Chris Moffatt
Summary of a Scholarly Journal on Protein Supplementation
Protein supplement use is common among athletes, active adults, and military personnel. Athletes and recreationally active adults commonly cite an increase in muscle mass, improved exercise recovery, and improved exercise capacity as reasons for use of protein supplements. Given the physical and cognitive demands experienced during military training and deployment, it is equally common that active duty personnel report frequent use of protein supplements. This review provides a summary of the evidence base that either supports or refutes the ergogenic effects associated with different mechanisms that have been proposed to support protein supplementation. It was clear that if carbohydrate delivery was optimal either during or after an acute bout of exercise that additional protein will not increase exercise capacity. Evidence was also weak to substantiate use of protein supplements to slow the increase in brain serotonin and onset of central fatigue.
It was also evident that additional research is warranted to test whether the benefits of protein supplements for enhancing recovery of fluid balance after exercise will affect subsequent work in the heat. In contrast, with repeated exercise, use of protein supplementation was associated with reductions in muscle soreness and often a faster recovery of muscle function due to reductions in protein degradation. There was also good supportive evidence for long-term benefits of protein supplementation for gains in muscle mass and strength through accelerated rates of protein synthesis, as long as the training stimulus was of sufficient intensity, frequency, and duration. However, studies have not examined the impact of protein supplements under the combined stress of a military environment that includes repeated bouts of exercise with little opportunity for feeding and recovery, lack of sleep, and exposure to extreme environments.
Works Cited
Pasiakos, Stefan M., et al. "Efficacy And Safety Of Protein Supplements For U.S. Armed Forces Personnel: Consensus Statement." Journal Of Nutrition 143.11 (2013): 1811S-1814S. Environment Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.