Benefits of Consuming Protein Before Bed

You’ve been told it’s bad to eat before bed, but what if having protein before bed can actually help you in many ways while you sleep? This is actually supported by some very interesting recent studies that have found strength, muscle, and metabolic benefits from this very simple practice.

In today’s blog post, I want to not only give you five reasons why you should consider having protein before bed, but I’ll also explain what specific type of protein to have, the amount you should have, and exactly how long before bed you should consume that protein source.

Enhances Muscle Protein Synthesis

One of the primary reasons for having protein before bed is that it can enhance muscle protein synthesis, which promotes muscle growth. You see, while you sleep, your body enters a fasted state and without adequate nutrients, the rate of muscle protein breakdown can exceed the rate of muscle protein synthesis. When that happens, you’re in a state of muscle breakdown rather than in a state of muscle recovery and growth.

Consuming protein before bed can counteract this by providing a steady supply of amino acids, which are the building blocks of your muscle tissues. This is why there are some older studies, such as one published in 2012, in which researchers found that participants who consumed 40 grams of specifically casein protein before bed experienced a significant increase in muscle protein synthesis compared to those who did not consume any protein at all.

This study suggested that having a slow digesting source of protein can effectively stimulate muscle growth during the overnight recovery period. Many people came to the conclusion that the slow digesting nature of casein protein was especially beneficial. Unlike other types of protein, casein releases amino acids gradually over several hours, maintaining a positive protein balance throughout the night.

Whey Protein vs. Casein Protein

However, this was challenged by a more recent study that found that whey protein had an even greater impact on amino acid levels throughout the night. Researchers divided men into three groups: one group consumed 45 grams of whey protein, another consumed 45 grams of casein protein, and the final group had a calorie-free placebo shake.

As expected, the casein group maintained moderately elevated leucine concentration levels throughout the night. Leucine, by the way, is one of the most important amino acids for stimulating muscle growth. Since whey protein digests much faster than casein, it was no surprise to find that the whey group experienced a rapid spike in leucine concentration levels within the first 90 minutes after their shake, which then dropped off rapidly.

The surprising part was that the whey protein somehow still maintained higher amino acid concentration levels for most of the night compared to casein. While casein led to an 18% increase in muscle protein synthesis over the placebo, whey protein showed a whopping 35% increase in muscle protein synthesis. This study shows that having really any kind of protein source before bed is beneficial over not having anything.

Specifically, prior studies may be wrong about sticking only to slow-digesting protein sources before bed like casein, cottage cheese, and yogurt. Turns out whey actually worked even better in this study. So just make sure you’re having any kind of protein before bed, whether it’s whey or casein shake or solid food like chicken, eggs, or cottage cheese.

Improves Muscular Endurance

Along with the potential for more muscle growth, having protein before bed may also help specifically with muscular endurance. Aside from the increase in muscle protein synthesis, the researchers observed an increase in mitochondrial protein synthesis by 23% in the casein group and 37% in the whey group.

Increased mitochondrial protein synthesis can be especially beneficial for endurance athletes and anyone looking to enhance their resistance to fatigue because it directly enhances the efficiency and the capacity of the mitochondria, which is the powerhouse of your cells responsible for energy production.

Endurance activities like long-distance running, cycling, and swimming rely heavily on your aerobic metabolism, which occurs within the mitochondria. By increasing mitochondrial protein synthesis, you can boost the number and function of mitochondria within your muscle cells, leading to improved oxidative capacity, which is the ability of your muscles to use oxygen for energy. It also optimizes your muscle’s ability to utilize oxygen and convert nutrients into ATP, also known as adenosine triphosphate, which is the primary energy carrier in cells. This process helps reduce the production of lactate and other metabolites that cause muscle fatigue. This all translates to better endurance since the muscles can maintain activity for longer periods without experiencing fatigue.

Boosts Metabolism and Reduces Fat Gain

Another benefit is that the calories that you get from the protein shake or the high-protein meal will be very unlikely to make you gain fat. Instead, it should largely balance out with the boost it’ll provide to your metabolism. Contrary to the common belief that eating before bed leads to weight gain, consuming protein before going to sleep can actually have metabolic benefits.

You see, protein has a higher thermic effect compared to fats and carbohydrates, meaning that your body burns more calories digesting and metabolizing protein. This is why a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that participants who consumed protein before bed had an increased resting metabolic rate all the way to the following morning compared to those who did not.

On top of that, overall protein can help reduce nighttime appetite by increasing the release of satiety hormones like leptin and peptide YY while reducing levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. This can help you better control your caloric intake over time. So having protein before bed can not only be useful for gaining muscle while you’re in a calorie surplus trying to bulk up, but it can also be useful for maintaining muscle while you’re in a calorie deficit trying to cut down.

Improves Sleep Quality

Another great reason to have protein before bed is that it can have a positive impact on sleep quality. This is because certain amino acids found in proteins, such as tryptophan, play a role in the production of sleep-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and melatonin.

For fat loss, sleep is super important because it keeps your hormones in check. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more cortisol, which is your stress hormone, and you lose insulin sensitivity, which makes you hungrier and more likely to store fat. On the muscle growth side, sleep is when your body is busiest repairing and building muscle tissue. During the deep sleep stage, your body also releases growth hormone, and it’s the time when protein synthesis is working most effectively.

The amino acid tryptophan serves as a precursor to serotonin. Serotonin is then further converted into melatonin, which is the hormone responsible for regulating your sleep-wake cycle. Ultimately, by providing your body with adequate tryptophan, pre-sleep protein consumption can enhance the production of these sleep-promoting compounds, leading to improved sleep quality.

This is supported by a study in which researchers found that participants who consumed a higher protein diet, including pre-sleep protein, reported better sleep quality and experienced a reduction in the number of times they woke up in the middle of the night.

Helps Combat Age-Related Muscle Loss

Next is a potential benefit that applies to all of us as we get older. After you turn 30 years old, you begin to lose about 3 to 5% of your muscle every 10 years. As we age, maintaining muscle mass becomes increasingly important for our overall health and everyday function. Sarcopenia is a medical term that refers to age-related loss of muscle and strength, and it’s a big concern for older adults.

Older adults are far more likely to experience anabolic resistance. This is where the muscle-building response to protein intake decreases, so it becomes harder to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. However, consuming protein before bed can help overcome this resistance by providing a prolonged and steady supply of amino acids, enhancing muscle protein synthesis during sleep.

A study actually examined older participants who consumed protein before bed and it showed that they experienced greater muscle mass retention and improved muscle strength compared to those who did not.

May Improve Recovery and Reduce Muscle Soreness

One extra reason to consume protein before bed is that it May Improve Recovery and Reduce Muscle Soreness. I save this for last because this has shown mixed results in studies. Some prior studies have found that people who had protein before bed reported less muscle soreness and quicker recovery times compared to those who didn’t. But more recent studies found that there were no significant differences in performance levels or muscle damage biomarkers after consuming protein before bed. So it may not benefit soreness or the speed of recovery if you’re already consuming enough protein daily.

Practical Tips for Consuming Protein Before Bed

Let me summarize all of this with applicable tips if you want to try adding some protein before going to bed. First of all, the most recent evidence shows that the type of protein does not have to be slow digesting like myself and many others previously thought. A whey protein shake may be even more beneficial than casein, and whole foods like Greek yogurt, salmon, or chicken will likely be just as effective.

Second, most of the research has participants consuming 30 to 45 grams of protein before bed, so it’s a good idea to aim for roughly a minimum of 35 grams of protein. Lastly, most of the studies have the participants consume their protein anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour before going to bed.

With all of that said, having a protein shake before bed will always be far less important than consuming enough protein throughout the day on a daily basis. It doesn’t matter if you have exactly 45 grams of protein every night before bed if you don’t consume enough protein for the rest of the day to meet a total of at least 3/4 of a gram of protein for every pound of body weight that you weigh. You will be at an extreme disadvantage to someone that does. So make sure your primary concern is always meeting that minimum daily protein requirement and then treat your pre-bed protein meal or shake as the cherry on top in relation to your results.

I really hope this blog post has taught you something new and I hope it winds up helping you out on your fitness journey. If you’ve enjoyed it, make sure you subscribe to the channel. Also, if you’ve tried to build muscle before and burn fat on your own without seeing the results that you were hoping for, I highly suggest you try my free 6-week shred. It’s a done-for-you plan that motivates you from day 1 to day 42 to follow through and do your part. And guess what? When you follow the personalized meal plan and you complete your three workouts every week, you’ll get amazing results. I know, shocking!

You’ll also get a full recipe book so you can always have a large variety of foods to choose from, and you’ll have a coach to answer any questions and help you every step of the way. To find out more, you can click the link below in the description or you can head straight on over to my website at gravitytransformation.com. I’ll see you guys soon!

Spread the love