Consuming extra protein may not always lead to superior gains.
A new study compared subjects who received a traditional protein supplement, a group who received a supplement with a “designer” protein powder with more expensive features, a group who received a placebo, and a group who received nothing.
The subjects who did not receive any additional protein were consuming an average of 100-120 grams of protein per day, while the subjects who received the supplement consumed an average of 140-150 grams of protein per day.
By the end of the experiment, improvements in the bench press and leg press were identical between groups, and neither group gained more muscle. As a result, the authors concluded that the protein supplements had no beneficial effect on participants.
Conclusions
The findings of this study are highly interesting considering that the NSCA and ISSN both recommend consuming roughly 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass, which is presumably more than what the control groups were consuming. In theory, the groups supplementing with protein powder should have seen superior gains.
Thus, the benefits of protein supplements likely depends on the target population. Based off of this study, it seems reasonable to hypothesize that protein supplements are only beneficial to those who already possess a noteworthy amount of lean body mass and have a more difficult time obtaining sufficient protein from diet.
For the majority of fitness trainees, protein supplements will probably not lead to any gains in strength or size.
References
1 Herda A, et. al. Muscle performance, size, and safety responses after eight weeks of resistance training and protein supplementation: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2013; 27(11).