Building muscle is energy intensive. The primary nutritional need is to meet total energy requirements. Combined with appropriate resistance training, additional calories are required to build muscle. Protein requirements are increased to supply amino acids to maintain nitrogen balance and to support enhanced rates of protein synthesis. Amino acids are used to repair muscle trauma that results from repeated muscle contractions and eccentric contractions in particular.
Muscle building requires adequate hydration.
Cross Country Skiing Prolonged, continuous, moderate to intense activity. Protein synthesis is suppressed during exercise and stimulated when physical activity ends. Protein degradation increases during prolonged exercise. Endurance exercise appears to improve the efficiency of the body to utilize nitrogen. Amino acids are used to repair muscle trauma that results from repeated muscle contractions and eccentric contractions in particular.