by Chris Shugart
We always talk about how much protein to eat, but does timing matter? It does, but it's not when you think.
Every person you know, every person you meet, and maybe even every person you see is there to teach you something. That's my philosophy, at least. But here's the twist: many of these people are there to teach you what NOT to do.
Think about your goals. Maybe you want a healthy body, a rock-solid relationship, and a fat stack of cash in the bank. Now, look around. Who has these qualities? What are they doing? Better yet, who doesn't have these qualities? What are they doing? Both types have something to teach you.
That's why "snapshot" studies are helpful. These studies choose a parameter (leanness, fatness, etc.), examine a large group of people, and ask, "What are they doing?"
The snapshot study below investigated the relationship between the evenness of protein intake across meals and its impact on lean mass and strength in women, but we can probably apply the results to men, too.
The Study
Researchers gathered up 192 healthy women and asked them to track their diets. Their main focus was to see how the women divided their protein intake throughout the day. Does it make a difference in lean muscle and strength?
To assess the evenness of protein intake, the day was divided into three periods:
- Waking to 11:30 AM
- 11:31 AM to 4:30 PM
- After 4:30 PM
Lean mass was measured with DEXA, and various strength measures were taken, like handgrip and leg press strength.
Here's What They Found
Evenness of protein intake is definitely related to lean mass, strength, and muscular endurance in women:
- Spreading protein intake throughout the day maximizes the anabolic response to dietary protein, benefiting muscle mass and performance. Eating protein evenly keeps a steady supply of amino acids for muscles.
- The women who consumed most of their daily protein intake in one big meal or two had less lean muscle and strength.
The researchers recommended that women have 20-30 grams of protein per meal. Keep in mind, however, they were using average women for the study, and most weren't weight-trained.
How to Use This Info
We've always been told that total daily protein intake is more important than protein timing, but this snapshot tells us that timing matters: spreading your protein intake evenly throughout the day makes a difference. People who do it have more lean mass and strength than those who don't.
Yes, several studies show that protein after lifting makes a big difference in workout results. But this isn't conflicting info. Just make sure that some of your evenly distributed protein falls after training.
Also, remember, this study used a wide array of healthy but average women. Other studies show that the rules change for resistance-trained women. Female lifters are better off shooting for around 150 grams of protein daily rather than the 60-90 grams the study researchers recommended for "normal" females.
Make it easy to hit that number by having a protein shake or two every day. To maximize gym results and burn more fat, use a blend of whey isolate and micellar casein.
Loaded with leucine, whey isolate rapidly boosts muscle protein synthesis and metabolism. Micellar casein supplies a slow, continuous release of amino acids (the key player in the protein distribution study above), sustaining muscle protein synthesis and promoting metabolic health. Biotest Metabolic Drive > Buy at Biotest contains both.
Would you rather chew your protein instead of drinking shakes? Try these tasty protein powder recipes.
Reference
- Johnson, Nathaniel R. "Evenness of Dietary Protein Intake Is Positively Associated with Lean Mass and Strength in Healthy Women." Nutrition and Metabolic Insights, vol. 15, 16 June 2022