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Is it right before exercise, right after, or some other time? The answer is in a new study in the peer reviewed journal, Nutrition, and it just might surprise you.
Researchers studied a group of 44 young, healthy men. They put them all on a resistance (weight lifting) exercise training program for three months. They gave half of them a protein supplement consisting of 27.5 grams of protein, 15 grams of carbohydrate, and 0.1 gram of fat every night before sleep. The other group received a non-caloric placebo. Before and after the experiment they used whole-body, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure their muscle mass. They also assessed their muscle fibers using a muscle biopsy. And they measured the men's overall strength. Here's what they found.
Overall muscle strength in the protein before bed group was twice that in the placebo group. The same was true for muscle mass. The protein guys had developed almost two times more muscle mass than the placebo group. As for muscle fiber content, the protein group had increased more than twice the amount of type II muscle fiber size than the placebo men.
The authors of the study point out that previous studies have shown that, "Protein ingestion before sleep increases muscle protein synthesis rates during overnight recovery from an exercise bout." What they didn't know was whether or not that would translate to bigger, stronger muscles. This study shows that it very clearly does.
I have reported to you before how to exercise smart and get the same results from exercising half the time. Now this study shows us another trick to give us the maximum effect from our exercise efforts. Now here's an extra tip.
The 27.5 grams of protein powder that was given to these men was the typical kind of protein that is only 17% effective when it comes to muscle building. There are protein pills that are especially formulated to be close to 100% effective. They are called PerfectAmino. I have reported on these pills before. And since they are so much more effective than the protein used in the study you don't need much of them. Just taking five PerfectAmino pills will give you a little more muscle action than the 27.5 grams of protein powder used in this study. And they are a lot easier on the stomach. You can get PerfectAmino at www.bodyhealth.com. And one last thing.
Don’t' forget the 15 grams of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate causes an increase in the hormone insulin which works to turn protein into muscle. So it is a perfect combination for the protein. 15 grams is about half of a small apple.
If there is anything society has come to realize over the last century, it is that women are just as powerful, smart, ambitious, and capable as men. And while society as a whole is still catching up as far as true equality, the facts are evident when you look at some of the most incredible and influential people today.
When it comes to fitness, however, men and women are not the same. The natural, physiological differences necessitate unique approaches to achieve optimal results. While the fundamental science behind attaining a shredded, lean physique is basically the same for both sexes, the exact steps and application require careful consideration.
One thing I've learned is that injuries can be great teachers. There are so many lessons to be learned from the injuries we experience. They force us to slow down and evaluate our bodies on a deeper level. Like many, I'm guilty of sometimes taking my healthy days for granted. When we pick up an injury, we're suddenly motivated to learn everything we can about that specific injury. We're also dedicated to the necessary rehab it will take to overcome the injury and strengthen our weak areas.
As with many injuries, I've learned there are no "quick fixes" for my stubborn Achilles. Over the years, I've also learned there are no "get fit quickly" schemes.