More protein in your breakfast or snacks won’t give you more muscle without more work – a biologist separates the science from the marketing

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Do you really need all those protein supplements in your diet? | Image used for representational purpose only | Photo Credit: File Photo

) Growing up, my brothers were fascinated by the first “Rocky” movie. They were trying to get stronger and excel in sports, so one scene stood out almost as much as Rocky sprinting up the museum steps: Before sunrise, Rocky cracked raw eggs into a glass and drank them.

To a teenager, this raised some questions. Why raw eggs? Was this what you needed to build muscle and become stronger? Curiosity eventually won, but one gulp was enough. The drink was as nasty as it looked. The scene was as much about showing Rocky’s toughness as it was about making a protein-rich drink to become stronger.

Today, Rocky’s raw eggs have been replaced by protein shakes, bars and protein-enhanced everything. Grocery shelves are filled with protein-enriched cereal, pasta, chips, coffee, bread and even protein-fortified Pop-Tarts . When a breakfast pastry known mainly for sweetness and convenience is marketed as a protein source, it is clear that food companies are capitalizing on consumers’ growing interest in protein .

As a researcher who studies proteins essential for nerve and muscle cell function, I am accustomed to thinking about what scientific evidence actually shows. There is good science around much of the current enthusiasm for protein. But many people are already getting adequate amounts of protein in their diet.

So as someone also approaching the protein mania as a health-conscious consumer, I believe it’s also important to separate the marketing push to add protein to everything from what is really necessary for good health.

Along with carbohydrates and fats, protein is one of the three macronutrients you need to eat in adequate amounts for your body to function. Carbohydrates and fats are your major sources of energy. While protein can also be used for energy, its main purpose is building and repairing the body.

Protein is necessary to build and sustain muscles. This includes the skeletal muscles that Rocky uses to sprint and box, the muscles that allow your heart to beat, the muscles that squeeze food through your stomach and intestines, and the muscles that open up your airways to breathe.

But muscle is not the only body part that needs protein. Protein is also important for the functioning of your nervous system, immune system, skin, hormones and other essential components.

So protein is not just “muscle food.” It is needed throughout your body, even though the marketing of protein-rich foods focuses on muscle.

Proteins are made of amino acids , of which there are 20 types. It’s the combination and number of amino acids, as well as the shapes of the proteins they create, that give proteins different roles in the body.

Your body obtains amino acids by digesting the proteins you eat and breaking them down into these individual building blocks. How well your body absorbs amino acids and makes them available for use is affected by many factors, including the protein source and cooking.