How does Protein become muscle?

We hear everyday that in order to build healthy muscle in our bodies we need to get sufficient protein, but many of you are still be wondering how does protein actually become muscle?

The simple Answer

Protein is actually the only nutrient that is directly responsible for building muscle. By being a direct precursor to building muscle protein is essential for muscle recovery and growth. Therefore, to build muscle it is essential that proper amounts of high quality protein be consumed at the proper times.

How it works

Digestion Your stomach and small intestines are filled with enzymes which break the protein into peptides - combinations of at least two or three amino acids (a.k.a your body's building blocks). Other enzymes then further break down the peptides into individual amino acids. Transport The amino acids travel directly from your gastrointestinal tract to your liver. While the liver's main job is to detoxify the blood, it also propels amino acids back into your bloodstream for delivery to your muscles. Response Your muscles are essentially bundles of long fibers. Strength training cause microtears in these fibers that signal your immune system to send out a work crew (growth hormone and stem cells) and repair material (amino acids) to the damaged areas. Construction Your DNA acts as a construction foreman: It calls up specific amino acids, directs their deployment, and assigns their roles. The muscle fiber work crew uses the fresh supply of amino acids to weave myofibrils; these are bundles of the protein filaments myosin and actin, which are critical to muscle contraction. Repair And Growth The newly made myofibrils fuse with the damaged areas of your muscle fibers. But microtear repair is more than just a patch job: These myofibrils also help make the muscle bigger and stronger than it was before! Check out the video below from Mens Health Magazine that explains everything in an awesome animated video! With protein playing such an important role in your body it's easy to see why we need plenty of it! If you're looking to get more protein into your diet but aren't a big meat eater, we have you covered, see some of our previous articles below:

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Sources: http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/ipad-exclusive-protein-to-muscle http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/daily-protein-intake/ http://www.webmd.com/men/features/benefits-protein#1