Sports Nutrition Series: Can Eating High Protein Diet Alone Make You Gain Muscles?

It's a common misconception to think that gulping down protein shakes, or having lots of chicken breasts a day alone can lead to muscle gains 💪.

Sure, consuming protein is needed to stimulate the process of muscle protein synthesis (MPS). When muscle protein synthesis > breakdown, muscle growth occurs. With more protein in our diet, our energy intake also increases, creating a positive energy balance which stimulates anabolic effects (cells and tissue growth in the body)🧐.

❗Bear in mind positive energy balance often leads to overall weight gain, which isn't always ideal for those who are weight conscious or already overweight.

But....when the positive energy balance is combined with resistance training, it ensures that the anabolic effects are directed at our skeletal muscles 🤩! In fact, study shows that in untrained subjects, an energy surplus of ~2000 kcal combined with resistance training allows a 100% weight gain which only comes from lean body mass 💯💯

So if you're keen to go on a high protein diet for muscle gain, exercises like resistance training is a hell yeah 😂

一個常見的謬誤是大口喝下高蛋白質飲品，還有單單在一天裡吃很多雞胸肉就能令肌肉增加。

沒錯，我們需要攝取蛋白質來促進肌肉蛋白合成作用。當肌肉蛋白合成作用> 分解，肌肉就會增加。我們的飲食中含有更多的蛋白質時，我們的能量攝取也隨著提升，使能量處於正平衡，從而刺激合成代謝（身體細胞和組織的生長）。

謹記能量處於正平衡一般會導致整體體重上升，但對於很在意體重和已經超重的人來說並不理想。

但是⋯⋯當能量處於正平衡再加上阻力訓練，就能確保合成代謝是在我們的骨骼肌上產生！事實上，有研究顯示在未經訓練的項目中，約2000卡路里的過剩能量配合阻力訓練會讓你有100%的淨體重增長！

所以，如果你希望為了增加肌肉而實行高蛋白質的飲食習慣，像阻力訓練的運動簡直是完美 :D

References:

Iraki, J., Fitschen, P., Espinar, S., & Helms, E. (2019). Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 7(7), 154. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7070154

Carbone, J. W., & Pasiakos, S. M. (2019). Dietary Protein and Muscle Mass: Translating Science to Application and Health Benefit. Nutrients, 11(5), 1136. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11051136

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