Does when you drink protein shake change your muscles or weight?
Casein Protein Supplementation in Trained Men and Women: Morning versus Evening
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Extra protein didn’t lead to fat gain—even without increased exercise.
Most people assume extra calories, even from protein, will lead to fat storage. But here, participants ate ~200+ extra kcal/day from protein and didn’t gain fat.
Practical Takeaways
Focus on hitting your daily protein goal—timing it morning or night doesn’t seem to matter if you’re already training consistently.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Extra protein didn’t lead to fat gain—even without increased exercise.
Most people assume extra calories, even from protein, will lead to fat storage. But here, participants ate ~200+ extra kcal/day from protein and didn’t gain fat.
Practical Takeaways
Focus on hitting your daily protein goal—timing it morning or night doesn’t seem to matter if you’re already training consistently.
Publication
Journal
International Journal of Exercise Science
Year
2017
Authors
J. Antonio, Anya Ellerbroek, C. Peacock, T. Silver
Related Content
Claims (5)
If you're getting the same amount of protein every day, it doesn't matter whether you drink a shake before bed or at another time — you'll gain the same amount of muscle and strength.
If you're someone who works out regularly, adding 54 grams of casein protein to your daily diet—whether in the morning or at night—won’t make you gain fat over 8 weeks, even if you don’t change your exercise routine.
If fit people already eat a lot of protein, taking extra casein protein in the morning or before bed doesn’t change their body fat or muscle over 8 weeks—if their workouts stay the same.
If you're already working out, taking 54 grams of casein protein every day for 8 weeks—whether in the morning or at night—won’t noticeably change your strength or how long you can keep lifting weights, as long as your workouts stay the same.
If you're already fit and eat a decent amount of protein, boosting your intake even higher with supplements won’t change your muscle, fat, or performance—as long as your workout routine stays the same.