth, eggs, meat, fish, and spirulina.
Conclusion
The link between intermittent fasting and collagen production is multi-faceted and complex. Collagen is a crucial protein that is indispensable to the human body as it maintains the function and structure of different organs and tissues. Studies have shown that fasting can increase the secretion of human growth hormone and promote the process of autophagy, both of which directly or indirectly influence the production of collagen.
The intricate relationship between collagen synthesis and intermittent fasting impacts longevity and health. If we can increase collagen production by fasting intermittently, it could help arrest age-related issues with skin, joint health, and the density of our bones. Again, nowadays, collagen supplements are quite popular, and their efficacy can be increased if we better understand the relationship between fasting and collagen production.
Collagen production is influenced by various factors, including lifestyle, exercise, and nutrition; intermittent fasting is one of many ways collagen synthesis can be promoted. The fascinating link between intermittent fasting and collagen production needs further exploration and study so that we can come to a better understanding of their complex relationship.
References
Ho, K. Y., et al. “Fasting Enhances Growth Hormone Secretion and Amplifies the Complex Rhythms of Growth Hormone Secretion in Man.” PubMed Central (PMC), https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI113450.
Ho, K. Y., et al. “Fasting Enhances Growth Hormone Secretion and Amplifies the Complex Rhythms of Growth Hormone Secretion in Man.” PubMed Central (PMC), https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI113450.
“Time-restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Resistance and Hepatic Steatosis in a Mouse Model of Postmenopausal Obesity – PubMed.” PubMed, 1 Dec. 2016, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2016.09.006.
Zhang, Yu-Kun Jennifer, et al. “Genetic Activation of Nrf2 Protects Against Fasting-Induced Oxidative Stress in Livers of Mice.” PubMed Central (PMC), 18 Mar. 2013, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0059122.
“Intermittent Fasting Promotes White Adipose Browning and Decreases Obesity by Shaping the Gut Microbiota – PubMed.” PubMed, 3 Oct. 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2017.08.019.
Cite this page: Byakodi, D. (2023) ‘Intermittent Fasting and Collagen Production: How Fasting Can Enhance Your Skin and Health!’, Fitness Volt. Available at: https://fitnessvolt.com/intermittent-fasting-collagen-production/ (Accessed: 30 April 2023).
12 Vegan Bodybuilders That Will Motivate You To Go Plant-Based
Chicken, eggs, fish, beef, and whey protein are considered staples in a bodybuilding nutrition program. Animal-based foods are rich in protein that can help build muscle mass and strength. [1] However, there has been a recent boom in veganism. The Netflix documentary The Game Changers, based on plant-based eating, protein, and strength, added fuel to the fire…