Studies have been done on when to take protein for best results. These studies say that when you take your protein can make a big difference in your results.
Studies have shown that taking whey protein before and immediately after training is very important.
Casein protein intake has also been studied in the past few years. Studies have shown that casein protein taken late at night, perhaps bedtime, can increase muscle mass and lower body fat. This is especially true when the protein intake is spread out throughout the day. Casein protein performed better when the intake was spread out over a long period of time. *Researchers believe that the slow digestion of the casein protein allowed for better sustained amino acid levels in the blood when the servings are taken further apart.
They believe that taking a serving in the morning and at bedtime is more effective than a serving in the morning and mid-afternoon.
Whey protein is digested quicker so you wouldn’t use it the same way. You would need to take your servings closer together for the best sustained blood amino acid levels.
It is always better to split your protein intake up in separate doses regardless of which type of protein you are using. The above mentioned study just proves what many already believed, that the key to changing your physique is elevated blood amino acid levels for a sustained period of time.
*Burk A, Timpmann S, Medijainen L, Vähi M, Oöpik V. Nutr Res. 2009
Jun;29(6):405-13.
