Category: Strength

Strength: articles about getting strong: pushing, pulling, and lifting more weight.

Bodybuilding and Protein

I was impressed (and a bit surprised) at what I learned in Brad Pilon’s How Much Protein book.  I’ve saved a lot of money on supplements since reading it.

I thought I’d share some research I found while discussing/debating nutrition on a bodybuilding forum:

Although definitive dietary recommendations for various athletic groups must await future study, the weight of current evidence suggests that strength or speed athletes should consume about 1.2-1.7 g protein/kg body weight.d-1 (approximately 100-212% of current recommendations) and endurance athletes about 1.2-1.4 g/kg.d-1 (approximately 100-175% of current recommendations). These quantities of protein can be obtained from a diet which consists of 12-15% energy from protein, unless total energy intake is insufficient. There is no evidence that protein intakes in this range will cause any adverse effects. Future studies with large sample sizes, adequate controls, and performance as well as physiological/biochemical measures are necessary to fine tune these recommendations.1

This is fairly consistent with what I’ve learned from the before-mentioned protein book, and it is less than the “1 gram per lb of body weight” you’ll keep hearing in bodybuilding circles.

Let’s do a few calculations for those of us more familiar with pounds.  Right now I weigh around 195 lb.–88 kilograms.  Multiply that with the lower end of the suggested requirement (1.2 grams) and you end up with a protein requirement of 105 grams a day. This is consistent with Brad Pilon’s conclusions, and it’s about half of what the typical muscle magazine article would suggest.

I actually eat around 80-90 grams/day, and I’ve seen no negative effect on strength or muscle mass.

I’m not saying eating a gram of protein per pound of body weight is bad for you.  I’m simply challenging the notion that extremely high levels of this macronutrient are necessary to build (or maintain) muscle.

I’m also not saying you shouldn’t use protein supplements.  I still use them for the sake of convenience, but I spend less money them now.

Reference:

1. J Sports Sci. 1991 Summer;9 Spec No:53-70. Effect of exercise on protein requirements.

Testosterone Boosters Review

I’d like to share my review on the classification of supplements known as “testosterone boosters.”  Supplement manufacturers claim these pills and powders increase or maximize levels of the manly hormone.

I’ll start this review with three points:

Three reasons why “testosterone boosters” are worthless:

1.  First and foremost, the wrong people are often the most eager to buy this kind of supplement. 

I regularly see guys in their 20’s wanting to take them or asking which one is the best (on forums, etc).  Please read carefully: if you are in your 20’s, you are already in your natural peak of testosterone production.  Your hormones are most likely not the limiting factor in your gains (I’d say the same thing to guys in their 30’s).

2. This kind of supplement also doesn’t have a great track record as far as real research goes. 

I remember when tribulus terrestris hit the market back in the 90’s.  It had all the usual hype and “scientific” explanation as to why it would raise t levels.  But one study in 2007 showed tribulus supplementation didn’t make any difference in terms of testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio, strength, or mass.1 An older (2000) study concluded “Supplementation with tribulus does not enhance body composition or exercise performance in resistance-trained males.”2

The industry has changed little–there’s a lot of hype and wasted money with no results to show for it.  I remember another supplement that came out a few years ago with claims of outrageous increases in testosterone levels.  They had “studies” to back their claims, but ATD (1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione) was the main ingredient.  This compound can be mistaken for testosterone.3

3. You’d need a significant increase of testosterone beyond natural levels for it to actually make any difference in strength, size or body composition.

Let’s use steroids as a reference point.  A beginner steroid cycle would be somewhere between 250-500 mg of testosterone a week (it might include other drugs, but this would be the base).  A new user would probably make significant gains by using this dose for 3 months.  But even this beginner cycle is much higher than “natural” testosterone levels: a standard dose of testosterone replacement therapy would probably be around 100-250 mg every 2-3 weeks.

In summary, I don’t see any reason for young men to invest in “testosterone boosters” for the purpose of getting bigger, stronger, or leaner.  Change your diet and exercise program if you aren’t getting the results you want. 

What about older trainees?  Are there any promising formulas out there?

I haven’t seen anything conclusive as far as research goes.  Maca, for example, may be able to affect hormone levels enough to improve sex drive, but the evidence is “limited” at best.4

Here’s another reason to be very cautious: The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition recently published a study on 23 athletes who regularly used “natural (plant-derived) dietary supplements with ergogenic aims.”  15 of these athletes had abnormal hormone levels (estrogen and progesterone). 5 I’m not sure exactly what these subjects were using, but it makes me think twice about taking something that isn’t backed by extensive research.

Conclusion:

I’m 40 years old, so I’d love to find a natural herb proven to safely maximize testosterone. But I’m underwhelmed by what I see right now.  I’ll just stick to strategies to boost my testosterone naturally.

Note: You may want to check out my post on Supplements for Sexual Health.  

Related Post: Prohormones: Hype and History

References:

1. J Strength Cond Res. 2007 May;21(2):348-53. The effect of five weeks of Tribulus terrestris supplementation on muscle strength and body composition during preseason training in elite rugby league players.

2.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2000 Jun;10(2):208-15. The effects of Tribulus terrestris on body composition and exercise performance in resistance-trained males.

3. Steroids. 1980 Dec;36(6):717-21. Immunological interference of the synthetic aromatase inhibitor 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione (ATD) and its metabolite(s) in the radioimmunoassay for testosterone.

4. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010 Aug 6;10:44. Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review.

5. JISSN 2012, June 19 Consumption and biochemical impact of commercially available plant-derived nutritional supplements. An observational pilot-study on recreational athletes