9 Protein Myths Bodybuilding | How Much Protein Do You Need?

Despite extensive advancement in nutrition research, there are several paradoxical ideas, people cling too.

Here, we have tried to debunk some popular protein myths bodybuilding.

When it comes to bodybuilding and nutrition false or misleading information is present everywhere. In fact, people usually take about how eating makes you fat.

Too much protein consumption can lead to death. And surprisingly, egg yolks are maleficent eatables

What’s the worst in it?

Still, numerous nutrition experts and mainstream media take their word over this misinforming facts.

This is why determining what’s exactly is right becomes excessive problematic.

Here, let’s take a look at 9 common nutrition myths and uncover the truth!

Protein Myths Bodybuilding That You Should Know!

Myth #1: Your Body Can’t Utilizes More Than 30g Of Protein

For years, people have believed the human body can’t digest more than 30g of protein or 5 ounces of chicken per meal.

Having more the designation would dissipate into fat or wasted. But, is that true?

Actually, the maximum muscle protein synthesis (MPS) occurs with around 20-30g of protein. In fact, having more than 40g protein per meal won’t do much to protein synthesis.

So this means excess protein would be stored as fat? Not that rapid!

Surplus amino acids theoretically turn into glucose eventually stored in fat.

However, this process is lethargic, long, and costly for the human body.

Also, it doesn’t seem like excess protein will turn in fat.

However, does surplus protein get you bigger muscles?

Muscle development ascends when your body remains in a positive nitrogen state.

In simple words, MPS should be greater than muscle protein breakdown i.e. MPB.

Obviously, after having 20-30 grams of protein MPS isn’t significant.

But what are the effects on MPB?

According to a study, 70g of protein consumption drastically reduces the muscle protein breakdown. Still, there’s no surety to what extent it can get you bigger, stronger, and massive muscle.

Nonetheless, it does debunk the protein myths bodybuilding that you can’t have more than 20g of protein at once.

Myth #2: A High-Protein Diet Increases Your Risk Of Osteoporosis

A high protein diet leads to osteoporosis, a decline in bone density, and people believe it.

The fact solidifying this argument is high protein diet elevates acid in the human body.

Eventually, this caused calcium to leach out of bones to neutralize excess acid.

But, does it true?

Luckily, several long-term research over this protein myths does support the stupid claim.

Actually, in a study, carbs were replaced with a high protein meal to see the results. This promoted secretion of hormone boosting bone health including IGF-1.

Another review published in 2001 didn’t find significant evidence for the paradoxical claim.

In reverse, a higher protein diet has only improved bone health.

Also, there are plenty of studies showing the efficiency of protein in improving mineral density. Hence, it lowers the risk of fractures and elevates IGF-1 and lean mass.

Of course, we can leave this protein myth bodybuilding to rest.

There are a handful of other studies showing that protein can improve bone mineral density, lower the risk of fractures, and increase.[5-7]

We can put this myth to rest.

Myth #3: A High-Protein Diet Puts Stress On Your Kidneys

Your kidneys are efficient enough in filtering unnecessary elements out of your body.

As far as our information, intake of a high protein diet doesn’t put stress on kidneys. Of course, our kidneys are developed to handle this kind of task.

For instance, one-fifth of the blood pumped by the hear filters by kidneys in a minute or two.

Obviously, having more protein would increase the workload over the function of the organ.

In fact, comparatively, it seems like a drop in a bucket compared to the number of task kidneys does.

However, we would recommend you take water in a greater amount while consuming protein.

Actually, your body generates more urine as a means to eradicate the byproducts of protein breakdown. Surplus water fulfills the amount lost via urine. So drink more water when you have more protein.

What really puts unnecessary pressure on your kidneys is alcohol. Hence, we have already debunked the protein myths bodybuilding.

Myth #4: Cooking Protein Changes Its Biological Value

This protein myths bodybuilding does have any truth in it.

Otherwise, you would have burger patties post-workout rather than having protein smoothie.

Fortunately, you can cook a protein meal and still receive all perks of it.

Obviously, you can’t cook the protein out of your meal.

A well-cooked burger has the same amount of protein as a rare steak. Of course, eating your meat would increase the risk of food poisoning.

More often, this notion satisfies in terms of protein powders prepared by denaturing the protein through cooking. However, this in any circumstance doesn’t distort the protein.

The human body still absorbs the same quantity of amino acids from protein irrespective of its cooked or not.

In fact, protein powders can be baked. We always look for ways to add surplus protein in our diet.

Eventually, this leads us to meals like protein-packed oatmeal, muffins, and even pizza-crust recipes.

Well, the Protein Absorption Myth is finally at rest.

Myth #5: You Must Consume Protein Immediately After A Workout

Did you forget to have 30g of protein just after your last set of bench press?

Well, get ready to say goodbye to your muscle gains. Doesn’t this sound like a joke?

But, this protein myths are extensively popular and followed by everyone.

Post-workout, your body is in anabolic mode when it is in prime stage to absorb nutrients specifically carbs and proteins. Also, at the same, it transports them to muscle for elevating recovery and repairs.

However, people thought this period limits to 30-60 minutes only.

Current studies and evaluation have proven this post-workout period exists for pretty long.

In fact, it extends for several hours after you have completed your training sessions.

When it comes to gain, the timing isn’t a vital consideration.

What matters most is the amount of protein consumption. You just need to have around 30g of protein to maximize muscle growth.

Well, having them immediately will significantly increase MPS.

However, having them any time else would get you slightly similar results.

Myth 6: Protein You Need Depends On Your Goals

How Much Protein Per Meal Bodybuilding? Or How Much Protein Do I Need? Well, these are the most common question we hear of.

Your daily protein need varies whether you are calorie deficit to shed fat or a calorie surplus to bulk up.

However, the research absolutely says the reverse “more to grow, less to cut.” And yes the reverse is true.

In fact, if you are on a diet, you need to maximize your protein intake in order to lessen muscle loss. Also, to remain full for longer and prevent cravings and lose more fat.

According to studies, having 0.8-1.4g of protein per pound of body weight daily is the best way to preserve lean body mass when you’re cutting.

The average for all athletes and bodybuilders to remain in a caloric surplus is to have 0.5-0.9g of protein per pound.

In fact, these suggested protein consumption varies with your strength training, physical activity, and sports you participate in.

What your protein intake should be varied with your goal.

For instance, the age requirement of protein increases, and people habituated to strength training requires less protein.

In short, there’s no universal one-size protein consumption applied to everyone.

Hence, these falsified protein myths bodybuilding debunks here.

Myth #7: Eating Protein Every 2-3 Hours

No, you don’t require to have protein at intervals of every two hours.

Studies have observed the activation of muscle-building signals in reply to the ingestion of protein.

However, this study was conducted on resting subjects.

The signal to stimulate muscle growth went back to baseline around 180minutes after protein consumption.

The duration of time after protein intake is known as muscle full effect.

This is what gives rise to the idea of chasing muscle gains.

In fact, you need to continuously make up your protein intake to keep these muscle-building signals consistent.

Recent studies show a delay in the muscle full effect for around 24 hours after resistance training and workouts.

This eventually indicates protein intake the whole day, not within a few hours of workout plays a vital role in your hypertrophy.

In terms of planning meals, reports suggest that eating 6 or more meals daily doesn’t get explicitly impressive results.

Or, it doesn’t boost the availability of protein dramatically.

Myth #8: Think In Terms Of Total Leucine, Not Total Protein

The idea that the human body absorbs the only 20g of protein every meal comes from research about egg and whey proteins.

In fact, the human body acts rapidly to absorb these two specific types of protein. Thus, consuming 20g of these proteins every meal gets the utmost stimulation of muscle proteins.

People conclude the results of research as exceed protein consumption over 20g won’t get you any benefits.

Hence, the protein myths bodybuilding continued and still is established as a ceiling for protein consumption.

However, the reason behind the 20g of whey and egg protein getting maximum protein stimulation was due to amino acid Leucine.

Actually, it is implicitly responsible for interchanging on anabolic muscle protein signals.

Just 20gm of these proteins provide with 1.8g of Leucine which is its limited intake for a time being.

To get the same amount of the amino acid from lean beef, you have to consume 113g of it. If brown rice is your preference than the amount goes to 48g.

In short, the limit of what amount of protein you should consume entirely depends on what amount of the meal would get you 1.8g of Leucine not the amount of protein you have.

Myth #9: Whey Is Great Protein and The Best

When it comes to the protein quality, it doesn’t depend on the quantity of Leucine the protein comprises.

Studies led to make people believe that whey is better than any form of protein give in the same amount.

When researchers compared the quantity of Leucine in 20 grams of whey to 20 grams of brown rice protein, the results were surprising.

Whey received higher makes because it encompasses a greater amount of Leucine per gram.

Still, that doesn’t make it the best or only way to get protein.

Further, they looked at the amount of Leucine in other proteins, instead of the number of proteins.

They found some sound facts. The activation of muscle-building signals was likewise in the different kinds of protein once they have got 1.8-2 grams of Leucine.

For instance, 48 grams of rice protein or 25 grams of pea protein have the same amount Leucine i.e. 1.8 grams.

You can receive the same amount of protein from 20g of whey.

Whey comprises a high concentration of Leucine.

However, you can receive the same amount of Leucine with other proteins as well. You just need to eat more quantity of them.

If you are on a vegan diet, having whey in a greater amount can cause intestinal distress.

In fact, if you don’t lose a bit by relying on a plant-based protein like pea protein.

You just need to have 25gm of proteins instead of 20gms of whey to get the required Leucine dose.

Protein Myth Bodybuilding | FAQs

After the debunked protein myths, people usually have some common queries in relation.

Here we’ve have tried to answer them all.

#1: How Much Protein Do You Really Need Bodybuilding?

Daily protein intake entirely depends on your goals and requirement of your body.

However, people inclined to bodybuilding and weight training has specified suggestion my their coaches. In fact, they have to take 40 of their calories as protein.

For an athlete or bodybuilder on a 4000 calorie diet has to have at least 400gm of protein daily.

You can use Protein Calculator Bodybuilding to calculate protein for your diet.

#2: Is 1g Of Protein Per Pound Too Much?

Of course, it’s a widely documented fact that a higher protein diet boosts muscle development and strength gains.

However, several studies suggest you have to take at least 0.6 Grams Of Protein Per Pound.

However, some suggest that more than 0.8 grams per pound (1.8 grams per kg) have no significant benefits.

Whereas some studies suggest having 1 gram of protein per pound is best. As a sum up, we can suggest you have anywhere between 0.6-1gms of proteins per pound of your weight.

#3: Is Protein Really Necessary To Build Muscle?

Having proteins in a significant amount increases muscle development. Actually, it activates the flow of signals to promote muscle building.

We suggest you have the amount of 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight daily.

In fact, athletes and bodybuilders wanting to bulk up muscle need to double up these dosages.

#4: Can You Eat Too Much Protein Bodybuilding?

Having more than 30 to 40 percent of your diet from protein is too much.

This quantity maximizes hypertrophy while leaving small room for optimal level of other vital nutrients. In short, have more proteins but keep your diet balanced.

These were top 9 Protein Myths bodybuilding assumed as truth.

So, the next time someone at the gym hit with this superstitious myths, just bump them up with these facts.

Do your friends believe in these stupid myths? Why not share this article with them?

Have you got any other protein myths that we missed out on? Tell us in the comment box!

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