Does moving more in the evening help older men build muscle while sleeping?
Physical Activity Performed in the Evening Increases the Overnight Muscle Protein Synthetic Response to Presleep Protein Ingestion in Older Men.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Evening physical activity significantly enhances the muscle-building effect of presleep protein in older men.
Many assume older adults should avoid late-day exercise due to sleep concerns, or that digestion is too slow at night—but here, evening movement made protein work better during sleep.
Practical Takeaways
Older adults can combine light-to-moderate evening physical activity with 40g of casein protein before bed to potentially enhance overnight muscle repair.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Evening physical activity significantly enhances the muscle-building effect of presleep protein in older men.
Many assume older adults should avoid late-day exercise due to sleep concerns, or that digestion is too slow at night—but here, evening movement made protein work better during sleep.
Practical Takeaways
Older adults can combine light-to-moderate evening physical activity with 40g of casein protein before bed to potentially enhance overnight muscle repair.
Publication
Journal
The Journal of nutrition
Year
2016
Authors
A. Holwerda, I. W. Kouw, J. Trommelen, S. Halson, W. Wodzig, L. Verdijk, L. V. van Loon
Related Content
Claims (4)
For older guys, working out in the evening and then having protein before bed helps their muscles use that protein better overnight than just having protein alone.
When older guys drink a protein shake with 40 grams of casein right before bed, about half of that protein shows up in their blood overnight — meaning their bodies are good at digesting and using it while they sleep.
If older guys do some exercise in the evening and then eat 40 grams of protein before bed, their muscles rebuild better overnight than if they just ate the protein alone.
If older guys work out in the evening and then eat protein before bed, their muscles use that protein better overnight to repair and grow.