Proteins: How to make the most of them, by Raúl Carrasco

There are several times during the day when protein is consumed, and for bodybuilders, things are not so simple, as they need to know how to make the most of it.

Competitive bodybuilders work to take their physiques to the extreme, and this depends on several factors, ranging from sleep and habits to training and dietary manipulation, in which protein obviously plays an essential role.

Although many dietary dogmas in bodybuilding lack scientific scrutiny, several practices, including the timing and dosing of high-biological-value protein throughout the day, have more recently been confirmed by empirical research studies.

Protein: what does science say?

A more comprehensive understanding of bodybuilders’ dietary intake warrants scientific research, with applications in sports and health contexts.

The objective of a 2015 meta-study conducted with competitive bodybuilders and published in the prestigious journal Sports Medicine was to conduct a systematic review of the diet. Here, researchers evaluated the quality and currency of the existing literature and identified research gaps to inform future studies.

• The systematic database search combined permutations of the terms ‘bodybuilding’, ‘dietary intake’, and ‘dietary supplement’.
• Studies were included if they reported quantitative data (at minimum, energy and macronutrients) on the habitual dietary intake of competitive bodybuilders.
• The 18 manuscripts that met the eligibility criteria reported on 385 participants (n = 62 women).

Most quality studies were published in the 1980s–1990s, and three were published within the last five years. Across all these studies, protein intake ranged from 1.9 to 4.3 g/kg for bodybuilders and from 0.8 to 2.8 g/kg for female athletes (including bodybuilders), implying that greater muscle mass requires different levels of dietary protein intake.

Carbohydrate intake was below recommendations, while protein intake in men was higher than current recommendations for strength athletes, without considering the quality or distribution of macronutrients throughout the day.

Science has definitively shown that dietary supplements such as protein powders and amino acids are essential; it also notes that dietary intake practices among competitive bodybuilders are sometimes outdated and often of poor quality.

Proteins: how should they be consumed?

This review suggested that high-quality contemporary research was needed in this area, with the potential to uncover dietary strategies worthy of scientific investigation.

In this case, we are referring to these strategies described a few years ago by Raúl Carrasco (IFBB Pro) and Amix Nutrition athlete, who discusses how, depending on the type of protein and its release pattern (absorption rates), they should be used according to one's goals.

The nutritional concept applies to:

• Breakfast: 1st meal.
• Mid-morning snack: 2nd meal.
• Lunch: 3rd meal.
• Pre-workout: 4th meal.
• Post-workout: 5th meal.
• Dinner: 6th meal.

We present an idea of how a competitive bodybuilder obtains his protein and the ways in which he does so.

Proteins in the morning

In the case of breakfast, the 1st meal:

• After fasting for several hours without eating, the body is in a fairly catabolic state.
• The first types of protein recommended are a fast protein and a medium-speed protein. In this case, he suggests eggs in the form of an omelet mixed with oats, along with another amount in the form of whey isolate—for example, 6 egg whites plus 2 whole eggs with 25 g of isolated protein.

The advice is not to exceed 25 g of isolated protein in a regular meal, since too much protein could exceed the liver's capacity and trigger gluconeogenesis, converting that amount of amino acids into glucose. At breakfast, a solid protein source and a shake can therefore be combined.

In the case of the mid-morning meal, the 2nd meal:

• The professional advice is that the second meal of the day should also consist of eggs only, providing an intermediate protein source.
• He recommends this because it still takes time to bring the body out of that nighttime catabolic state, which cannot be achieved with breakfast alone.

Protein at lunch

This is a key moment, and although everyone has their own schedule depending on the region, time must nevertheless be allowed for digestion.

In the case of lunch, the 3rd meal:

• If there is a meal before training, it should be a meat-based meal; in this case, the meal should consist of half meat and half an egg-protein shake.
• Raúl Carrasco likes to alternate turkey protein in the form of meat, which is similar to chicken but contains even less fat and therefore digests more quickly and does not cause heaviness when training hard; in this case, he consumes about 6 ounces of cooked turkey and about 25 g of egg protein, leaving other types of meat for rest days or pump-focused workouts.

Protein around the workout

In the case of the pre-workout meal, the 4th meal:

• As the workout approaches—an hour to an hour and a half beforehand—take an amount of protein powder or amino acids that is very easy to digest.
• In this case, he suggests opting for amino acids in free form, which, as the name suggests, are in free form and do not require digestion, and therefore will not cause any heaviness during the workout.

In the case of the post-workout meal, the 5th meal:

• Once the workout is finished, Raúl Carrasco recommends an isolate protein; it may be hydrolyzed or an isolate protein produced by microcross-flow or ion exchange, although he prefers microcross-flow.
• Half of the amino acids can also be added to this shake; in this case, this means that instead of adding 50 g of isolated whey protein, you would use 30 g of isolated protein and the rest as free-form amino acids.

Protein at night

In the case of dinner, the 6th meal:

• This is the meal that follows the post-workout meal, where a solid protein source is needed; in this case, meat would always be the choice: white meat such as turkey/chicken, or white fish that contains no fat and has a moderate absorption rate.
• In Raúl Carrasco's case, he likes to mix it with powdered egg protein, which is semi-fast-digesting and accompanies the solid meal, which consists of slow-digesting protein.

This helps the body recover from post-workout catabolism more effectively, as it's important to remember that the post-workout shake alone is not enough to overcome catabolism.

In the case of the night, the 7th meal:

• Before going to bed, allowing some time beforehand, you can have a solid, sustained-release protein source, provided by meat (red or otherwise) and some micellar casein.
• This allows you to make the most of a regular (slow-digesting) protein containing a certain amount of nitrogen, combined with another protein to maintain a constant flow of amino acids throughout the night and achieve nitrogen balance.

Many people have an eighth meal at night, which usually consists of free-form amino acids to help with protein synthesis.

Customizing your proteins

Besides knowing how to combine proteins and make better use of them, did you know you can customize your protein powder?

Many people take protein powder on its own; however, you can take your protein powder to the next level by customizing it according to your needs and goals, whether they involve fitness, lifestyle, or both.

That's right, you can create a one-of-a-kind supplement… and, since we're talking about how Rául Carrasco combines his proteins, you're certainly not him…

Adapt your proteins to your personal needs; protein powders can be used to help meet daily requirements if your macronutrient goals are not met through food alone.

Stacking nutrients

There are countless combinations to use; for example, you can stack protein powder with powdered supplements such as branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), creatine, beta-alanine, HMB, caffeine and/or carbohydrates.

You can even create blended proteins by stacking other high-quality complete proteins, such as slow-digesting powdered casein protein or plant-based powdered soy protein.

How you stack your protein powder can also vary depending on the time of day, and your stacking routine can change according to your needs.

Mixing Nutrients

Protein powders are most often consumed as shakes with water; in fact, they are formulated to taste excellent that way.

However, protein powders can be mixed into virtually any liquid or semi-liquid to change the flavor.

However, you should be careful when mixing with hot or carbonated liquids, as both can cause the protein powder to expand or foam rapidly out of the drinking container.

• Try mixing different “milk” drinks such as almond, rice, or soy milk, although juices such as apple, grape, or blueberry are also excellent options. You can also add coffee or tea instead of milk or cream, although it all comes down to personal taste.
• For example, to help increase nutrient density, you can add foods such as blueberries, strawberries, nuts, and seeds.
• If you want to increase your essential fatty acids, you can add foods such as chia or flaxseed.
• Protein powders also work very well with semi-liquid foods such as yogurt and even cold semi-solid foods such as ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet.

It all depends on you and how you approach your nutrition plan, which undoubtedly needs protein for you to achieve your goals.

Always Experiment

To wrap up these tips, don’t limit yourself when experimenting;

Depending on the type of protein, the powders can provide a creamy, smooth, silky texture or a rich, decadent texture when mixed.

There are also countless unique flavors beyond chocolate and vanilla to choose from, offering a sensational taste experience.

In the kitchen, create delicious baked goods by simply replacing some of your flour or recipe mix with your favorite protein powders. You can make pancakes, waffles, brownies, and muffins, and you can even add them to salad dressings and sauces.

If you’re looking to create a more visually appealing experience, add foods, extracts, seeds, or healthy drinks. You can choose a savory or sweet flavor, but don’t hesitate to experiment to achieve what you want.