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Protein plays a crucial role in the diet primarily because it supports muscle repair and growth. After exercise, especially strength training or intense workouts, your muscles experience micro-tears. Consuming protein provides the necessary amino acids that serve as the building blocks for muscle tissue. This process of repair and growth helps to increase muscle mass, strength, and overall performance.

While protein can contribute to overall daily energy needs, it is not the body's first choice for energy during high-intensity workouts, which typically rely more on carbohydrates. Similarly, while having adequate protein can play a supportive role in endurance, it does not directly enhance endurance; that role is more closely associated with carbohydrate intake. Regarding hydration, protein does not regulate hydration levels; rather, hydration is maintained primarily through water and electrolyte balance in the body. Thus, the most accurate representation of protein's primary function in the diet is its vital role in muscle repair and growth.