Eat This Before Bed, Gain More Muscle

01dragonslayer · Jul 19, 2024

The Casein Trick

Stimulate more protein synthesis while you sleep. Just do this 30 minutes before hitting the sack.

We've learned a lot about protein recently. We now know that consuming 40 grams 27 after lifting results in more muscle protein synthesis than 20 grams. We know protein is the master regulator 13 of hunger and that eating a whole lot of it is thermogenic 45. We even know how to turn protein powder into healthy ice cream 135.

And protein timing? Well, when researchers fed subjects a high-protein breakfast 36, they put on 40% more muscle than subjects fed a low-protein breakfast, even though both groups ingested the same amount of daily protein.

Sounds like "more protein" is the answer to most physique and health issues, from building muscle to losing fat. But how does that work when you're sleeping? If you're eating your last meal at 8 PM, you're going without protein for 8, 10, or even 12 hours.

A common recommendation is to eat some protein before bed, but does it really work? A meta-study addressed that topic and found that it's a habit every lifter should adopt.

Sleep1920×785 294 KB

The Study

This meta-study analyzed nine articles related to the effects of nighttime protein consumption on muscle protein synthesis. Here's what they concluded:

"The consumption of 20-40 grams of casein approximately 30 minutes before sleep stimulates whole-body protein synthesis rates over a subsequent overnight period (preceded or not by resistance exercise, respectively). In addition, pre-sleep protein consumption augments the muscle adaptive response (muscle fiber cross-sectional area, strength, and muscle mass) during 10-12 weeks of resistance training."

The researchers even cited a broad survey of athletes and found "greater leg lean mass and knee extensor strength in those consuming higher amounts of protein (20-30g) in the evening than those who consumed protein in the afternoon."