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June 6, 2024 • 1hr 26min
#793 - Menno Henselmans - The New Science Of Using Protein To Build Muscle
Modern Wisdom
In this episode of Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson interviews Menno Henselmans, a fitness coach, researcher and author. They discuss evidence-based approaches to nutrition, training, and body composition. Menno provides insights on protein intake, sleep, artificial sweeteners, supplements, and other topics related to optimizing fitness and health.
#793 - Menno Henselmans - The New Science Of Using Protein To Build Muscle
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Key Takeaways
- The idea that the body can only absorb 20 grams of protein per meal is a myth. The body can easily digest and absorb large amounts of protein, but there is a limit to how much muscle protein synthesis can be stimulated in a single meal.
- For maximizing muscle growth, aim for 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.82 g/lb) spread across at least 3 meals per day.
- Sleep has massive effects on fat loss and muscle growth. Studies show sleep restriction can reduce fat loss and muscle gain by over 50%.
- Artificial sweeteners are generally safe and can be effective for fat loss. They don't stimulate blood sugar or insulin response.
- Carbohydrate intake is overemphasized for strength training performance. Effects are minimal and mostly psychological for lifting weights.
- Most supplements are overrated. Protein, creatine, and caffeine are among the few with good evidence of benefits.
- Being lean and muscular has massive positive effects on health markers like blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.
- Motivation for training can be increased by cultivating intrinsic motivation through autonomy, competence, and relatedness to fitness.
- Underrated bodybuilding foods include olives, berries, and pangasius (white fish) for their nutritional profiles and satiety.
- Eggs and red meat are nutritious foods that are likely neutral for health - neither strongly promoting nor harming health for most people.
Introduction
In this episode of Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson interviews Menno Henselmans, a fitness coach, researcher and author. They discuss evidence-based approaches to nutrition, training, and body composition. Menno provides insights on protein intake, sleep, artificial sweeteners, supplements, and other topics related to optimizing fitness and health.
Topics Discussed
Protein Intake and Absorption (4:36)
Menno debunks the myth that the body can only absorb 20 grams of protein per meal. He explains that while there is a limit to how much muscle protein synthesis can be stimulated in one meal (the "muscle full effect"), the body can easily digest and absorb large amounts of protein.
For maximizing muscle growth, Menno recommends:
- Aim for 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily (0.82 g/lb)
- Spread protein intake over at least 3 meals per day
- "Sandwich" workouts between two protein-containing meals within a 5 hour window
He notes that going significantly over these protein targets is unlikely to provide additional benefits for muscle growth in most people.
Sleep and Body Composition (43:46)
Menno emphasizes the critical importance of sleep for fat loss and muscle gain:
- Multiple studies show sleep restriction can reduce fat loss and increase muscle loss by over 50% during a diet
- Sleep should be considered one of the fundamental pillars for body composition, along with protein intake and resistance training
- Effects may be partly mediated through impacts on diet adherence, training performance, and stress levels
"Sleep has massive effects on, well, everything, but also fat loss and muscle growth," Menno states.
Artificial Sweeteners (47:28)
Menno views artificial sweeteners as generally safe and potentially beneficial for fat loss:
- Don't stimulate blood sugar or insulin response
- Can help with diet adherence
- At worst, equal to water in terms of effects
- Potential long-term risks are likely outweighed by benefits of improved diet adherence and satisfaction for most people
He notes that major scientific institutions have concluded popular sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose are safe based on current evidence.
Protein and Longevity (54:46)
Menno is not very concerned about high protein intake negatively impacting longevity:
- Most long-term studies don't find significant relationships between protein intake and all-cause mortality
- Health benefits of higher protein (fighting sarcopenia, improving insulin sensitivity) likely outweigh potential negatives
- Being lean is probably more important for longevity than protein intake
He recommends aiming to stay below about 21% body fat for men and 33% for women for general health.
Continuous Glucose Monitors and Health (1:03:22)
Menno believes body composition (being lean and muscular) is a more important factor for metabolic health than micromanaging blood glucose:
- Fat loss almost invariably improves health markers regardless of diet quality
- Being lean and muscular is extremely effective for preventing type 2 diabetes
- Muscle mass acts as a "sponge" to absorb blood sugar
"Body composition itself has huge effects on your health," Menno emphasizes.
Training Motivation (1:13:02)
To maintain high motivation for training, Menno recommends cultivating intrinsic motivation through:
- Autonomy - having freedom to make your own training program
- Competence - understanding why you're doing what you're doing
- Relatedness - connecting training to your identity and being part of a fitness community
He notes that positive self-talk and visualization can also be effective motivational tools, even if they feel unnatural at first.
Underrated Bodybuilding Foods (1:18:11)
Menno highlights some underappreciated foods for bodybuilding:
- Olives - healthy fats, fiber, satiating
- Berries - very satiating for low calories
- Pangasius (white fish) - high protein, flavorful, healthy fats
He notes there are no "magic" muscle-building or fat loss foods - it's about finding nutritious, satiating foods that fit your diet.
Eggs and Red Meat (1:19:54)
Menno views eggs and red meat as nutritious foods that are likely neutral for health:
- Most studies find no relationship with all-cause mortality
- Very nutritious but not necessarily "health-promoting" in the sense of improving biomarkers
- Effects on cholesterol are modest for most people
- Wrongfully demonized, especially when consumed in moderation
Diet Tribalism (1:23:14)
Menno theorizes that diet has become a battleground for tribal identity due to societal shifts:
- Increased digitalization and welfare have made material goods less important for signaling status
- What you say and portray online has become more important for identity
- Diet has become intertwined with values like environmentalism and animal welfare
- Dietary choices now serve as important identity indicators
"It's not so important anymore whether the diet is right for you, whether it's healthy. Now it's about 'Am I a carnivore or am I a vegan?'" Menno observes.
Conclusion
This wide-ranging conversation covered many aspects of evidence-based approaches to nutrition, training, and body composition. Key themes included the importance of fundamentals like adequate protein, sleep, and resistance training, while many popular trends and supplements were viewed as less impactful. Menno emphasized taking a balanced, long-term view focused on sustainable habits and overall health rather than chasing short-term results or getting caught up in diet tribalism. His evidence-based perspective provides a valuable counterpoint to many popular narratives in the fitness industry.