Why Are Protein Bars Beneficial for Athletes?

Protein bars are meal replacement snacks that are designed to deliver high amounts of protein. Athletes often use protein bars to supplement their diet during training, following the belief that a high-protein diet builds muscle, aids in fat burning and enables them to operate at an optimal fitness level.

Benefits

• Protein bars benefit athletes in training by providing nutrients and vitamins for optimal health; they also provide high protein additions to diet. A high protein diet--combined with a focused weights and conditioning program--burns fat and builds muscle mass.

Needs

• Active people like athletes need more protein than the average person. An endurance athlete needs around 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, while a strength athlete needs around 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day.

Ingredients

• The average protein bar contains between 30 and 40 grams of protein. Athletes should watch for other unhealthy ingredients on the protein bar labels, such as artificial sweeteners, sugars and fats.

Warning

• Athletes need to be aware that consuming too many protein bars--and not enough carbohydrates--can lead to serious health complications. These complications may include osteoporosis, kidney stones and heart disease. In severe cases, the body can go into a state of ketosis, which is a near-starvation condition.

Convenience

• When athletes are on a serious training program, they often need to take a protein boost every three hours. The protein bar provides adequate nutrients in a convenient package that requires no preparation.