Research

Energy balance

Post-resistance exercise protein ingestion in a state of short-term energy deficit selectively promotes autophagic signaling (specifically cAtg12 and FOXO1) compared to placebo, potentially facilitating muscle remodeling despite reduced baseline autophagy markers.

If you are cutting calories and lifting weights, consume 30g of whey protein immediately after your workout. This specific timing and dose helps regulate autophagy (a cellular recycling process) in a way that placebo does not, potentially supporting muscle remodeling even when you are in a caloric deficit.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Postexercise protein availability, compared with placebo, can selectively promote autophagic responses to REX in ED.
William J. Smiles et al. · American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology · 2015

Why this rating

Randomized, controlled, within-subject design with muscle biopsies, though small sample size (n=15) and short duration (5 days ED).

Source

Modulation of autophagy signaling with resistance exercise and protein ingestion following short-term energy deficit

William J. Smiles et al. · American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology · 2015

DOI 10.1152/ajpregu.00413.2014

crossover · n=15Cited 37×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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