Not only protein and carbohydrates are important

The daily protein requirement is about one gram per kilogram of body weight, sometimes up to two grams after an intensive training session. The daily intake of carbohydrates should be about five grams per kilogram of body weight.

Froböse advises to supply the muscles with carbohydrates and proteins, especially in the first half hour after training, in order to promote their growth. “The carbohydrates stimulate the release of insulin. Insulin, on the other hand, has an anabolic effect, i.e. it is anabolic and thus supports the utilization of the absorbed proteins, ” he explains and recommends consuming about 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrates and 15 to 20 grams of proteins after training.

On the other hand, if the body lacks the necessary carbohydrates, the desired training effect does not occur. According to the expert, many amateur athletes focus too much on protein intake and wonder why muscle building. “If carbohydrates are missing, the body cannibalizes and draws the energy from the fat stores or the muscles themselves.”

However, significantly more proteins than the recommended amounts should not be supplied to the body in the long term. Not only that it turns too much into fat. The bigger problem is that the body overacidifies. As a result, important minerals are lost.

“This can even lead to osteoporosis,” warns Froböse. “Cell function also suffers and the small blood vessels, such as in the kidneys, are also affected by too much protein if you overdo it permanently.”

A mix of different protein sources is best for building muscle. Animal protein, for example in the form of meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese and cheese, can be well combined with vegetable protein sources such as legumes, oats, quinoa, amaranth, almond and oat drinks as well as tofu. “So the body is ideally supplied,” says Froböse.

Protein shakes and protein powders are only useful if you train very intensively, for example for professional athletes or bodybuilders, for whom the protein requirement is significantly increased. Amateur athletes can easily cover their stores through the normal diet.

In addition to proteins and carbohydrates, the micronutrients magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium are also important for the muscles. Among other things, they support the transport of oxygen, promote muscle contractions and the formation of important hormones.

But the best nutrition is of no use if the right training is missing. The sports expert recommends training two to three times a week for muscle building. It is important that you feel a “proper burning sensation” with the stressed muscles during the last repetition. According to the expert, this is the only way to stimulate growth.

After training, the muscles should have enough time to regenerate and grow. “This can take between 48 and 72 hours. You should give them this time if you want to see results,” says Froböse.