You may have heard of carb cycling, a practice that involves limiting carbs on rest days and consuming high-carb foods on workout days.
This has helped many people conquer their weight-loss and muscle-gain goals without feeling deprived or giving up the benefits of carbs and carb-rich whole foods.
Protein cycling is similar, but with its own philosophy, benefits, and nuances.
Although the research behind protein cycling is lacking (it is a relatively new dietary practice), proponents claim it can be highly effective at helping build muscle, improve recovery, reduce visceral fat, and promote a higher level of fitness and strength training.
Intrigued? Let’s unpack this health and fitness trend.
What is Protein Cycling?
Protein cycling involves consuming a low-to-normal amount of protein on non-workout days and a higher amount on workout days.
It’s most commonly applied to strength training and bodybuilding, though other types of athletes and fitness enthusiasts practice it.
It was created based on an understanding of autophagy, the natural process by which old and damaged cells are recycled, which occurs when we fast (even from dinner to breakfast) or experience a nutrient deficiency.
Proponents claim that this will help the body recover faster, create more energy, and increase its sensitivity to utilizing protein and amino acids on workout days, allowing for more efficient muscle building.
It is also believed that it can aid in weight loss by preventing adaptation to a high-protein diet, creating a caloric deficit on low-protein days, and supporting normal function of appetite-stimulating hormones, although this has not been proven.
Although these claims are not directly backed by science regarding protein cycling, we do know that autophagy provides various benefits to cellular health, inflammatory response, and can help promote healthy metabolism and weight loss.
Many people combined protein cycling with other dietary techniques, such as intermittent fasting or carb cycling, to help enhance results.
How Protein Cycling Works
There are variations in protein cycling approaches, but the general idea is to eat low to normal protein on non-training days and high protein on training days.
Again, the idea is that fueling your body with more protein on training days provides it with the calories and amino acids it needs to recover, while eating less on non-training days creates a caloric deficit, allowing your cells to rejuvenate and thereby enhancing recovery, promoting muscle growth, and supporting weight loss.
What this looks like depends on how much you weigh, and the amount of protein recommended for your health and fitness goals depends on your weight.
For example, the general recommendation for building muscle for men and women is 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight. Many people consume more, but that’s considered the “gold standard”.
This would be considered a high-protein intake suitable for training days.
So on your workout days, you’d consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
If you’re a 150-pound person, that would be at least 150 grams of protein per day.
On the non-workout days, you’d consume a lot less. Some people recommend as little as 25 grams, while others stick to the recommended daily allowance of protein, which is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight.
So a 150-pound person would need around 54 grams daily.
That’s it.
As always, consult your healthcare practitioner before making any drastic dietary changes, especially if you’re already carb-cycling or doing another weight-loss program.
The Potential Benefits Of Cycling Protein
Although protein cycling has not been extensively studied, one of its most significant benefits is that it provides variety in the diet.
As many athletes and fitness enthusiasts will tell you, eating high protein all the time can become a drag after a while and even cause you to eat less of other healthful foods, like fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates, just to make room for your 1 gram per pound of body weight.
Protein cycling helps avoid this by creating more room for nutritional variety and greater flexibility in the diet, making this approach more sustainable.
Other possible benefits of protein cycling include:
- Improved muscle gain: Proponents of protein cycling believe that rest days, combined with lower protein intake, may help make muscles more sensitive to utilizing protein for muscle building.
- Easier weight loss: This may not be the same for everyone, but many people have successfully lost weight, specifically belly fat, by practicing protein cycling either alone or combined with intermittent fasting.
- Faster recovery: Protein cycling advocates promote its use for more rapid recovery due to how autophagy helps rejuvenate cells and reduce inflammation. The additional fruits and vegetables on low-protein days may also help by providing natural antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that support a healthy inflammatory response, as well as carbs, which are also crucial for restoring glycogen and promoting recovery.
- A more balanced diet: As mentioned previously, cycling protein intake versus consistently eating high protein can help create more variety and balance in the diet.
- More energy: Autophagy, which is believed to be enhanced by protein cycling, especially if combined with intermittent fasting, helps create more energy by improving cellular health and function.
- Can help keep you motivated: Again, variety and flexibility in any diet have been shown to be effective in helping people stay on track with their diet and nutritional goals.
Some protein cycling advocates also suggest it can help with hormonal balance via the effects of protein on leptin levels.
Although eating protein can positively influence appetite-regulating hormones, like leptin and ghrelin, no evidence suggests cycling protein provides any more benefits than simply eating sufficient protein.
As stated previously, the evidence supporting the benefits of protein cycling is largely anecdotal at this time.
The Potential Drawbacks of Protein Cycling
Protein cycling is generally a safe dietary practice to use for building muscle and/or losing or maintaining weight.
However, it’s not for everyone.
For example, a high-protein diet isn’t typically recommended for people with kidney disease.
Likewise, restricting protein intake to very low levels on rest days may not be safe for people with diabetes, people with blood sugar issues, pregnant women or people, or those with a history of eating disorders.
As with all dietary approaches, it’s essential to strike a balance between health and obsession with counting macros or calories.
Ultimately, protein cycling can be a balanced and healthy way to support your health and fitness goals.
It assures you get enough protein to build muscle and support health, without becoming so protein-centric that you start sacrificing healthy foods to save calories.
However, consult with your healthcare practitioner first, especially if you have pre-existing conditions, such as those listed previously.
How Protein Powder Can Help With Protein Cycling
If you’re aiming for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, protein powders can be a huge help!
One scoop typically contains 20-30 grams of protein and can be easily mixed or blended into a shake, sprinkled on overnight oats, or added to homemade protein bar recipes on your workout days.
This is why so many athletes, trainers, fitness lovers, health-conscious individuals, and families rely on them daily.
However, if improving health is your goal, you’ll want to choose a clean protein powder that’s free from artificial ingredients, contaminants, and unnecessary ingredients.
Biochem offers two clean, certified gluten-free protein powder sources to fuel your workout days, including:
- Grass-fed Whey: Ranked as one of the cleanest protein powders by Consumer Reports, our whey is available in vanilla, chocolate, naturally-sweetened or sugar-free, and certified vegetarian
- Organic Vegan Protein Powders: Sustainably-sourced with a complete amino acid profile and genetically-verified vegan
All Biochem protein powders and supplements are contaminant-tested for heavy metals, mold, bacteria, certified kosher, and certified gluten-free.
We also offer clean sports nutrition supplements, including Creatine Monohydrate, BCAA Powder, and more.
Looking for high-protein recipes to help with protein cycling? Check out:
- How to Make Your Own Vegan Protein Bars + Recipes
- PBJ Protein Cups
- Protein Packed Mini Blueberry Espresso Pancakes
- Incorporating Protein Powders into Meal Preparing
- Mocha Smoothie Bowl
References mentioned in this article:
- “Effect of short- and long-term protein consumption on appetite and appetite-regulating gastrointestinal hormones, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials”. Physiol Behav.
- “The Effect of Ingesting Carbohydrate and Proteins on Athletic Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials”. Nutrients.
- “Dietary Variety: An Overlooked Strategy for Obesity and Chronic Disease Control”. American Journal of Preventive Medicine.