The Rundown

Protein Points. It’s easy to fall down the protein rabbit hole. Depending on who you’re reading, it’s either the most important thing you could possibly do for your health and exercise performance, ever. Or it’s completely overhyped and will harm you in the long run. As with most polarizing things, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Exactly where in the middle is harder to figure out but University of Toronto professor Daniel Moore has some thoughts.

Moore spoke about the current state of the field at a high-performance sports science conference held last month at the University of Toronto. In a recent article, Outside journalist Alex Hutchinson offers some highlights from the talk. Here are a few of his takeaways:

-Protein isn’t just about muscle. It can also play a role in refueling and rehydrating. Moore discussed research showing that consuming a recovery drink containing carbohydrate and protein rather than just carbohydrate after a hard workout helps your muscles restock their glycogen more rapidly.

Hutchinson notes that this enhanced post-workout glycogen storage with protein seems to matter only if you’re taking in less-than-optimal amounts of carbohydrate. But, the study is a good reminder that protein isn’t just “a set of inert building blocks for muscle: it plays numerous roles in your metabolism that are crucial for both health and athletic performance.”

-Endurance athletes need protein too. In fact, endurance athletes need more protein than the average person but they also need more calories overall than the average person. Training hard means there’s a good chance that endurance athletes eat so much that they will get all the protein they need.

-Does more protein equal more muscle? The latest evidence is summarized in a 2018 meta-analysis that examined the results of 49 studies looking at protein supplementation and resistance training. The main finding was that consuming more protein led to bigger muscle mass gains, up to a point. As of now, the evidence doesn’t support the idea that big doses of protein, for example, 3g/kg/day, are useful.

Moore finished his talk with four pieces of advice for getting the most out of your training:

1. Eat regularly spaced meals and snacks, three to five hours apart.

2. Aim for around 0.3g/kg/day of protein each time.

3. Focus on real food when it’s convenient.

4. Make sure to meet your overall daily energy and macronutrient needs.

Sleep & Weighted Blankets. Suggested ways to improve sleep include exercise, cognitive therapy, relaxation techniques, and avoiding naps. A new study from researchers at Flinders University suggests a simpler solution: a weighted blanket.

The paper reviewed 18 existing studies on the use of weighted blankets as a sleep intervention for people of all ages with a range of health issues. Weighted blankets are typically filled with glass beads or plastic pellets and the idea behind them is that they provide deep pressure stimulation, which can help calm the nervous system. The pressure from the extra weight is thought to mimic the sensation of being hugged.

The analysis found that adults who used a weighted blanket overnight reported sleep and mood improvements, used less sleep medication and even noted better pain management.

The findings were less clear for children. Some studies found weighted blankets provided limited sleep improvements for kids with conditions like ADHD or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) while others reported improvements in children’s daily functioning.

Walk/Back. Those who suffer from chronic lower back pain are typically advised against running or jogging in favor of low impact activities like swimming, cycling or walking. A new study out of Monash University in Australia, the first of its kind, has demonstrated that running might not be off the table. It found that incorporating some running or jogging into a walking program is an acceptable form of exercise for many people dealing with the issue of low back pain.

Forty people aged 18-45 with non-specific lower back pain were assigned either a 12-week run-walk program or put on a ‘waitlist,’ where they continued their usual activities.

The 12-week program consisted of three, progressive 30-minute sessions per week of short running intervals mixed with walking. The participants received their tailored programs digitally and were remotely supported by an exercise physiologist. The running intervals began at just 15 seconds and gradually increased to up to three minutes, depending on the individual’s ability and tolerance. As running ability increased, walking intervals were reduced and participants only moved to the next stage of difficulty if they were tolerating their sessions well and were consistent.

At the end of the trial, the volunteers self-reported their pain levels with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for Pain, which ranges from 0-100 points. They also filled out the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, an important clinical tool used to assess how this chronic condition impacts quality of life.

The results found that the run-walk group reported an average reduction in pain of 15.3 points on the VAS scale and a 19.35 point drop when asked to report their current pain intensity. The control group remained at baseline.

The results are promising but the researchers acknowledge that not everyone has the ability to run and caution that starting any new physical activity to combat lower back pain needs close medical supervision.

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