The most basic requirement you have to meet in your quest for enhanced performance is to ensure you have an adequate protein intake. During training you are damaging muscle tissue. Amino acids are used to repair this tissue damage, and are sourced from the body's amino acid pool, which is kept topped up by dietary proteins and amino acids arising from tissue breakdown.

If the dietary intake of protein isn't high enough to meet the demands required to repair damage done through training, the body will scavenge amino acids from other sources to help in repairing the damage. This isn't desirable as recovery will be impaired and muscle growth will be limited.

An important factor influencing muscle growth is called the Nitrogen Balance of the body. Protein differs from both fats and carbohydrates in that, while being composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen as with fats and carbs, protein also contains nitrogen. This is important as the amount of nitrogen present in the body determines whether the body is building, maintaining, or breaking down muscle tissue.

The body is said to be in Nitrogen Balance when the amount of nitrogen ingested in proteins, equals the amount of nitrogen lost through urine and faeces, a situation that occurs in all normal, healthy adults. When protein synthesis exceeds protein breakdown and loss, the body is in positive nitrogen balance. Positive nitrogen balance occurs when muscle tissue is being repaired, if the amount of protein being incorporated into muscle tissue exceeds the amount being broken down and used for energy. This is the ideal situation as this indicates muscle development.

If protein breakdown exceeds the amount of protein being used for repair, a negative nitrogen balance occurs. This can occur during times of stress, periods of over-training, or when the amount or quality of dietary protein is low. If this occurs, the tissues lose protein faster than it is able to be replaced, leading to impaired recovery rates and muscle loss.

How much protein do you need?

So how much protein do you require to ensure adequate protein synthesis and muscle recovery? This can vary depending on age, weight, metabolic rate, and training intensity. If you're training hard and you follow the values set out by the RDA (recommended daily allowance), which recommends around 0.8g per kilo of bodyweight each day, you may find yourself losing muscle and strength.

The RDA figures would have an 80kg male requiring only 64 grams of protein per day. This may be sufficient for the sedentary individual with a low energy demand and low muscle percentage, but is massively insufficient for anyone who engages in even a low level of physical training.

Various studies have shown that hard training athletes may require up to two and a half times the RDA - at least 2 grams of protein per kilo of body weight each day, to ensure adequate muscle repair, with some strength coaches suggesting upwards of 3g/kilo.

Obviously these requirements will vary due to training intensity, and so the amount of protein required during a maintenance training phase won't be as high as perhaps a mass/strength phase, but by aiming for around 1.5 to 2 grams per kilo of bodyweight per day, you should be meeting your body's requirements.

It is a good idea to use various protein sources for your requirements - lean red meat, chicken breast, tuna, salmon, egg white, and whey protein are all good sources of protein and each have benefits unique to themselves.

While Whey protein is recognised as a superior protein source due to its high BV value (BV - Biological Value is a measure of how well a protein is utilised by the body, taking into account its amino acid profile, solubility and digestibility), one shouldn't discount whole food protein sources as they can offer various benefits besides their use as a protein source:

- Salmon: high in the healthy essential fatty acids Omega 3, DHA and EPA

- Cottage Cheese: Naturally high in the conditionally essential amino acid L-Glutamine, Absorbed more slowly than whey protein so suitable for use before bed to help provide a sustained release of protein whilst sleeping.

When should you use a protein supplement?

The most important time for the use of a whey protein supplement is within 30-60 minutes of finishing training. This can offer advantages over whole food protein sources due to its high BV allowing it to be quickly and easily utilised by the body helping ensure adequate recovery and muscle development. To ensure optimal energy levels, it is recommended to eat regular smaller meals. Many advanced trainers eat around six meals per day. Due to the inconvenience of having six whole food meals, two or three of these meals may consist of a whey protein or liquid meal supplement, i.e. post training, mid morning and mid afternoon, and can be combined with some form of whole food carbs like fruit, yoghurt, or wholemeal bread.