Protein Intake in NCAA Division 1 Soccer Players: Assessment of Daily Amounts, Distribution Patterns, and Leucine Levels as a Quality Indicator

Dietary protein is required to support recovery and adaptation following exercise training. While prior research demonstrates that many athletes meet total daily protein needs, intake seems to be predominantly skewed toward the evening meal. An even distribution of protein doses of ≥0.24 g/kg BW con...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sports (Basel) 2023-02, Vol.11 (2), p.45
Main Authors: Kwon, Jun, Nishisaka, Morgan M, McGrath, Alexandra F, Kristo, Aleksandra S, Sikalidis, Angelos K, Reaves, Scott K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino acids
Body composition
College athletes
collegiate athletes
Data collection
Dietary intake
dietary protein
Energy
Females
Food
Food and nutrition
Gender differences
Health aspects
Males
Meals
Muscles
NCAA
Nutrition research
Physical training
Physiological aspects
Physiological research
Proteins
Proteins in human nutrition
Skeletal muscle
Soccer
Soccer players
Software
Sports nutrition
Statistical analysis
Student athletes
Variables
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Summary:Dietary protein is required to support recovery and adaptation following exercise training. While prior research demonstrates that many athletes meet total daily protein needs, intake seems to be predominantly skewed toward the evening meal. An even distribution of protein doses of ≥0.24 g/kg BW consumed throughout the course of a day is theorized to confer greater skeletal muscle anabolism outcomes compared to a skewed pattern of intake. Protein quality is also an important dietary consideration for athletes, with the amino acid leucine seemingly serving as the primary driver of the postprandial anabolic response. The present study investigates protein consumption characteristics among a cohort of NCAA D1 soccer players and evaluates differences between male and female athletes. Athletes were instructed to complete 3-day food diaries, which were subsequently analyzed and compared to UEFA expert group-issued nutrition guidelines for soccer players. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner accounted for 81.4% of the total daily dietary protein intake. Most athletes (77.8%) ingested optimum amounts of protein at dinner but not at breakfast (11.1%) or lunch (47.2%). In addition, statistically significant sex-based differences in daily dietary protein intake, meal-specific protein amounts, and protein quality measures were detected. Findings indicate suboptimal dietary protein intake practices among the collegiate soccer athletes.
ISSN:2075-4663
2075-4663
DOI:10.3390/sports11020045