Macro partitioning
Timing protein intake around resistance training sessions provides no additional benefit for muscle strength or hypertrophy compared to consuming the same total daily protein amount at other times.
Stop stressing about eating protein immediately before or after your workout. The research shows that as long as you consume enough protein throughout the day (at least 1.6 g/kg/day is suggested for maximizing muscle accretion), the specific timing of those meals does not significantly impact your muscle growth or strength gains. Focus on hitting your total daily protein goal rather than adhering to a rigid post-workout feeding window.
These results refute the commonly held belief that the timing of protein intake in and around a training session is critical to muscular adaptations and indicate that consuming adequate protein in combination with resistance exercise is the key factor for maximizing muscle protein accretion.
Why this rating
Meta-analysis of 23 randomized controlled trials with high methodological quality (average PEDro score 8.7).
Source
The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis
Brad J. Schöenfeld et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2013
DOI 10.1186/1550-2783-10-53
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
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →