I got up early today and did my HIIT session like always. It felt weird not to lift weights beforehand, but that's the plan for this week.
Tonight I was reading through Metabolic Surge when I came across this quote:
“Your body uses up its protein stores and, just like carb-loading, this creates an urgent need in your body to store the missing nutrient when it gets it again.”
This is a false statement if I've ever seen one. It made me really think because science says that protein cannot be stored.
“Protein cannot be stored and needs to be replenished daily. Muscle wasting can occur if protein intake is inadequate as it may be needed for more important body functions. However, most people eat more than they need in terms of protein. The train of though that strength athletes followed is that the more material you supply the body the more it will build. That is not true. The body will only use the precise amount of protein it needs. The rest will be excreted in the urine and excess amount may even cause liver and kidney strain. It can also cause an increase in calcium loss in the urine as wel as dehydration. ” (http://healthfitness.com.au/diet/nutrition/protein-proteins.htm)
“Protein in the body is used as a building material so it is not really stored in the same way as fat and carbohydrates, but because muscle is frequently broken down and used as energy the whole muscular system represents a huge potential store of energy. Some protein is always used to supply energy.” (http://ezinearticles.com/?Human-Body-Energy-Stores-and-Losing-Weight)
“”The body can use protein most efficiently if protein is consumed frequently during the day. Six small meals, each containing some protein, allows the body to make better use of the nutrient than if you eat it in two or three large meals. And because protein is not stored, not even for several hours, complete protein – a balanced combination of all the essential amino acids plus nonessential ones – must be consumed in the same meal.”” (Jane Brody, Author of Jane Brody's Nutrition Book [as quoted by Tom Venuto in Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle)
“Proteins can’t be stored in the body.” (Tom Venuto in Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, p. 192)
“Because protein can’t be stored for later use like carbohydrates, it’s necessary to consume a complete protein in every meal to stay in positive nitrogen balance.” (Tom Venuto in Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, p. 194)
It bothers me when I read things like this Metabolic Surge quotation that are totally incorrect. If I can't trust what he says about protein, how can I trust what he says about anything at all? It deeply concerns me because so many people use this program and they are getting the incorrect information. I do understand the concept of protein depravation because I used it during my Optimum Anabolics training, but protein depravation simply makes your body suck up the protein when you finally give it some. This is an entirely different situation. Nilsson is making the case for protein being stored in the body in much the same manner as carbohydrates and clearly that is false.
I will be interested in the comments to this blog because I'm certain most of you will disagree with me. That's why I posted the links and references for each quotation I posted.
Until tomorrow…
