Protein Supplementation after Exercise and before Sleep Does Not Further Augment Muscle Mass and Strength Gains during Resistance Exercise Training in Active Older Men.

Plain-language summary

This study set out to see if adding protein supplements after workouts and before bed would boost muscle and strength gains from weight training in older men. It compared 41 active older men, average age 70, through 12 weeks of full-body resistance training, with half taking a 21 g protein shake and half taking an energy-matched dummy drink after workouts and at bedtime. Both groups gained similar strength and similar muscle size, and the protein added nothing on top of the training itself.

Key findings

• Protein supplementation after exercise and before sleep did not increase muscle mass or strength gains beyond resistance training alone in active older men.
• Both groups showed similar improvements in leg strength, quadriceps size, and type II muscle fiber growth.
• Muscle protein synthesis rates were the same in both groups.