Jamar is a 17 year-old high-school junior who has a chance of starting as a linebacker on the football team his senior year. He is 6′ tall and weighs 175 pounds. His coach has recommended that he gain 10 to 15 pounds over the next eight months, but not at the sacrifice of his speed and quickness. Jamar eats home cooked, balanced meals for breakfast and supper. At breakfast, he also drinks a mega protein supplement that contains 56 g of protein. For school, he packs his own lunches, which usually include two tuna or chicken sandwiches with potato chips and milk. He also has a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack, which typically consists of a protein bar (24 g of protein per bar). He works out in the high school weight room 2 to 3 times per week in the late afternoon. When he arrives home, he studies until the family eats supper, around 7 PM. His final snack of the day occurs just before bedtime, when he consumes another mega protein supplement that contains 56 g of protein.
- Is Jamar getting enough dietary protein to achieve his goals?
- What are the recommended guidelines for protein intake for athlete wanting to gain weight?
- Is it detrimental to consuming diet containing too much protein?
