Protein before or after training: does timing matter?

It matters much less than people often say. Studies find similar results whether you take it before or after training, and what really makes the difference is your total protein for the day. The only practical rule: do not let too many hours go by between the meal before and the meal after.

What the meta-analyses say

The effect came from the amount, not the clock

What the studies say

One meta-analysis pooled 23 trials on muscle mass, with 525 people, and 20 on strength, with 478 ¹. At first sight, taking protein right next to training gave a little more muscle. But once the researchers took into account how much protein each group ate per day, the advantage disappeared ¹.

The explanation is simple. In many of those studies, the shake group ended up eating more protein: on average, 1.66 g per kilo a day compared with 1.33 g in the control group ¹. The effect came from the amount, not the clock.

A more recent meta-analysis, with 65 trials and 2,907 healthy adults, reached the same conclusion: protein supplements increased lean mass, and the timing did not change the result ⁶.

Before or after: the trial that compared them

In a 10-week trial, 21 men with strength-training experience trained three days a week. Some took 25 g of whey protein isolate just before training and others just after ².

By the end, both groups had gained strength in the squat, by 3.7% in the before group and 4.9% in the after group, and their muscle thickness had changed in a similar way. There were no differences between taking it before or after ². The authors conclude that you can choose whichever moment suits you best ².

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) takes the same view: taking protein before and after training has benefits, and choosing one or the other comes down to what agrees with you ⁵.

What about the famous anabolic window?

For years it was repeated that, once you finished training, there was a very short window to take protein, and that if you missed it, the session was wasted. Today we know that window is much wider:

• The effect of training lasts at least 24 hours. According to the ISSN, muscle stays more sensitive to protein during that time. The response tapers off as the hours go by ⁵.
• Up to 2 hours later, a good response. Taking good-quality protein from just after training up to 2 hours later stimulates muscle protein synthesis well ⁴.
• It depends on what you ate before. The closer your last meal was to training, the more leeway you have afterwards ³.

We explain it with all the studies in The anabolic window: what the studies say.

The practical rule

No more than 3-4 hours between the meal before and the one after

The practical rule: the hours between meals

What does matter is how much time passes between your meal before training and your meal after it. The researchers Aragon and Schoenfeld propose ³:

1. Protein before and after: about 0.4-0.5 g per kilo of lean mass in each. With 70 kg of lean mass, between 28 and 35 g per meal.
2. No more than 3-4 hours between those two meals, for a typical session of 45-90 minutes.
3. If you train after more than 3-4 hours without eating, have at least 25 g of protein as soon as you finish.
4. If you ate 1-2 hours before, that meal also covers the period immediately afterwards. There is no need to have your shake the moment you finish.

Here is how it looks in practice:

The daily total

Daily protein if you train, per kilo of body weight

What really matters: the daily total

The ISSN recommends 1.4-2.0 g of protein per kilo of body weight a day for most people who exercise. Ideally, spread it over servings of 20-40 g (about 0.25 g per kilo) every 3-4 hours ⁵. The ISSN position on meal timing agrees: servings of 20-40 g every 3-4 hours are the most favourable for muscle ⁴.

An example: if you weigh 75 kg, your target is between 105 and 150 g a day. That is about 4 meals of 25-40 g. If one of them falls just before or after training, perfect; if not, that is fine too.

Not sure how much you need? Work it out with our protein calculator, which splits it across your meals for you. And if you want the detail behind the figures, you will find it in how much protein you need a day.

What about before bed?

It is another good moment to add some. According to the ISSN, 30-40 g of casein before bed increases muscle protein synthesis overnight ⁵. If you train in the afternoon or evening, a dinner with protein is the simplest way to round off the day.

How our shake fits in

Our Gourmet Isolate Protein is whey protein isolate with a chocolate flavour. One scoop (25 g) provides about 21 g of protein, and two scoops (50 g), 42.8 g. That way you can adjust the serving to whatever you are missing.

Use it whenever suits you best: after training, at breakfast or mid-afternoon. “Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.” “Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.” ⁷ A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important. Contains milk and soya.