Welcome back to another protein-focused edition of Training & Performance! My last article looked at the evidence in support of avoiding protein while you run. Today, I will discuss one of the more common questions I hear at my practice: does protein timing and distribution matter? And should you be consuming protein directly after a workout?

Muscle/Protein Physiology

Our muscles are in a constant state of breakdown and renewal. For the average person (depending on factors such as age and level of activity), muscles are broken down and rebuilt at a rate of 1-2%/ day. To help support this renewal, the building blocks of muscle (amino acids) need to be taken in on a regular basis.

While the amino acids we ingest provide the raw material to support that 1-2% renewal rate, that is not all they do. The act of ingesting amino acids also triggers a physiological cascade that signals more muscle growth. So, when the body is being fed amino acids, not only does it have the material for muscle growth, but an anabolic muscle-building state is also put into action!

So it’s no surprise that ingesting protein is important to muscle growth. Now the question is, how much and how frequently do we need to ingest protein to optimize both of these benefits and maximize our gains?

Click HERE to read the rest in the Run Waterloo Magazine.