This Is Why You Need to Take a Break from Protein Once in a While

We all know that in order to build an appreciable amount of muscle mass, you need to eat protein and lots of it! You can hear the same advice in the gym from the bros, you can read it on the Internet, and you can read it in magazines, repeated over and over again, ad nauseam. It’s practically bodybuilding gospel. And all of it is true.

It is essential that, especially if you are a bodybuilder or an athlete, you consume a greater quantity of protein throughout the day than the average person. However, the main point of dispute is how much more?  What is the optimal amount and is it really that important to always have lots of protein in every meal, especially the post-workout one? Well, you might be surprised by the answer.

What remains unchanged is the proper timing of your meals throughout the day, and never allowing yourself to starve, which should be the two general rules of every day in the life of a bodybuilder. However, sometimes not consuming enough protein gives your digestive system its much-needed rest because it’s been suggested that this resets your metabolism’s capability of building new muscle.

Numerous studies have come out confirming this concept. The research has shown that the protein we consume can influence the serum myostatin, thus influencing the growth of new muscle mass. The compound myostatin is a so-called negative muscle growth modulator. This means that the less myostatin you have, the more muscle you can build.

A study was made where the scientists focused on the process of satellite cells’ activation by dietary protein. Satellite cells are the precursors to the skeletal muscle cells, which means that they have a vital role in our bodies’ adaptive response to the training stimulus. There were 21 participants, mostly healthy males, which were randomly selected into two groups. The first group ate 1.2g of protein per 1kg of body weight and the second group ate 0.1g of protein per 1kg of body weight.


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