High-Quality Proteins: Why Everyone Needs Them!

The ancient quote, “Our food should be our medicine, and our medicine should be our food”, has stood the test of time.

Humans start showing and feeling the impact of aging in early-to-mid adulthood (i.e., in our 20s, 30s, or 40s!).  The good news is that healthy lifestyle choices, including a well-balanced diet with adequate levels of protein, may decelerate this process.

In this article you will learn why you need protein, and how much you should be consuming.  Additionally, we will dive into which food sources are best for protein intake, and why you may want to consider adding a protein supplement to your daily routine.

Why proteins and how much do you need?

Proteins are a major component of all cells, in addition to water, fat, and carbohydrates, and are tasked with executing the information coded and stored in our genes. More commonly known, proteins support growth, repair, and maintain our bodies.  This means that proteins are the first line of defense against aging, including deterioration of the immune system, muscles, bones, and heart. 

Getting sufficient protein in your diet is key to maintaining all critical organs and it is recommended that adult males and females consume minimally 0.8 g protein per kg bodyweight per day. This equates to an average of 64 grams of protein per day for males (80 kg bodyweight (BW)) and 52 grams of total protein for females (65 kg BW).

Keep in mind that age, gender, bodyweight, physical activity levels, and even certain physiological conditions or circumstances, such as pregnancy, disease, and stress, may increase your protein requirements.  In particular, athletes and older adults require much higher intakes to sustain muscle mass, strength, and performance (≥ 1.6 g protein/kg BW/day).

KEY TIP: For convenience, you may use online resources to estimate your individual protein needs, but we recommend that you ask for our advice to safely optimize your protein intake for your needs (contact StayAbove Nutrition™).

Which food source is best for protein intake?

Animal-based foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy) are considered complete sources of protein and generally contain all twenty-plus types of amino acids. Research is clear that animal proteins are better utilized in your body, having higher digestibility, anabolic potential and are of greater quality vs. plant proteins.

Plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds) are certainly an integral part of a well-balanced diet but use caution if you are exclusively using plant-based protein as your protein source.  Plant-based proteins typically lack one or more of the nine essential amino acids needed for optimal body functioning.

Why Use High-Quality Protein Supplements?

Over the last 40 years, research has repeatedly shown that supplementation with high-quality proteins enhances muscle mass, strength, and function, particularly in combination with resistance training. Typically, 20-25 grams of high-quality protein per serving is sufficient to induce muscle benefits in young adults, while older adults may require up to 40 grams per serving. For those populations with higher protein requirements, such as athletes, older adults, vegetarians, and orthopedic patients, protein supplementation may be the only way of ensuring an adequate, daily protein intake.

Why Muscle 5?

One scoop of StayAbove Nutrition™’s Muscle 5 contains 40 grams of high-quality whey isolate and casein proteins from New Zealand and other important nutrients to optimize your muscle benefits (for example, vitamin D, calcium, and creatine).

True to our ‘motto built and backed by science’, Muscle 5 is proven to enhance muscle strength, performance, and lean mass in randomized clinical trials  and is currently used by professional athletes in the CFL.