FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN PRE-SEASON PACKING IN THE PROTEIN

Today’s sports section of the New York Times (Aug. 31, 2013) featured Taylor Lewan, top offensive lineman on the University of Michigan football team.  Of interest to me were the 3 paragraphs discussing his diet.  According to the article, Lewan consulted with the team’s nutritionist who has him eating a diet that essentially consists of eggs, tuna fish, chicken breasts and olive oil.

Aside from the culinary aspects of this diet (it’s hard to imagine enjoying this regimen), these recommendations go squarely against accepted sports nutrition precepts.  Much research has been conducted aimed at uncovering the optimal amount of protein necessary to build strength and muscle.  While much work remains to be done, it is hard to find a sports nutrition scientist who will advise such large amounts of protein.  A number of studies have provided increasing amount of protein to athletes and monitored such changes as short term muscle protein synthesis (manufacturing the proteins that make up muscle in the hours after a lifting session) as well as long term increases in strength and lean body mass.  What they have found is that protein up to 20-25 grams at a time will promote increased muscle protein synthesis, but amounts above that will not be incorporated into muscle or stored for later use.  Rather, it will be broken down and used for other functions.  As best as I can tell from the information given in the article, Lewan’s breakfast and snacks yield over 100 grams of protein at 1 time.  What this means is that most of the protein he is eating will be broken down and used for energy through a pathway similar to that used by carbohydrates.  His total protein intake of well over 300 grams daily is beyond what is needed for long term gains in lean body mass.

Why is this a problem?  Why not pad the diet to make sure?  Most sports nutritionists agree that a primary problem with this tactic is that it results in inadequate carbohydrate stores in the body.  Carbohydrate is the fuel source for working muscle.  Strength athletes are using mostly carbohydrate to fuel their muscles, and it gets used up quickly.  Leaving out the fruits, bread, cereal, potatoes, and other sources of this nutrient will actually put the athlete at a disadvantage when it comes to quick bursts of energy as well as endurance.
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The best diet for the athlete concerned with performance balances the athlete’s needs for all nutrients rather than focusing on one alone.  Lewan would be better advised to eat 25 grams of protein 6 times a day and to make up the difference in calories with carbohydrate rich foods.  For example, a breakfast consisting  of 3 eggs cooked in olive oil with a bagel or 2, fruit and juice would give him a lot more juice on the field.

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