As we have mentioned on previous occasions, protein plays a fundamental role in the performance of any athlete, including endurance athletes. Protein favors muscle remodeling after training, accelerating recovery processes and contributing to adaptations such as muscle hypertrophy. This is of special importance in the case of endurance athletes, since due to the high training volumes they often endure, they can use protein as an energy substrate, thus giving rise to a process of muscle catabolism (loss of muscle mass to obtain energy). For this reason, protein supplementation could help preserve or even increase muscle mass in these athletes.
There is a large number of types of proteins, from the classic whey protein to plant-based proteins. In recent years, beef protein has gained great popularity, and meta-analytic evidence (that is, evidence from numerous studies) confirms its effectiveness for increasing muscle mass and strength in different populations (Valenzuela et al, 2019). However, until now there was no scientific evidence of its effectiveness in elite athletes. That is why a study conducted by researchers such as Pedro L. Valenzuela, Zigor Montalvo, Fernando Mata, and Fernando Naclerio analyzed the effects of beef protein supplementation in elite triathletes (members of the Spanish national team).
In this study (Valenzuela et al, 2020), six triathletes completed 8 weeks in which they daily took 25 grams of beef protein (100% All Beef from Crown Sport Nutrition) and 8 weeks in which they took the same amount of carbohydrates in the form of a placebo, with the order of these conditions assigned randomly. Both periods were separated by 5 weeks during which they did not take any supplements, and before and after each period a series of measurements were carried out, including blood variables and an anthropometric analysis.
At the end of the study, the results showed that after consuming beef protein, athletes presented a higher testosterone-to-cortisol ratio than when consuming carbohydrates (37% higher in the case of beef protein), which reflects a higher anabolic status (and therefore favorable for positive muscle adaptations). In fact, elevated cortisol levels and low testosterone levels can be characteristic of a state of overtraining. In addition, the cross-sectional area of the thigh increased by an average of 3% more after consuming beef protein compared to the period when they consumed carbohydrates (Figure 1), and while consuming beef protein increased the thickness of the vastus lateralis (5% on average), this change did not occur when consuming carbohydrates (-1% on average).
Figure 1. Individual (panel A) and group (panel B) evolution of thigh cross-sectional area when consuming beef protein (BEEF) or carbohydrates over 8 weeks. Beef protein induced a significant increase compared to carbohydrates.
Conclusions
In summary, these results support the effectiveness of beef protein supplementation in promoting anabolic processes and consequently muscle remodeling in elite triathletes, potentially facilitating adaptation to training loads. Furthermore, although in this case no benefits were observed in these variables, other studies have found improvements in hematological variables (e.g., ferritin) due to the high heme iron content of beef protein (Naclerio, 2017), which can be of great importance in endurance athletes in whom anemia is highly prevalent.
Daily protein intake should therefore be increased in endurance athletes subjected to large volumes of training, as these can result in a catabolic state and an excessive loss of muscle mass, which ultimately leads to a loss of performance. Daily supplementation with beef protein (20-25 g per day) seems to be an effective strategy in these cases.
AUTHOR
Pedro Valenzuela
Researcher in the Physiology Unit of the University of Alcalá and in the Performance Control Unit at the Center for Sports Medicine (AEPSAD, CAR of Madrid).
Web: www.fissac.com
Adrián Castillo García
Graduate in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, official Master in Integrative Physiology, University Specialist in Personal Training, NSCA – CPT.
Web: www.fissac.com
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References
– Valenzuela PL, Mata F, Morales JS, Castillo-García A, Lucia, A (2019) Does Beef Protein Supplementation Improve Body Composition and Exercise Performance? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 11: 1429.
– Valenzuela PL, Montalvo Z, Mata F, González M, Larumbe-Zabala E, Naclerio F (2020) Effects of Beef Protein Supplementation in Male Elite Triathletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind, Cross-Over Study. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. In press.
– Naclerio F, Seijo M, Larumbe-Zabala E, Ashrafi N, Christides T, Karsten B, Nielsen BV (2017) Effects of Supplementation with Beef or Whey Protein Versus Carbohydrate in Master Triathletes. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 36(8):593-601.
