Which Are the Most Important Nutrients for Building Muscle: Protein / Carbs / Fats?
Protein is important for building muscle, but other nutrients play an important role, too.
If you were to ask most people what it takes to build muscle, they'll probably say that you just need to eat protein, protein and more protein. Protein is important, to be sure. After all, your muscles are made of protein, and so your body does require adequate protein in the diet in order to have the building blocks it needs to build up muscle mass. But, protein alone won't do - you need to pay attention to the rest of your diet, too.
Related Article: What are carbohydrates and how many 'carbs' do you need?
A lot of men who are trying to bulk up are also trying to lose body fat at the same time, but sometimes the approaches they use to meet those goals are at odds with each other. They'll take in plenty of protein, which, when coupled with a strength training routine, should lead to more lean mass. But, they may also cut their total calories back too far in an effort to get "shredded."
And that can be a problem because if you cut your calories too much, some of the protein that you eat is going to be burned for fuel, rather than being used to support muscle development. So, to effectively build muscle mass, you want to ensure that you have enough calories to support your activity, and the right balance of nutrients, too.
- Carbohydrates: Many bodybuilders see carbs as the enemy, and that can be a mistake. Yes, highly refined carbohydrates and sweets hardly do the body good, but the right carbohydrates (found in whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables) help to fuel activity, including working muscles. Without adequate carbohydrate to fuel your exercise, some of the protein you're eating might get burned for fuel. So, to avoid "burning the candle at both ends," make sure to include enough high-quality carbs in your diet.
- Fat: Dietary fat is sometimes under-appreciated by some athletes and, like carbs, fats may have an undeserved bad reputation. Small amounts of the right kinds of fats are really important. That's because certain fatty acids - the building blocks of dietary fats - are essential because the body can't make them. Fatty acids are a vital structural component of every cell membrane (including muscle cells) and the body relies on fat to fuel moderate intensity, longer-term exercise, just the type of exercise that might be coupled with a strength-training regimen to build mass and lose body fat. Focus on the "good" sources - like nuts, seeds, fish, olive oil and avocado.
- Protein: Eating the right amount of protein is important for stimulating muscle development, but so is the timing of protein intake. The process of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) is stimulated by strength training activity, but it is also stimulated when you eat protein, too. This is one reason that strength-training athletes should aim to spread their protein intake fairly evenly over meals and snacks throughout the day. MPS is greater under these conditions than it is under a more typical pattern in which little protein is consumed in the morning, a bit more a lunch and then a large amount at dinner. And, a bedtime snack containing about 25g of protein can help to stimulate MPS during the night.
At this point, there's nothing to suggest that "fast" proteins are better than "slow" proteins (or vice versa) - what's more important to know is that protein needs can be met from both plant and animal sources. With careful planning and attention to total intake, even vegetarians or vegans can consume enough protein to support muscle development.
