Protein Intake for Athletes in Training
by Melinda Burris

Eating a balanced diet is important for everyone, but it is particularly important for athletes in training or competition, so their bodies have the right combination of nutrients to allow them to perform to their best ability.

The nutrition supplement industry is huge, and marketing persists that pushes a variety of protein powders, shakes, and performance bars. It is vital that you track your protein intake along with your carbohydrate intake so that your body has the fuel it needs from carbs and the rapid recovery times adequate protein consumption provides.

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Do you know how much protein you need when exercising? Judging by all the protein bars, shakes and powders out there, you could be led to believe you need a protein supplement. Research shows that most Americans “meet or exceed their daily protein needs” from a combination of natural sources including meat, poultry, and eggs.¹ Athletes require more protein than the average person; but they also require higher caloric intake, so this is an issue that resolves itself if you are tracking your calories and adhere to a balanced diet.¹

Whole Food Protein Sources

Experts say that whenever possible it is best to get your protein from whole food sources. If you are looking for plant-based sources, think soy, nuts, seeds and/or beans and lentils. You can also incorporate lean meats such as fish, seafood, skinless white meat chicken, poultry, or turkey, egg whites, and low-fat dairy.^1,2 Although protein powder shakes and smoothies have become increasingly popular, they offer no additional muscle building components and lack the additional nutrients whole foods provide.

It’s vital to be aware that the body converts excess protein to fat so watch your caloric intake and with the advice of your trainer and/or nutritionist, adjust it so that your needs are being met based on the intensity of your training/competition level. Other reasons to carefully monitor your protein level are research showing that regularly eating a diet high in protein levels can lead to health risks such as heart and/or kidney disease.¹

The scientific community agrees that the average person’s protein consumption should account for 10-35% of their caloric intake. If you are in training, you will want to increase your protein consumption by a margin of 1.2–1.7 grams/kilogram based on your body weight.¹

Protein Intake Timing and Nitrogen Balance

While many people tend to consume more protein during their evening meal, experts agree it is better for you to spread your consumption throughout the day, spreading it over the three primary meals and snacks. New research studies demonstrate that by making sure to increase protein intake at breakfast you can more easily manage your weight as you will have fewer hunger pangs throughout the day. While the standard recommendation is for individuals to include 15–30 grams of protein with each daily meal, it can be difficult to calculate exactly how much an athlete in training needs as there are multiple variables including the type of sport and the training regimen involved.^1,2

A standard for accessing individual protein needs is nitrogen balance, which refers to the amount of protein (nitrogen) ingested each day compared to output (through urination).²

To optimize protein consumption to get the most recovery assistance, most athletes consume whole proteins either before or immediately following (within 30 minutes) of exercise sessions. Taking care to consume adequate protein amounts during this timeframe, frequently referred to as the “anabolic window” will also help you to maintain your energy level so you feel less drained following intensive training.²  It should be noted that studies suggest eating a high protein meal or snack prior to training is beneficial in fueling training sessions and aiding in post-training recovery.²

Experts emphasize that the details of  protein timing for optimal muscle protein synthesis correlated to energy output and muscle recovery from exercise is a contested topic in literature reviews. For example, while a 2002 research study concluded that ingesting 6 g of essential amino acids promptly after completing a training session resulted “in a  twofold increase in protein balance”, the same study concluded that increasing protein intake above this level did not impact muscle protein synthesis in a meaningful way.² It is interesting to note that while higher protein consumption does not appear to improve muscle recovery, studies suggest it may have psychological benefits such as reducing stress.²

Muscle Protein Synthesis
There are numerous sources of protein, of varying quality. As mentioned above, it is best to rely on whole foods for the majority of your protein consumption. However, it is understandable that many athletes find the use of protein powders and shakes convenient. If you decide to use these options keep the following in mind:

• Look for products containing whey and casein proteins as these rank high in quality.²
• Vegetarians, vegans, and others looking for plant-based alternatives will need to monitor their intake more closely as these protein sources typically rank lower compared to animal-based protein sources.²
• A drawback of plant-based protein sources is that they are generally missing at least one of the essential amino acids necessary to make a complete protein. A strict plant-based dietary approach often requires supplementation.²

It is important that you properly evaluate the quality of your protein sources because the body requires “all of the essential amino acids in the correct amounts and proportions to increase muscle protein synthesis.”²  This is the metabolic process the body uses to produce protein and aid in recovery by repairing muscle damage from high-intensity exercise.

Takeaways

• Whole food protein sources are preferred because they have all the essential amino acids for complete protein, assisting in the muscle recovery process.
• If you choose to use supplements such as shakes or protein powders, animal-based sources are higher in quality.
• As when using any supplements, be sure to read the ingredient list carefully to avoid hidden additives including added sugars and excess amounts of caffeine which can lead to dehydration.
• A diet higher in protein than the recommended levels has not been shown to improve the muscle recovery process.

References:

1. Mayo Clinic. (17 July 2023). Assessing Protein Needs for Performance.
2. John, Alex. (24 March 2025). How Much Protein Do Athletes Really Need?
3. Fitzgerald, M. (2025). Rethinking the 60% Carbohydrates Rule.

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