Is having more protein at night better if protein during the day is good?

A recent study discovered that consuming extra protein before sleep does not enhance recovery, performance, or muscle gain. Some experts argue that a pre-bed protein boost could be beneficial since you fast during sleep. To test this theory, scientists conducted a study with over 100 British army recruits in basic training. The participants were divided into four groups: high protein before bed (60 grams), low protein before bed (20 grams), carbs before bed, or no pre-sleep meal.

Surprisingly, all four groups experienced similar changes in fat mass, bone mineral density, exercise performance, recovery, muscle soreness, and fatigue levels, despite the varying protein intake.

So why did protein not make a difference? It is likely because the participants were already consuming enough protein. There seems to be a certain threshold of protein intake required for muscle growth and performance.

Consuming about 1.6g/kg per day of your body weight is adequate for building muscle, training effectively, and improving recovery. Consuming more protein beyond this threshold does not offer significant additional benefits.

This does not mean that consuming more protein won't have any advantages. However, it is more important to meet the minimum protein requirement rather than striving for the maximum.

The key takeaway is that instead of worrying about when you consume protein, focus on getting enough protein throughout the day to optimize your diet. There is no need to consume protein before sleep, but there is likely little harm in doing so.