HST_Rihad
Active Member
A nice research (from Brad Pilon's book "How much protein") debunking the common recommendation to take 1-1.5 g protein per pound of body weight.
One of the most interesting studies showing the effect of working out without
any extra protein was published back in 1996. 43 men who were experienced
weight lifters took part in research that involved exercise and weekly injections
of anabolic steroids (testosterone enanthate) for 10 weeks [Bhasin S, 1996].
The men in the study were divided into 4 groups; working out or not working
out, and receiving weekly steroid injections or not receiving them.
* Group 1: NO EXERCISE + NO STERIODS
* Group 2: EXERCISE + NO STERIODS
* Group 3: NO EXERCISE + WEEKLY STEROID INJECTION
* Group 4: EXERCISE + WEEKLY STEROID INJECTION.
It is probably no surprise that after 10 weeks of lifting weights 3 times per
week, the group that was receiving the steroid injections gained a very
impressive amount of muscle (over 13 pounds!).
It is also not surprising that Group 2, (the group who were working out but
didn’t get any steroids) also increased their muscle mass, packing on almost 4.5
pounds of muscle in only ten weeks.
What was surprising is that the men who were injected with steroids and then
sat around doing nothing for 10 weeks amazingly saw an increase in lean mass
that exceeded what the guys working out without steroids gained. Imagine
gaining over 6 pounds of lean mass just by sitting around on your couch all day
not lifting a finger!
Obviously, the group who did not receive any steroids and didn't workout did
not see any change in their lean mass.
So what does a study on steroids have to do with protein? Well, all four groups
were on the same diet. They were all consuming about 0.7 grams of protein per
pound of body weight (roughly 120 grams of protein per day) and about 16
Calories per pound of body weight.
This research clearly shows that approximately 120 grams of protein per day
was enough for a group of men taking steroids and lifting weights to gain 13.5
pounds of lean mass! Even in their steroid-heightened anabolic state, 120
grams was enough to supply all of the necessary building blocks for a 13.5-
pound gain in lean mass.
Interestingly, it was also the same amount of protein that Group 2 the exercise–
only group ate to gain 4.5 pounds of lean mass. So even though we know that
these men consumed enough protein to provide for a 13.5-pound increase in
lean mass, they only saw a third of this increase. The difference was obviously
due to the anabolic effects of the steroids and NOT due to the protein intake.
Since the 120 grams was also the same amount of protein that the control
group ate (who not surprisingly saw no change). It seems apparent the protein
ITSELF did not have any growth promoting effect.