Chicago Home and Lifestyles – Protein before bed for muscle growth

We all would like to find a little shortcut for better fitness. As I am heading towards retirement age, I’ve learned from experience that weight bearing exercise in the latter part of our lives can be very beneficial! Of course, cardiovascular exercise is great too, but weight lifting and other weight bearing exercises can really help us retain and build muscle mass. 

We also have been told that protein supplements are not just for body builders, they are beneficial to everyone. But you probably haven’t heard that there is an optimum time to take these supplements, and that is at bedtime. Surprised? I was too! Studies have shown that consuming a 30 gram protein shake before bed along with resistance training can boost muscle mass and strength. 

But won’t it wreck my sleep? Won’t it make me gain weight? No on both counts. When you consume protein before bed it goes directly to protein synthesis, especially when paired with resistance exercise earlier in the evening. No one in the studies reported any problems with sleep. Protein is best consumed 10-30 minutes before sleep. However, the studies were performed using casein protein which is more slowly digested than whey. So, it might be worth a try if you are resistance training to try a casein shake before bed!

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago