Strength Training Athletes

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The American Dietetic Association (ADA), Dietitians of Canada (DC), and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) came up with position statement for the recommended amount of protein different athletes should consume to maintain optimal health.
Athletes whose main mode of exercises is resistance training should consume more protein than the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of 0.8g/kg/day because they need the additional protein for energy and to support muscles growth. Strength training athletes will see significant muscle growth in the early part of their training, and, therefore, will need to consume more protein to keep up with their gains. Once the athlete’s body becomes familiar with the resistance-training program, they could consume less protein since
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There is no tolerable upper limit for dietary protein, although the AMDR for protein intake is 35% to complement the recommendations for carbohydrate and fat intakes (McGuire & Beerman, 2013). So what happens when someone consumes too much protein? Phillips, Moore, & Tang (2007) found a study that stated the more protein consumed the greater the peak bone mass, and it is mediated through levels of IGF-1. There is also the concerned that excess protein can increase the risk of developing renal disease. However, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded, “that levels of dietary protein are not related to the progressive decline in kidney function” (Phillips et al., 2007, p. 66). The chapter on Protein in Nutritional Sciences: From Fundamentals To Food states “high intakes of protein are often accompanied by high intake of fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol” (McGuire & Beerman, 2013, p. 194). Therefore, when choosing to eat high amount of protein it is important to choose food that are lean and low-fat protein to prevent any cardiovascular