2890: Protein Timing: Does It Really Matter? by Eric Bach of Bach Performance

[00:00:00] Have you ever noticed how a calm mind can really set the stage for a good night's sleep? That's the idea behind our new podcast, Good Sleep. Greg, our host from Optimal Relationships Daily, is here to help ease you into a peaceful night's rest with some positive affirmations. And these affirmations aren't just comforting, they can help ease anxiety and nurture positive thoughts, setting you up for true good sleep.

[00:00:24] So, press play on Good Sleep Tonight because a good tomorrow starts with a good night's sleep. Just search for Good Sleep in your podcast app and be sure to pick the one from Optimal Living Daily. This is Optimal Health Daily, Protein Timing, Does It Really Matter by Eric Bach of BachPerformance.com. And I'm Dr. Neal, your host and narrator.

[00:00:49] Hello, happy Wednesday and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily, where I simply read to you from the best health and fitness blogs for free. I cover fitness, nutrition, stress management, weight management, and lots more, just like an audio book, but from a bunch of different authors. And always with permission from the sites and with a bit of my commentary at the end. Now, every Wednesday I give you an inspirational quote. I never expect that this inspirational quote is going to magically make you consistent with your new habits.

[00:01:19] Instead, I hope that this motivation encourages you to take that first step towards that new healthy habit. Plus, I give you this inspiration on Wednesday, which is the middle of the week for many of us, and sometimes we need that extra little push just to make it through the last couple of days. So, without further ado, here's your little bit of inspiration. Quote, As with many things in life, the problem is not the problem. The problem is how you react to the problem.

[00:01:48] Soren Kierkegaard With that, let's hear from Eric and start optimizing your life. Protein Timing, Does It Really Matter by Eric Bach of BachPerformance.com The protein timing question is huge for guys who want to pack on the most amount of muscle in the least amount of time. It boils down to,

[00:02:12] When is the best time to eat a high-protein meal or chug a protein shake to build muscle as quickly as possible? How often do I need to consume protein throughout the day so my workouts aren't a complete waste of time? These are the questions haunting you, right? Ah, my lad. I was once in your position, asking the same questions. I remember tapping my foot and anxiously waiting to top off my post-workout shake behind a dozen other skinny guys in college.

[00:02:39] I hoped and prayed the minute-long delay between finishing my last set and guzzling down a protein shake wouldn't disrupt the holy anabolic window. Muscle magazines made it sound like holy doctrine only heretics dare question. You need to jam protein and carbs down your throat after a workout or you'll miss the anabolic window and muscle growth will become impossible. But it just ain't so. We know much more about protein timing than we did a few short years ago.

[00:03:07] In this article, I'll break down the biggest protein myths. More importantly, you'll get the lowdown on what you need to know to build muscle and look great naked. So how much protein do I need to consume to build muscle? I won't spend too much time here because the how much question isn't what I'm looking to answer in this article. The when question is. However, the how much and the when questions do have a small connection

[00:03:32] because every single day you want to reach your how much, which inevitably leads you to inquire about when. Or in other words, to reach your minimum protein intake for the day, you need to eat protein during the day. Common sense, right? So what is your target protein intake? Well, as I mentioned in another post on protein, you want to shoot for a protein intake of somewhere between 0.82 and one gram per pound of body weight.

[00:04:00] So the formula looks something like this. If you're aiming for the low end intake of protein, you would take 0.82 grams multiplied by your body weight in pounds, and that would equal your low end total protein intake for the day. If you want to aim for the higher end of protein intake each day, you would multiply 1 gram times your body weight in pounds, and that would give you the total protein intake on the higher end.

[00:04:29] So if you weigh 180 pounds, here's the math. For your low end intake, multiply 0.82 grams times 180 pounds equals 147.6 grams of protein per day. For the higher end, you would take 1 gram times 180 pounds equals 180 grams of protein per day. Simple, right? So do you now have your how much question answered? Good.

[00:04:59] Let's move on to protein timing. Protein timing studies. Let's take a look at the most common time of day men and women alike chug down protein shakes and are hurrying home to pop open their Tupperware containers of pre-cooked grilled chicken. The post-workout. In a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, six healthy young men reported to a laboratory on five separate occasions to perform an intense leg workout.

[00:05:25] In a randomized order, each of the men was given different amounts of whole egg protein to drink post-workout. These amounts ranged from 0 grams to 5 grams, 10 grams, 20 grams, and up to 40 grams. After four hours, protein synthesis and whole body leucine oxidation were measured to see how effective the amount of protein was for each.

[00:05:49] The study concluded 20 grams of protein directly following the leg workouts was the most effective in maximally stimulating muscle response and protein synthesis. Okay, so the answer is obvious, right? You need to consume a protein shake post-workout at least, right? Well, before you bring your five-pound bag of gold standard weight to the gym with you, check out the following study.

[00:06:12] A meta-analysis, which is a large grouping of studies, was published in the Journal of International Society and Sports Nutrition, and they looked at 1,000 participants that were tested for the effect of protein timing on both strength and hypertrophy. Throughout the study, these dudes were required to meet a specific protein requirement each day. And the results were unsurprising. The researchers concluded, quote,

[00:06:41] So looking at the entire scope of how protein works within the muscle building process, this study refutes the widespread belief that drinking a protein shake intra and post-workout is essential to building muscle. So how do we reconcile the two studies? Well, it's important to understand that these studies are not really contradictory. Even though protein intake directly after a workout resulted in greater muscle response,

[00:07:08] the first study failed to examine if the subjects were reaching a target protein intake at day's end. What you can conclude from the first study is it's a good idea to eat some protein within a few hours after your workout. You're probably doing this anyway, whether you're a bodybuilder, athlete, or simply hitting the gym to look good naked. My take on protein timing. As long as you hit your minimum protein intake for the day, you'll see similar muscle building results regardless of protein timing.

[00:07:37] Have a protein-containing meal within a few hours of your workout. What matters most is the amount of protein and frequency, not timing. Sure, protein timing may make a very minimal impact on your physique, but it won't make much of a difference overall, especially if you're busy and don't have a lot of time to devote to protein timing strategies. Again, the most important aspect of protein intake is how much you're getting. Until your protein intake, calories, training, and sleep are in line with your goals,

[00:08:07] it's foolish for most to obsess over protein frequency. With that said, it's important for you, even if you're busy, to have an idea of how you'll reach your optimal protein intake for the day. If you don't have a plan of action, you're more likely to miss your goal protein intake than if you have at least a basic plan in place. So here are some protein timing examples for you. But first, one more time with feeling. It doesn't matter when you consume protein as long as you get enough.

[00:08:35] You basically want to divide your optimal protein intake by the number of meals and snacks you eat each day. Whether you eat two meals in one snack, or three meals in one snack, or five small meals throughout the day, you just have to do a little bit of math to know how much protein you should consume with each meal and snack. The bottom line. Don't let the protein timing question haunt you any longer. Set your number. Eat protein. Hit your number by any means necessary.

[00:09:04] Call it a day and grow. Done. You just listened to the post titled Protein Timing. Does it really matter? By Eric Bach of Bachperformance.com And I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:09:46] Let's go. So, lade the Yasio App now. Dr. Neil here for my commentary. So you want to make sure that the protein you're eating actually leads to larger, more defined muscles, right? Well, then you have to create a demand for this dietary protein. You have to make your muscles crave the protein that you're eating. The best way to create this demand is to work your muscles. What I'm trying to say is, perform some resistance training.

[00:10:14] Lift weights. Do yoga or Pilates. Something that places demands on your muscles that goes beyond what they're already used to. This will trigger them to want to pull the proteins that you eat back into them to help them recover and grow. Without this extra demand on the muscles, the proteins you eat each day may not be diverted to the muscles, but instead excreted in your urine or converted to body fat. All right. That'll do it for me for today. Thank you so much for being here.

[00:10:44] Thank you for listening every day. I hope you're having a wonderful week and I'll see you back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits. All right. See you soon. Take care.