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Protein Breakdown!
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Scary words right? The word ‘breakdown’ seems to imply something bad.
So obviously anything that “Prevents Protein Breakdown!” must be good for us.
In fact, if something “Prevents Protein Breakdown!” it’s probably worth at LEAST $49.99 and is the KEY to building rock-hard-super-dense-shredded-muscle! (or at least so says the economy and logic at your local supplement shop)
But, what do we really know about protein breakdown?
Well for starters it is an extremely effective way to maintain functional, non-damaged proteins in your body.
Yep, protein catabolism plays a HUGE role in keeping your body healthy.
Also, it plays a big role in BUILDING your muscles and making you stronger.
Damaged or non-functional proteins in your muscles are identified and ‘tagged’ by your body to be broken down for recycling purposes. This process removes damaged proteins from your muscles and provides valuable amino-acids for anabolic or rebuilding purposes.
In fact, you could speculate that this is an essential first step in the muscle building process.
Protein breakdown also provides many of the amino acids used to build new proteins in other parts of your body. Important things like internal organs and the like. It has been suggested that as much as 80% of the amino acids that come from protein breakdown in your body are re-utilized in protein building metabolism.
Lastly, but maybe most importantly protein breakdown (or more specifically protein turnover) accounts for up to 70% of your resting metabolic rate.
It is a normal, ongoing process of recycling and reusing the amino acids in your body, that contributes to keeping you healthy, functional and that burns a significant amount of your daily calories.
Not nearly as scary as some people would lead you to believe.
Some of the tissues in your body breakdown and turnover faster than others…so not all protein breakdown comes from your muscles. In fact…relative to the rest of your body very little protein breakdown actually occurs in your muscles.
During a 7 day fast, your liver will lose 40% of its nitrogen (a marker of protein breakdown) and your visceral organs (your G.I. system) loses anywhere from 20-28%. Your muscle, skin and skeleton only lose around 8%.
The bottom line is that protein breakdown is an essential part of your metabolism, it allows for repairing tissues and provides amino acids for building new healthy proteins. It powers your daily calorie expenditure and simply does not occur at an accelerated rate in your muscles (but it does play an important role in your ability to build muscle).
BP
PS- Kinda makes you wonder about the education of the people who tell you fasting decreases your metabolic rate AND increases your protein breakdown!
Awesome post man!
I had no idea about all these myths about protein until I read your “How Much Protein” book…pretty eye-opening to me – and I’ve been studying fitness/nutrition for nearly a decade!
Good stuff Brad, keep it up.
Jeremy Reeves
http://www.HassleFreeFatLoss.com
Nice read Brad. I’m already anti-supplement, but getting more anti-supplement by the day the more I read & research stuff like this.
@pnw fitness
Sup companies aren’t the real bad guys in this (not totally innocent either)..typically they just go with what’s popular in the industry.
What’s popular is created by lazy media types trying to create catchy stories… everyone’s involved.
B
@Jeremy Reeves
Thanks Jeremy
Wish you would post to your blog more often. I love these posts. Long may they continue.
Awesome post and gives me even more reason to workout fasted. Its been a while since I have had a protein obsession and life is so much better without it. A breakfast of simply berries, cream and nuts with coffee is something I love and because of the knowledge you share in your e-book and blog I am confident that extra protein is not needed at every meal!
$49.95 indeed!
I know I can always count on you for humor and good sense at the same time. Thanks for another gem, Brad.
[...] of time (starvation) is catabolic, short periods of fasting aren’t. In a recent post titled Protein Breakdown by Brad Pilon, he cited data showing the body targets visceral fat over muscle by a significant [...]
@Jeremy Reeves
Thanks Jeremy!
@Omar
Hi Omar,
I wish I could post more too. Unfortunately, it usually takes me about a week of research to do many of my posts…
I’ll try to start updating with some less science-intense posts
B
@Lani
Thanks Lani!
B
[...] Protein Breakdown, a hugely discussed issue. Brad Pilon recently published this article which talks more about the importance of protein breakdown. [...]
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I definitely need help loosing weight. I am super fat right now.
I already lost like 60 pounds but i still need to lose like 25 more. ive remained the exact weight since july but i cant find motivation to start up again.