Protein supplement companies often market their products in aggressive manner. It is no secret that sports supplement companies will sometimes twist around the results of studies in order to make their product appear more effective than it really is.
The more this has come to light, the more people have come to believe that protein supplementation for muscle gains is a con driven by sales targets. Protein supplementation can certainly be very expensive if high dosages are used and is big business for the sports supplement industry.
On top of this, certain scientific studies have shown that protein supplementation does not increase muscle mass.
This is to be contrasted with a large number of studies that do show an increase, and many hundreds of thousands of anecdotal reports from individuals who use gyms who believe that they grow more rapidly when they consume extra protein.
As we are concerned with scientific evidence primarily, the difference in results between scientific studies are the most pressing concern to address.
Does protein increase muscle mass?
A review published in 2012 has shed might on the issue. Professor Bosse of USANA Health Sciences and Professor Dixon of the University of Utah reviewed the evidence from 17 studies that had examined the influence of protein and resistance training on muscle mass.
The bottom line of their findings was that the change in protein had to be reasonably large in order for an increase in muscle mass to be observed.
The studies which showed an increase in muscle mass involved a larger average increase in protein consumption.
The studies that found a positive effect increased protein by an average of 59.5%, while those that found no effect increased protein by just 6.5% on average.
It appears that there is either a threshold amount of protein that must be exceeded in order for raising protein levels to have an effect, or that the equipment used in these studies was only sensitive enough to register larger muscle mass changes.
All studies that looked at an increase in protein of 20% or greater resulted in an increase in muscle mass. So if you consume 80 grams of protein a day, you must increase that by at least 16 grams (20%) in order to see a difference.
That is two large glasses of milk, one small steak or chicken breast, or one average scoop of a protein supplement.
As most individuals who make an effort to eat more protein eat at least this much extra or more, it is no surprise that most people who use gyms feel that protein is beneficial to muscle growth.
It seems that on this occasion the basic claim by protein companies that you can increase muscle by taking their products is correct, as the recommended dosage of most protein powders would result in increasing protein intake by 20% or more based around an average Western diet.
Is it beneficial to consume protein immediately before and after a work out?
A second claim made by supplement manufacturers is that the time period known as the “post exercise window” is the most important time to consume protein. The theory is that the body absorbs protein more easily and sends protein to muscles rather than burning it as energy more willingly, during the narrow window between 1 and 30 minutes after finishing a work out.
If this is true it is clearly good news for protein manufacturers, as liquid protein shakes are by far the easiest way to get a quick hit of protein immediately on finishing a work out. This has naturally lead to some suspicion.
In fact it has been verified that consuming protein immediately on finishing a work out does give a substantial boost to size and strength improvements. A study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise showed that performance on the squat increased by additional 13 pounds, on the bench press by an additional 7 pounds, and on the deadlift by an additional 6 pounds if protein drinks where consumed immediately before and immediately after training, rather than consuming the drinks in the morning and at night. Two markers of muscle size, cross-sectional muscle area and contractile muscle protein content, also increased substantially when drinks were used before and after training. Consuming drinks before a workout ensures that protein digestion begins during the workout, and consuming more afterwards supplies further protein when digestion and muscle supply is at its greatest rate.
It seems that the common advice of manufacturers to drink protein after a workout is good advice, and that consuming protein both before and after makes the most logical sense. This is a more effective time to supplement with protein than at other times of day.
Conclusion
It is wise to exercise caution when assessing the claims of sports supplement manufacturers, as there have been high profile cases of manufacturers misleading customers. But it is pleasing to see that on this occasion the two central claims of protein supplement manufacturers – that more protein means more muscle and that the post-workout meal is important – are substantiated by scientific evidence.
Useful references
Bosse, J. D., & Dixon, B. M. (2012). Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(1), 42.
Cribb, P. J., & Hayes, A. (2006). Effects of supplement-timing and resistance exercise on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38(11), 1918-1925.