Presleep protein ingestion does not compromise the muscle protein synthetic response to protein ingested the following morning

Abstract

Protein ingestion before sleep augments postexercise muscle protein synthesis during overnight recovery. It is unknown whether postexercise and presleep protein consumption modulates postprandial protein handling and myofibrillar protein synthetic responses the following morning. Sixteen healthy young (24 ± 1 yr) men performed unilateral resistance-type exercise (contralateral leg acting as a resting control) at 2000. Participants ingested 20 g of protein immediately after exercise plus 60 g of protein presleep (PRO group; n = 8) or equivalent boluses of carbohydrate (CON; n = 8). The subsequent morning participants received primed, continuous infusions of l-[ring-H]phenylalanine and l-[1-C]leucine combined with ingestion of 20 g intrinsically l-[1-C]phenylalanine- and l-[1-C]leucine-labeled protein to assess postprandial protein handling and myofibrillar protein synthesis in the rested and exercised leg in CON and PRO. Exercise increased postabsorptive myofibrillar protein synthesis rates the subsequent day (P < 0.001), with no differences between CON and PRO. Protein ingested in the morning increased myofibrillar protein synthesis in both the exercised and rested leg (P < 0.01), with no differences between treatments. Myofibrillar protein bound l-[1-C]phenylalanine enrichments were greater in the exercised (0.016 ± 0.002 and 0.015 ± 0.002 MPE in CON and PRO, respectively) vs. rested (0.010 ± 0.002 and 0.009 ± 0.002 MPE in CON and PRO, respectively) leg (P < 0.05), with no differences between treatments (P > 0.05). The additive effects of resistance-type exercise and protein ingestion on myofibrillar protein synthesis persist for more than 12 h after exercise and are not modulated by protein consumption during acute postexercise recovery. This work provides evidence of an extended window of opportunity where presleep protein supplementation can be an effective nutrient timing strategy to optimize skeletal muscle reconditioning.

Pre-Sleep Protein Ingestion to Improve the Skeletal Muscle Adaptive Response to Exercise Training

“…We suggest that athletes should aim to ingest sufficient protein intake at every meal to maximize muscle protein synthesis until the next meal. We have recently shown that the ingestion of large amounts of protein in the early post-exercise recovery phase does not compromise the muscle protein synthetic response to protein ingestion at a later stage [29]. This suggests that every meal moment represents a unique opportunity to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and that the muscle protein synthetic response to each meal may be additive.…”

Exercising to offset muscle mass loss in hemodialysis patients: The disconnect between intention and intervention

“…It is noteworthy that insight into important factors within the exercise prescription that maximizes muscle anabolic potential to feeding have been developed in healthy models. For example, it is necessary to recruit as many muscle fibers as possible to maximize the anabolic action of resistance exercise to subsequent protein intake . In particular, a single bout of resistance exercise performed to elicit maximal muscle fiber activation and, with sufficient volume load (repetitions × load), enhances the dietary amino acid sensitivity of muscle protein synthesis rates to protein intake for at least 1 day in healthy adults …”

“…For example, it is necessary to recruit as many muscle fibers as possible to maximize the anabolic action of resistance exercise to subsequent protein intake. 52,53 In particular, a single bout of resistance exercise performed to elicit maximal muscle fiber activation and, with sufficient volume load (repetitions × load), 54 enhances the dietary amino acid sensitivity of muscle protein synthesis rates to protein intake for at least 1 day in healthy adults. 52 Further manipulation of exercise prescription is required to potentiate the postexercise muscle protein synthetic response in older adults vs their younger counterparts.…”

Response of thigh muscle cross‐sectional area to 21‐days of bed rest with exercise and nutrition countermeasures

“…The effects of resistive exercise can also be enhanced using nutritional supplements. In combination with muscle protein breakdown and other mechanisms, attenuated rates of muscle protein synthesis are responsible for muscle atrophy in immobilization and a resistance to nutrient‐induced stimulation of protein synthesis has been observed . Paddon‐Jones et al showed that essential amino acids and carbohydrate supplementation during bed rest could preserve lean mass of the lower leg but not strength.…”

“…In combination with muscle protein breakdown and other mechanisms, attenuated rates of muscle protein synthesis are responsible for muscle atrophy in immobilization 24,25 and a resistance to nutrient-induced stimulation of protein synthesis has been observed. 26,27 Paddon-Jones et al 28 showed that essential amino acids and carbohydrate supplementation during bed rest could preserve lean mass of the lower leg but not strength. Other bed rest studies did not find any positive effects of protein or essential amino acids supplementation alone on muscle volume or strength loss 5,29 suggesting that the combination of nutritional supplementation with resistive exercise maybe the most promising countermeasure for immobilization induced muscle atrophy.…”