It is not the first time we say it: strength training and a healthy diet with an adequate amount of protein guarantee an improvement in our health . Now, a review and meta-analysis of studies published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine confirms this.

This review has been carried out with 49 studies that integrate more than 1,800 participants of both sexes and of all levels in terms of strength training, from novices to experienced people. The conclusions are clear: a higher protein intake and strength training improve muscle mass in healthy adults , especially in older adults.

One of the most interesting issues addressed in the study is the amount of daily protein ideal to achieve that increase in muscle mass and that improvement in strength training. Researchers, according to this study, came to the conclusion that this amount should be around 130 grams of protein per day and should not exceed 1.6 grams per kilo of weight , since there are no improvements from there.

In addition, the source from which the protein came is indifferent when it comes to getting results: we can choose veal, egg or vegetable protein because they all yielded similar results.

Is it necessary to supplement to reach that amount of protein? If you have a well-planned diet, no: it’s actually quite easy to get to it. 130 grams of protein can be obtained if we eat a couple of chicken breasts in the food (about 90 grams of protein), a yogurt for dessert or mid-morning (12.5 grams of protein) and a hake fillet at dinner (24 grams of protein).

This is even more important in the case of young adults: starting at age 30 and 40 we begin to lose muscle mass , so taking an adequate amount of protein in our diet and including strength training in our routine should be two maxims to respect if we want to stay healthy.