What Can A Protein Supplement Do For You Besides Building Muscle?
While generally thought of as a muscle constructing supplement a protein supplement is much more than a “let’s get huge” magic pill. It offers numerous benefits to health as well as other, lower down the causal chain, beneficial effects. This article will discuss a few of them.
I’d like to start you off with a question, just so that I can get you thinking outside the: “a protein supplement is used to build muscle” prototype. What is the connection between being healthy and packing muscle? One common denominator is good intake of protein. Without an intake of high quality protein you are not going to be neither healthy, nor muscular. This article will explore what you can get out of your protein supplement besides a bulging arm and popping veins — think of those really big bodybuilders.
Before moving ahead I would like to say that even though I think most body builders are intelligent and health consious individuals, I think that their objective of building muscle at any price weakens their bodies. While I do know that some do not fall into this category I would like to waen you to never follow bodybuilders advice to the letter, even when it comes to building and maintaining muscle mass. That being said I consider that a protein supplement is clearly one of the greatest health promoting tools to ever come out of the bodybuilding culture.
Only so we’re clear I would like to say that the intention of this article is to explore the rewards that you get to your health and your athletic prowess that come from the employment of a protein supplement.
Let’s get into some specifics:
Protein is THE macro nutrient as far as your body is concerned. Some of the functions that protein has are:
*plastic (cells are made up of many types of protein)
*making hormones (insulin for instance is a protein, other hormones have protein in them)
*stimulates production of GH and IGF-1 (these hormones help rebuild your body and keep you young, this is the stuff Sylvester Stallone utilizes to look the way he looks at 60+)
*fostering anabolism (protein helps curb tissue breakdown and preserves lean muscle mass - a very reliable biomarker of the health of an individual)
*metabolism (is stimulated through many paths, from hormone regulation, to neurotransmiter buildup and even through the fact that protein is tougher to digest and therefore demands of your metabolism to step-up its output of energy)
*arouses satiation (protein it is the most hunger squelching nutrient)
*bettering insulin sensitivity (this is simply because neither fat, nor protein causes the release of insulin - except in very small quantities)
*getting shredded (by raising your protein consumption you will automatically have a lower percentage of calories that is derived from fat or carbs, this will lead to a lowering of body fat percentage, particularly if you make sure to feed often)
A quality protein supplement - ie one that has no fillers and additives, has a good amino acid profile and is not allergenic to you — is one of the most simple, low-cost and convenient ways to nurture your health and ameliorate related things like memory, strength, athletic performance etc.
A important thing to understand is that improvement in metabolisim and hormone modulation promptly translates itself into numerous good things in your body.
Let me give you some examples of what I mean
A higher protein intake makes it simpler for your body to make and keep lean tissue mass (muscle). This reduces your blood pressure, makes living life more easy (no huffing and puffing when going up the stairs or lifting things), supports weight loss, increases your metabolic rate, redues insulin resistance and improves your sense of well being.
You will also look and feel younger. This is due to building healthy skin, having a leaner body and a smile on your face (guaranteed to improve attractiveness).
Protein also makes your nervous system run more efficiently. It causes this by helping you construct neurotransmiters and hormones. Hormones such as human growth hormone increase bone density, muscle masss, metabolism and even touches on psychological factors.
This article has taught you some of the benefits that you can expect from utilising a high quality protein supplement.
Caution, protein sources differ wildly in their consequence on the individual human body. Things good for you, might be detrimental for your kid. You can learn a wealth of informaiton on picking out the best protein here.
I highly recommend this article on selecting the best protein: Best Protein
I also highly recommend this article, my unique contribution to the protein supplement debate, Blood and your protein supplement: Protein Supplement and Blood