Can I use less protein if I only work 1/2 the body

Why not?

Assuming that a portion of the protein you consume is used to repair and grow muscle, wouldn't there be a prima facie case for saying that less protein is needed if there is less muscle to repair and grow (which would be the case if one only worked out half the muscles in the body).

If there is such a case to be made, then what is the non-obvious reason that you still need the same amount of protein as you claim KC?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ([xeno]Julios @ May 05 2004,6:59)]Why not?
Assuming that a portion of the protein you consume is used to repair and grow muscle, wouldn't there be a prima facie case for saying that less protein is needed if there is less muscle to repair and grow (which would be the case if one only worked out half the muscles in the body).
If there is such a case to be made, then what is the non-obvious reason that you still need the same amount of protein as you claim KC?
Protein intake isnt determined by how many muscles you worked that day...protein synthesis is an ongoing process which is not only determined by training volume.

Protein intake is determined by lean body mass...not by training volume...if the second was the case then protein estimates would be determined by some formula of sets lifted that day. Like for every set you need 5 grams of protein...this is true for glycogen replenishment but not for protein.

Im not a scientist or nutritionist so I cant throw out studies to back this up...just in my 10 years of training and research Ive never heard this to be true.

Therefore I change my answer to:

"IMHO no."

KC
 
I understand that protein is used for things other that reparing muscle tissue, which is why i said I'm assuming a portion of the protein is used to do so.
Protein synthesis may be an ongoing process, but from what little i understand, synthesis increases after hypertrophic stimuli.

Wouldn't this increased rate of synthesis need to be met with a (at least slightly) increased amount of protein?
In other words I'm not saying u can calculate how much protein u need based solely on the amount of microtrauma u induce, but wouldn't it at least be part of the equation?

I really don't know much about this, but as i said, there seems to be a prima facie case for taking in more protein to facilitate the extra burden of increased synthesis. This is the intuition that led the thread starter to ask his question. I haven't yet seen a justified explanation in this particular thread that defeats this intuition.
 
Let me ask around and see if I can get a better answer to this question...Ill post what I find here.

KC
 
From Lyle McDonald who I trust totally on nutrition type questions...I asked if you needed less protein on days you work only 1/2 your body then on days you work your whole body.

"Possibly but why waste mental energy on such s***?
Even then, since protein synthesis is occurring for longer than just a day (24-36 hours), you've got overlapping protein needs."


KC
 
kewl - thanks.

yea that makes sense - the differential amount is probably so small that it wouldn't be practical to account for it, and as he says if you're filling up the exercise split during that prolonged synthesis period you got the overlap.
 
Back
Top