Protein Timing on Strength and Hypertrophy

As soon as your workout is done, the race begins to see how quickly you can drink your protein before that crucial anabolic window expires. It is common practice to attempt to consume protein within an hour of a lift, but what does the research say about protein timing? Schoenfeld et al. conducted a meta-analysis on 20 studies on the topic. Their most significant finding was that total protein consumption had a greater impact on muscle adaptations rather than when the protein was consumed. However, it was found that subjects that did not take protein supplements did not consume as much protein in their diets as those that did. Lastly, increased protein consumption had more of an effect on muscle hypertrophy than muscular strength.

The crucial takeaway for lifters looking to increase muscle mass is to make sure that enough protein is getting consumed. Although taking protein immediately after your lift might not be as important as just consuming the protein in general, note that it can be very difficult to consume enough protein through a typical diet without supplements. Athletes trying to gain muscle mass by taking protein supplements should still consider when they are taking their shakes. Especially if the protein supplement is taken with milk, it is important to realize that the shake will decrease your appetite after consumption. Try taking the protein shake after your meal to ensure you consume enough food, including other sources of protein in your meal.

Find the entire article here:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3879660/