Bodybuilder’s protein intake: confronting the practice with the scientific evidence through a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Bodybuilders seek for muscle development and definition, and, for this, they have a specific training and nutrition routine. Objective: Evaluate the protein consumption by bodybuilding athletes and compare it to scientific evidence. Materials and Methods: This is a systematic review, with data search in the PubMed database on September 8, 2020. Articles published between the years of 2010 and 2020, and that evaluated the protein consumption by bodybuilding athletes, were considered eligible. Results: 284 references were found, of which 6 met the eligibility criteria, with a total of 128 male and 27 female athletes evaluated. The highest average protein consumption presented during the off-season phase was 4.3±1.2g/kg/day, and during the pre-contest it was 3.56±1.43g/kg/day. Discussion: Protein consumption was above the recommendations brought by ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) and ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition), 1.2 to 2.0g/kg/day and 1.4 to 2.0g/kg/day, especially during the off-season phase, while normal values ​​are observed during the pre-contest phase. Conclusion: Studies indicate the absence of elements to affirm that the protein consumption above the recommendations may cause some risk to the athlete's health, however, the uncertain outcomes that renal overload can cause in the long run requires attention. Nutritional approaches are important to maintain a balanced diet, avoiding micronutrient deficiency.