Macro partitioning
For adults with adequate or high protein intake (0.8-1.3 g/kg/day), ensuring at least one meal contains sufficient protein to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis is sufficient for promoting skeletal muscle health, regardless of how the rest of the day's protein is distributed.
If you are already eating enough protein each day (around 0.8 to 1.3 grams per kilogram of body weight), you don't need to worry about spreading it out perfectly. Just make sure one meal a day has enough protein (about 25-30 grams) to trigger muscle building. The rest of your protein can be distributed however fits your schedule.
for adults already consuming 0.8–1.3 g·kg−1·d−1, the preponderance of evidence supports that consuming at least one meal that contains sufficient protein quantity to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis, independent of daily distribution, is helpful to promote skeletal muscle health.
Why this rating
Based on observational data and acute trials; the paper notes evidence is 'limited and inconsistent' and hard to disentangle from quantity.
Source
Protein Distribution and Muscle-Related Outcomes: Does the Evidence Support the Concept?
Joshua Hudson et al. · Nutrients · 2020
DOI 10.3390/nu12051441
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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