Protein timing is vogue throughout athletics and is a popular dietary strategy.  The idea has become to regulate the intake of protein with training in an effort to facilitate muscular repair. The protein consumed just before and/or immediately following a training session is to take maximum advantage of what has been thought to be a limited anabolic window.  This in theory, if properly executed, enhances muscular strength and it’s hypertrophy related adaptations.  Some researchers have indicated that even the timing of food  intake with exercise may have a greater positive effect on body composition than ones daily nutrient consumption.

In this months December’s Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, scientists decided to look at all of the studies to date related to protein timing and growth.  Statistically analyzing  the variables – “it turns out that the commonly held belief that the timing of protein intake in and around a training session is critical to muscular adaptations is at best speculative and  that consuming adequate protein in combination with resistance exercise is the key factor for maximizing muscle protein accretion.”

Based on the research, if an anabolic window of opportunity for protein timing pre and /or post workout does in fact exist, the window for protein consumption would appear to be ‘greater’ than one-hour before and after a resistance training session.  

Sophocles wrote in 450 BC, “Success is dependent upon effort.” Workout hard and have a good meal and you will Get Strong. It’s not when you do it, it is if you do it!