Behind every strong run lies a fuel strategy—and protein plays a surprisingly powerful role in helping you recover, prevent injury, and optimise performance.

Why Protein Matters for Runners

Protein isn’t just for bodybuilders—it’s vital for endurance athletes too. It repairs muscle tissue broken down during long runs, supports adaptations to training, and maintains lean mass ^[1]. While most people are told to eat 0.8 g/kg/day, runners should aim higher.

• The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day for active individuals, with endurance runners at the lower end and those combining strength or high mileage at the higher end ^[2].
• Recent research suggests ~1.8 g/kg/day, increasing to ~2.0 g/kg/day during heavy training or low-carb periods ^[3].

For a 70 kg (154 lb) runner, that’s roughly 125–140 g of protein daily—almost double the general recommendation.

Benefits Beyond Repair

Protein isn’t just about fixing torn muscle fibers:

1. Boosts performance via glycogen support
   Studies show that combining protein with carbs after endurance exercise improves glycogen resynthesis and subsequent performance ^[4].
2. Speeds recovery and reduces soreness
   Adequate protein intake helps reduce muscle damage and oxidative stress, allowing faster bounce‑back from hard sessions ^[5]. This is especially effective when combined with anti-inflammatory compounds like curcumin, a key component in RunStrong’s daily formula.
3. Protects lean body mass during high mileage or low-calorie periods
   Runners in energy deficits can lose muscle unless protein intake is sustained—especially relevant during marathon training ^[6].

Timing & Distribution: Spread It Out

Home‑packing your protein as lumps of meat at dinner won’t cut it. Optimal intake is about quantity and timing.

• Aim for ~0.5 g/kg per meal, across 3–4 meals daily (high‑quality protein sources). This spacing maximises muscle protein synthesis throughout the day ^[7].
• Include protein within 1–2 hours post-run, ideally with carbs. Evidence supports that protein‑plus‑carbohydrate snacks promote faster glycogen recovery and reduced muscle damage ^[4].
• Pre-sleep protein (e.g. casein) may further aid overnight recovery, though studies focus more on resistance training—worth experimenting for long-run recovery benefits ^[8].

Source Matters: Quality & Variety

Choose high-quality, complete proteins to ensure you get all essential amino acids:

• Animal-based: lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy are all excellent.
• Plant-based: combine legumes (beans, lentils) with grains, soy, quinoa, or nuts to form complete profiles ^[9].

Vegan runners can hit their targets with tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts, seeds, and fortified plant drinks. A varied plant-based diet naturally delivers the full complement of amino acids without precise “protein combining” per meal ^[10].

How to Hit Your Daily Target

Here’s how to build ~1.5 g/kg/day intake for a 70 kg runner (≈105 g/day):

Spread protein evenly (~20–30 g per serving) to maximise muscle repair and maintain stable recovery throughout the day ^[7].

Supplements: Use with Purpose

Whole foods first—but supplements can help if you struggle to hit targets.

• Whey protein: fast-absorbing, useful post-run.
• Casein: slower‑release, ideal before bed.
• Plant-based powders: pea, soy, rice blends offer good alternatives.
• Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): not essential if overall protein intake is sufficient.

Evidence suggests supplemental protein supports lean mass retention and recovery, but adding protein beyond ~1.6–2.0 g/kg/day shows diminishing returns ^[3],[5].

For a broader nutritional strategy that supports not just recovery but also energy production, inflammation control, and long-term performance, a targeted blend like RunStrong — which includes Carnipure® L-Carnitine, Curcumin C3 Complex®, BioPerine®, Iron Bisglycinate, and vegan Vitamin D3 — can be a smart daily complement to a high-protein diet.

Do Higher Protein Diets Pose Risks?

Healthy individuals can safely consume up to 2 g/kg/day, possibly more during intense training ^[3],[11]. Possible concerns like kidney strain or bone health issues have not been substantiated in active adults ^[2].

Just keep an eye on overall nutrition: protein shouldn’t displace carbs (your main fuel) or healthy fats (essential for inflammation control and hormone function) ^[12].

Final Take‑Home Points

• 🎯 Daily target: 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day, adjusting for mileage and training demands.
• 🍽️ Meal strategy: ~0.5 g/kg per serving across 3–4 daily meals improves synthesis.
• ⏱️ Timing: Near-run, post-run, and before sleep are effective windows.
• 🥚 Protein sources: Lean animal or plant-based combos for complete amino acid profiles.
• 🧪 Protein Supplements: Helpful for consistency; not essential if whole-food intake meets needs. A well-formulated runner’s supplement like RunStrong can help round out the picture and provides beneficial compounds like curcumin which are difficult to source in sufficient amounts from diet alone.
• ✅ Safety: Higher protein intake is safe for healthy runners; just balance it with carbs/fats.

References

1. Tipton KD, Wolfe RR. (2004). Protein and amino acids for athletes. Journal of Sports Sciences.
2. Jäger R et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. JISSN.
3. Morton RW et al. (2018). Effect of protein supplementation on resistance training–induced gains. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
4. Ivy JL et al. (2002). Muscle glycogen recovery enhanced with carb-protein supplement. J Appl Physiol.
5. Areta JL et al. (2013). Timing of protein ingestion after resistance exercise. J Physiol.
6. Phillips SM. (2014). Higher-protein diets in weight loss for athletes. Sports Med.
7. Moore DR et al. (2009). Protein dose response after resistance exercise. Am J Clin Nutr.
8. Res PT et al. (2012). Pre-sleep protein improves overnight recovery. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
9. Mariotti F, Gardner CD. (2019). Protein in vegetarian diets. Nutrients.
10. Messina M. (2020). Soy and health update. Nutrients.
11. Antonio J et al. (2016). High-protein diet long-term study. JISSN.
12. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. (2016). Nutrition and athletic performance. J Acad Nutr Diet.