Night Time Protein - Results?

SarahSmilesCA

I am asking this question here in Fitness rather than Nutrition because I am really wanting people who have experience with heavy training and night time protein shakes to respond. I take my protein shakes twice a day, after workout and before bed or an hour or two before.

Do you find that a night time slow release protein shake makes much of a difference in your strength gains?

I am finding that my digestive system really does not like having the protein blend mix before bed. I have not tried straight casein yet, just the the time released proteins blends that have whey isolate, casein, egg, and colostrum . I am seriously just thinking of increasing my protein levels over all during the day and at my dinner meal and adding more fiber to help it digest the protein slower. I tried it out last night and had a big salad with lots of beef in it a few hours before my feeding window ended instead of my protein and fiber shake I normally have. My digestive system thanked me the next day by working mostly effectively...all day long

Or would it just be better to get a pure casein powder and see if it effects me as much?

ChrisLindsay9

I have played around with different things, and have found casein protein right before bed to be great for me (on workout days). On rest days, I'll either have casein or eggs/eggwhites before bed. But in terms of strength gains, I've heard people tell me different things, but I don't think there's any studies or evidence that show a preference. If there are, hope someone cites it here.

SarahSmilesCA

Thanks Chris for responding. I have been looking for research that verifies the before bed shake. I know it comes from people saying that we need protein when we sleep to make muscle but I am beginning to think it would just be better to let my body completely fast at sleep so it dips into the fat storage for muscle retention, but I am not sure it will do that.

I have also thought of just maybe just taking BCAA instead...

BeachIron

I don't have studies at hand, but meal timing doesn't matter.

As an example, I have friends that use intermittent fasting very effectively and I'm starting to use it myself as it allows me to curb my hunger and better adhere to my cut.

IIISpartacusIII

Here's a study of interest along the lines of your topic:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22330017

RESULTS:

Protein ingestion before sleep improves postexercise overnight recovery.
Res PT, Groen B, Pennings B, Beelen M, Wallis GA, Gijsen AP, Senden JM, VAN Loon LJ.
Source

Department of Human Movement Sciences, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.


Results:

During sleep, casein protein was effectively digested and absorbed resulting in a rapid rise in circulating amino acid levels, which were sustained throughout the remainder of the night. Protein ingestion before sleep increased whole-body protein synthesis rates (311 ± 8 vs 246 ± 9 μmol·kg per 7.5 h) and improved net protein balance (61 ± 5 vs -11 ± 6 μmol·kg per 7.5 h) in the PRO vs the PLA experiment (P < 0.01). Mixed muscle protein synthesis rates were ∼22% higher in the PRO vs the PLA experiment, which reached borderline significance (0.059%·h ± 0.005%·h vs 0.048%·h ± 0.004%·h, P = 0.05).

BeachIron

Add this to your reading on the subject: http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/1550-2783-10-5.pdf

SarahSmilesCA

Thanks guys, this is what I am looking for.

darwinwoodka

I just eat ice cream. ;^) ok, sometimes with protein powder on it...

SarahSmilesCA

I just eat ice cream. ;^) ok, sometimes with protein powder on it...

Yeah I do too, sometimes...it is my favorite after workout snack LOL. I love ice cream. I know it is like the devil for some on the board, but I have had it almost every week, once or twice and still managed to lose 40 lbs...granted I drink almost 30 grams of protein to balance the sugar spike I am going to get.