Perks Of Protein: What Is Protein Really Doing For You?

I’m going to go ahead and assume you’ve heard protein thrown around when it comes to eating a healthy diet. 

Maybe you’ve heard its most well known role in repairing, building and sustaining muscles in our body?

Maybe you’ve been told it’ll keep you fuller for longer?

But did you know protein is so much more?

Protein is a macronutrient, meaning it is one of the nutrients our body needs in large amounts. Proteins are made up of amino acid chains, responsible for determining the role of the protein within the body. With 20 different types of amino acids, 9 of which are “essential” to consume as part of your diet, there is a lot more protein that is responsible for than just helping you get stronger!

Here’s a look at just 5 of the many important roles protein plays within your body.

 

1. BUILDING, MAINTAINING AND REPAIRING MUSCLE

Let’s kick it off with the most obvious one, the job we all think of first, the role in helping you grow stronger.

Protein is responsible for repairing, rebuilding and maintaining muscle to promote recovery and muscle protein synthesis, helping you grow stronger following any sort of resistance training (or time under load). 

When a muscle is placed under load (like during resistance training), the muscle is damaged and torn slightly as a result of the stress. Protein is responsible for repairing these tears to help you recover, while helping you get stronger to allow your muscles to adapt to better adapt to this stress in future. 

To see the best results in terms of recovery time and overall muscular strength, ensuring you are consuming enough protein every day is crucial, particularly within the 30-60 minutes following any sort of resistance training. This is where using a protein supplement can come in handy if you’re not ready for your next meal or struggle to eat enough protein from whole food sources. Protein powders can help to provide an easy and convenient source of protein to consume immediately post session, as a mid-afternoon pick me up or to help balance any meal (did I mention I’m obsessed with the White Chocolate Caramel Swirl Thrive Protein?). 

2. ENZYMES

Enzymes are proteins that aid, cause and speed up chemical reactions within your body during processes including digestion, breathing and nerve function. 

To give you an example, during digestion, enzymes are responsible for breaking foods down to allow the body to take the energy it needs while also absorbing nutrients that are necessary to perform a variety of roles throughout the body. 

3. HORMONES

Hormones are messengers in your body responsible for signalling actions to your skin, muscles and organs. Protein hormones (also known as polypeptide hormones) are responsible for a variety of responses in the body including growth, development, metabolism and reproduction, and include hormones like growth hormone and insulin. Studies have suggested that, particularly for females, adequate protein consumption can help to regulate some hormones responsible for mood, fertility and overall reproductive health.

4. SKIN CELL TURNOVER

You may have heard of collagen as one of the buzzwords flying around the beauty industry in particular. It’s growing quite the reputation as a powerful ingredient for anti-ageing as well as improved skin, hair and nail health. 

And adding to the list of protein’s credentials, collagen is actually a type of protein!!

As a general rule, skin cells have a life span of roughly 30 days, with new cells constantly synthesised beneath old cells to replace them as they die off or become damaged. Proteins, like collagen, help to promote new production of cells, while also helping to improve skin hydration, elasticity and integrity. For this reason, oral consumption of collagen (like Naked Harvest's Marine Collagen) can help to improve overall skin appearance, strength and elasticity!

 5. A LAST RESORT ENERGY SOURCE

And to wrap it up, protein is your body’s last resort when it’s depleted of all other energy sources!

I mean, kind of. 

Once you have hit your body’s protein needs on any given day, any protein consumed beyond this will be converted and stored as glucose for your body to use as energy.

Despite this, protein is your body’s least favourite energy source and it will always prioritise using carbohydrates and fats as its primary energy source. This is because the process to break down amino acid chains uses a lot more energy than carbohydrates and fats, making it the least efficient source of energy for the body.

Further, in the event of starvation, meaning all energy stores in the body are depleted, the body will begin to break down tissue proteins (particularly from muscle) to provide the necessary energy to keep you and your cells alive. This can lead to loss of fat and lean muscle mass, impacting muscular strength and overall function of the body. 

Protein has definitely become a buzzword, and dare I say, the favourite child when it comes to the macronutrients because of its role in increasing the strength and overall appearance of muscle. However, it’s all the other less talked about roles in the body that really make protein such an amazing nutrient when it comes to keeping you healthy, happy and living your best life.

Need a protein boost? Use my code COURTNEYLAYTHAM for 15% off all Naked Harvest products mentioned in this blog (and the entire website), and support your body the natural way. Enjoy!! 💖