Start your day with a cheese platter or a delicious fried egg and snack on a handful of nuts and a protein shake in between. As an athlete you want to get enough protein. Timing can play a role. What is the effect of eating protein right before bed on muscle mass and muscle growth?
Consumption time
Getting enough protein is important. It's not entirely clear whether time plays a role. This is clear from a fairly recent study Protein intake has a positive effect on lean body mass (total body weight minus fat mass). Timing appears to have no effect. And in another study as well It was investigated whether timing proteins have an effect on muscle adaptations after training. It turns out that there is no difference in the degree of muscle growth.
In general, the total amount of protein per day appears to play an important role in muscle growth. However, there are also research findings that show that proteins before bed can have a positive effect on muscles. Of course you want to know more about it.
Effect in the elderly
It has been researched Whether eating proteins before bed has a positive effect on maintaining muscle mass in older people. This turned out to be true. This nutritional strategy was then combined with physical activities or muscle contractions during neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES).
Nightcap
A scientific study investigated the acute and chronic effects of protein consumption before bed. In this study, the results of several previously conducted studies were analysed. The conclusion was that consuming 20 to 40 grams of casein protein approximately thirty minutes before bedtime stimulates protein synthesis in young people during the night. In addition, protein intake before bedtime can increase the adaptive muscle response in young people. Muscle fibers, strength and muscle growth are included in this adoptive response. The youth also did strength training for 12 weeks.
More research is needed
Therefore (extra) protein intake can have a positive effect on muscle strength and muscle growth. However, total protein intake varies between experimental groups, and thus more data are needed to prove the exact effect. Total protein mass remains the most important factor for muscle growth.
