Endurance athletes require adequate daily protein to support muscle repair and adaptation. Consensus guidelines suggest approximately 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day, with needs increasing during high-volume blocks or energy restriction. Carbohydrates fuel training, and protein supports recovery and structural resilience throughout the season.
What Protein Is Actually Doing
Carbohydrates may fuel the session.
But protein protects you across the season.
For endurance athletes, nutrition conversations often focus on carbohydrates. And rightly so, carbs support performance output. But what determines whether your body holds up across weeks of high volume isn’t just what fuels the session. It’s what supports their repair.
Protein plays that role.
Muscle Repair and Protein Turnover
Endurance training increases muscle protein turnover. Every long ride, tempo run, or back-to-back session creates mechanical and metabolic stress within muscle fibres.
Protein provides the amino acids required to repair this damage and support adaptation. Without sufficient intake, recovery can drift. Over time, this may affect training quality and structural resilience.
This is why consensus guidelines from major sports nutrition bodies suggest that endurance athletes require approximately 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day, depending on training load.
That range is higher than general population recommendations because training volume increases protein turnover and recovery demands.
Carbohydrate vs Protein: Different Roles
A common misconception is that carbohydrates alone protect muscle.
Carbohydrate:
- Fuels the session
- Maintains glycogen
- Supports performance output
Protein:
- Supports muscle repair
- Contributes to muscle protein synthesis
- Assists adaptation between sessions
They are complementary. Not interchangeable.
After training, research suggests that ~0.3 g/kg of protein supports muscle protein synthesis.
That amount does not replace carbohydrates. It supports the rebuilding process alongside it.
When Protein Needs Increase
Protein requirements are not static. They rise when stress rises.
Needs increase during:
- High-volume training blocks
- Energy restriction or weight-management phases
- Back-to-back sessions with limited recovery time
During these phases, total daily intake becomes more important than any single post-session shake.
The question shifts from:
“What did I have after that session?”
To:
“Is my daily intake matching my training load?”
What Protein Won’t Do
Protein will not:
- Replace carbohydrates with fuel
- Compensate for under-fuelling
- Eliminate fatigue from excessive load
It supports adaptation. It does not override poor programming, insufficient calories, or inadequate sleep.
Endurance performance is cumulative. So is recovery.
What This Means Across a Training Block
Week One Is Easy. Week Eight Is Not.
Early in a block, most athletes feel strong. But cumulative stress compounds.
Protein intake matters most when:
- Muscle soreness lingers
- Recovery windows shorten
- Volume increases, but appetite drops
Under-consuming protein across high-volume weeks increases the risk that recovery drifts below training demand.
Not dramatically. Not overnight. But progressively.
Practical Application
1. Match Intake to Load
During moderate training, intake within the guideline range may suffice. During peak-volume weeks, aim toward the upper end of the suggested range.
2. Distribute Intake Across the Day
Rather than one large serving, distribute protein across meals to repeatedly stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
3. Include Protein After Key Sessions
Post-session intake of ~0.3 g/kg can help initiate repair, particularly when another meal is not immediately available.
4. Use Supplements Strategically
Protein supplements do not replace whole foods. They support total intake when:
- Appetite is suppressed after long sessions
- Travel disrupts routine
- Time between sessions is compressed
BSc High Protein is positioned for that role.
It doesn’t replace carbohydrates.
It helps maintain daily protein intake during high-load weeks.
Plain. Practical. Label-first.
