Our body requires specific amount of protein for different functions. Without enough protein, our body will start to use up the stores, such as the muscles. This is a bad thing, because athletes should have enough muscles mass to make sure that they can perform well. Ideally, athletes should stay healthy and strong, while making sure that they have the proper muscle mass. They should try to keep their overall performance up. They need to carefully determine the proper calorie count. In this case, with the right proportion, they could make sure to sustain the proper sports performance.
Three major macronutrients that our body needs are fat, carbohydrate and protein. All of them can be converted into energy. Our body processes them at different rates and in different ways. The easiest macronutrient that can be digested by our body is fat and we are able to break it down rather easily. Simpler carbohydrate can be broken down more quickly than more complex ones. In this case, athletes could focus on more complex carbohydrates to provide them with an energy source that can last longer. Protein is more difficult to break down and the digestion process itself requires more energy.
When our body breaks down protein, it is turned into simpler substances called amino acids. There are different types of protein that our body can use, such as isoleucine, leucine, threnone, valine, phenylalanine, mehionine, lysine and tryptophan. This requires a type of enzyme called protease or proteinases. Because there are different types of proteins in our body, they are typically handled differently. Trypsin is also needed to break down protein into simple amino acid molecules. The process is known as hydrolysis, because protein is often formed of amino acids that are connected with water molecules.
Some athletes believe that they need a significant amount of protein to sustain their physical activity. In reality, this is not always true. In general, they should know about the proper level of protein needed for the overall daily diet. The more important thing is that the sources of protein themselves should be healthy. They need to be obtained from fresh, nutritious whole foods. With good protein from proper sources, it is possible for them to reduce muscle ache and fatigue. Many athletes turn to protein powders to improve their overall performance. These include protein bars, liquid protein shots, powders and shakes.
Protein powders should be made from proper ingredients, such as egg, soy, rice and whey. There are different types of protein powders and they may be made with specific formulas. Some powders are appropriate for vegans, while others are not. For this reason, vegans may not be able to consume protein powders that contain egg and whey. However, there are still plant-based protein sources that they choose. Liquid protein is also available as shots. They should be easy to carry and portable. They can be consumed in very short time. Athletes can consume liquid during practice session.
