Many mainstream dietitians say that those engaged in weight training don’t require any type of protein supplement to promote increased muscle gains. They’re not shy about insisting that buying such supplements is a waste of money. Studies, however, often refute those views. One such study involved 20 untrained men who were assigned to either a protein-supplement group or a group that got dextrose, or sugar.1 The protein was a whey-casein-and-leucine combination. Whey and casein are the two major milk proteins; leucine is a branched-chain amino acid vital to muscle protein synthesis.
Both groups trained three times a week for 10 weeks, averaging three sets of six to eight reps with weights equal to 85 to 90 percent of one-rep maximum. Those in the placebo group got three grams of dextrose daily, while those in the protein group took a supplement containing 40 grams of protein, five grams of carbs and one gram of fat. On training days both groups took their supplements one hour before and within one hour after an exercise session. On rest days they took the supplements once with breakfast.
The results, which included careful measurements of protein synthesis, showed that those on the protein supplement made superior gains in thigh-muscle mass and strength than those in the placebo group.
1 Wilborn, C., et al. (2005). Effects of heavy resistance training and proprietary whey, casein and leucine protein supplementation on muscle strength and mass and MHC isoform mRNA expression. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2:5.
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