It's no secret that protein is a favorite among fitness enthusiasts. In the food pyramid, this macronutrient is known as a building block food, while carbohydrates are considered strength foods and fats are considered extra energy foods. In general, around 50% of a person's body weight is made up of protein, including hormones, antibodies, hemoglobin, etc.  

Proteins are essential for the body to function. They are formed by groups of amino acids through peptide bonds that are organized within us into different structures to perform various functions. In general, proteins are responsible for immunity , muscle contraction and relaxation, tissue nutrition , among many other functions.  

During physical exercise, muscles suffer injuries to their fibers and the proteins in them begin a degradation process , thus causing an expected inflammatory response .  

Hypertrophy, or lean mass gain, as many people say, is exactly the healing process of this injury, where the body is responsible for replacing and repairing these muscle fibers, thus increasing the size of the muscle. However, for this process to occur, it is necessary to stimulate the various muscle groups frequently for a certain period of time and with high loads.  

Remember that a period of rest is also necessary to give time for healing to be effective . Protein is responsible for this tissue repair, as it provides the amino acids necessary for protein synthesis , which is nothing more than the process by which cells generate new proteins.  

For those who practice sports, low protein intake can be a big problem because the torn fibers may not be fully repaired. However, excessive protein consumption does not produce the good results that one might imagine.  

The professional responsible for calculating the amount of protein needed for hypertrophy is the nutritionist . We evaluate the needs of each nutrient as a whole, the energy expenditure according to the exercise modality and the need or not for supplementation so that there is a balance between protein intake and expenditure to achieve satisfactory results.  

It is recommended that protein sources be consumed preferably at every meal in adequate quantities to favor all the physiological processes in which protein participates. The fact is that, overall, a balanced diet represents around 60% of the importance in the hypertrophy process.  

So be kind to yourself! Drink water, exercise, eat real food, have professionals with you who will take you to the next level. Love yourself to the point of living a healthy life !  

Kiss from the nutritionist.