How important is protein? And how much does a typical athlete need?
Muscle protein is constantly being built and broken down. We don't store excess protein as protein or amino acids so we need to get adequate protein from our diet each day. Though athletes have an increased need for protein, fortunately most have no trouble meeting these needs and it's easy to do through a healthy, balanced diet without protein supplements. Protein requirements for endurance athletes are 1.2 to 1.4 grams/kg body weight/day and resistance and strength-trained athletes may be as high as 1.6 to 1.7 grams/kg body weight/day. A growing teenage athlete may require 1.5 to 2 grams per/kg body weight/day to support both growth and muscular development.
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