Protein and its part in Soccer Nutrition

Proteins are responsible for approximately 15% of the mass of the average person. It is the main component of muscles, organs and glands, and is crucial in the maintenance of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Without it the body would be unable to replace or repair cells and is required by all humans for growth and development, especially in children and teenagers. It is even more crucial in times of infection, injury and some illnesses as an insufficient protein intake in the diet can result in the body turning to protein already being used for a purpose in the body, for example the protein in muscles. This can then lead to muscle mass decreasing and the long term implications could be life threatening.

Proteins are basically large compounds consisting of smaller units which are referred to as amino acids. Amino acids are, in turn, made up of the smaller elements oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sometimes sulphur. When protein is consumed the body breaks them down into amino acids. They are then chemically changed to provide the body with energy, into urea for excretion or into other amino acids.

The bodies’ protein requirements can be obtained from 20 different amino acids. Eight of these amino acids must be supplied by your diet as, unlike the others, they can not be created from other amino acids. These eight amino acids are referred to as the essential amino acids. The average diet should consist of enough protein to suffice, so there is no need to consume any additional supplements. As many of the foods consumed have a high protein to energy ratio. However if an individual is consuming a lot of ‘empty’ energy (foods that provide energy and no other nutrients), in the form of alcohol and sugar, a deficit may occur. Therefore individuals should be aware of the daily recommended intake to ensure that there is no shortfall experienced.

Protein can found in animal based foods such as fish, meat, poultry and eggs, along with plant based foods such as pulses and beans. However it is not recommended that you only stick to consuming one protein supplier. This is because each product contains differing amounts of the essential amino acids. Even by consuming milk and eggs, which contain almost the ideal mixture of all the amino acids, the individual will not receive the sufficient levels of the essential acids, as the quantity of each within the food is not enough. So for the average individual they should look to consume different types of protein supplying foods to ensure the recommended daily intake of essential acids is reached. As for footballer’s, they should look to consume a little more than that of the average person, between 40 and 70 grams a day depending on intensity of workload, or about 20% of their total daily food intake should consist of protein.