Pre-workout

Once a protein has been consumed by an individual, anabolism is increased for about three hours postprandial with a peak at about 45–90 minutes [14].

After about three hours postprandial, MPS drops back to baseline even though serum amino acid levels remain elevated [14].

These data show that there is a limited time window within which to induce protein synthesis before a refractory period begins.

With this in mind, an ideal protein supplement after resistance exercise should contain whey protein, as this will rapidly digest and initiate MPS, and provide 3–4 g of leucine per serving, which is instrumental in promoting maximal MPS [29,30].

A combination of a fast-acting carbohydrate source such as maltodextrin or glucose should be consumed with the protein source, as leucine cannot modulate protein synthesis as effectively without the presence of insulin [27,28] and studies using protein sources with a carbohydrate source tended to increase LBM more than did a protein source alone [33,37-41].

Such a supplement would be ideal for increasing muscle protein synthesis, resulting in increased muscle hypertrophy and strength.