Life is maintained by a set of very specific processes, from the generation of electrical signals that make the heart beat normally, down to the breakdown, storage and creation of glucose and energy.
And becoming stronger and fitter is a process in itself. The first and very basic step is learning and applying the most fundamental principles in fitness, like:
Calculating and monitoring your caloric and macronutrient intake
Emphasizing heavy, compound weightlifting in your training, and
Following a sensible workout plan
So, where does pre-bed protein come in?
Well, once you have the fundamentals firmly in place, you can now explore for more ways to optimize your results, which is the second step in the process. And in building strength and muscle fast, science suggests that the consumption of a serving of protein before retiring for the day can definitely help, but for an entirely different purpose than what the hype tells you. And it's not even as necessary as you think it is.
In terms of muscle accretion, your progress is driven entirely by your fundamentals. Without the right fundamentals, it won't matter how much supplements and shakes you chug in. Neither will it matter at what time of the day or night you choose to eat your protein.
You see...
Pre-Bed Protein Does Not Prevent Muscle Loss...
Overnight muscle catabolism is a real fear among fitness enthusiasts, and if you're reading this, you might be wondering if there's any truth to all this fear-mongering. After working hard building muscle, it is not comforting to know that you may be wasting away as you sleep for 6 -8 hours.
Some fitness experts and personal trainers strongly suggest consuming a protein-rich meal or a casein supplement before retiring in order to keep nutrients flowing during an overnight fast. I used to think along this line as well; it just made sense to me.
Let's say Bob had his last meal at 6 PM. The whole digestive process will have been completed by midnight, leaving him without nutrients from that point on.
When the digestive process has been completed, and the body stops receiving nutrients, it would still need energy, even at rest, and this energy has to come from somewhere. So, the body starts to cannibalize the muscle tissue, right?
The short answer is NO. The body is smart and is not as cruel as you think.
As I said earlier, life is maintained by a set of processes; nature designed mechanisms specifically aimed at survival and self-preservation.
In a fasted state, the body's first source of energy is glycogen, which is glucose stored in the liver and skeletal muscles. However, only the glycogen in the liver is available for use by other organs. Glycogen stored in the muscles is for muscle use only.
The liver stores 100 to 120 grams of glycogen. This amount can fuel the body for 12 to 22 hours before the body switches to breaking down protein and fat for energy.
What this means is that unless you sleep for 12 hours straight, you don't even have to worry about muscle breakdown. The body is smart, and it knows that muscles are important.
It won't cannibalize muscle that easily, and pre-bed protein is not necessary to preserve muscle or prevent muscle loss.
Nevertheless, I do recommend consuming a protein source before bed, but for an entirely different purpose:
Eating Protein Before Bed Stimulates Muscle Growth
Building muscle occurs when there is a positive muscle protein balance. In simple terms, muscle protein synthesis (anabolism) must exceed muscle protein breakdown (catabolism). To promote a positive protein balance, two things must be present: a stimulus and raw materials.
A single bout of resistance training can stimulate protein synthesis. But, in the absence of raw materials or nutrients in the form of amino acids, the protein balance swings to the negative.
Both training and amino acids from protein sources work together in building and repairing muscle and increasing your total lean mass overtime. Amino acids are especially crucial in protein metabolism. If your body does not have enough raw materials to work with, muscle building becomes impossible.
Although there is no real benefit to pre-bed protein when it comes to preventing muscle loss, a study has shown that protein synthesis rates are low in participants who did not consume protein before bed.
So, how exactly does consuming protein before hitting the sack help you with your muscle-and-strength building goals?
For one, it provides a continuous flow of amino acids while you sleep to be used for growth and repair. So, instead of having to pause protein synthesis while sleeping, your body can accelerate protein muscle synthesis and continue building muscle.