Protein supplementation for muscle strain injuries🥤
A controversial new paper.
Effects of Protein Supplementation During Early Rehabilitation on Muscle Volume and Function After Acute Muscle Strain Injuries: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study Details
This new study recruited 50 athletes who had just suffered acute hamstring or calf strain injuries 🩼
Athletes were randomised to two daily drinks of either….
1️⃣ Protein (20 g)
2️⃣ Isocaloric Placebo
…during their 3-month early rehabilitation phase 🗓
Key Findings
Here is what they found ⬇️
The injured muscle size dropped by -9.4% vs the non-injured muscle ‼️
But there were no effects for protein supplementation on…
📉 Muscle retention
💪 Muscle strength
⏰ Return-to-sport
🔍 Aponeurosis volume
Conclusion
These findings suggest that for muscle strain injuries, total protein supplementation alone may not improve recovery ❌
But total protein intake differences between the protein (1.5 g/kg) and placebo (1.2 g/kg) groups were minimal 🔬
Plus, the daily energy intake was only ~28 kcal/kg which can be considered under fuelling during periods of injury‼️
IMO, you’d be unlikely to see any differences between groups with the above limitations ⚠️
You’re essentially comparing the effects of a slightly less suboptimal dose of protein vs a suboptimal dose, in the context of suboptimal energy intake 🧐