The pros and cons of drinking a protein shake before bed.
What is nutrient timing?
Nutrient timing refers to eating specific nutrients in specific amounts at specific times. Consuming protein right before going to bed is an example of nutrient timing. As you may have guessed, some people believe that nutrient timing has a significant impact on performance, recovery, etc.
The post-exercise “window” is widely considered the most important aspect of nutrient timing. It is thought that consuming the right nutrients in the right amounts after a workout can maximize post-exercise muscular adaptations. In other words, if you eat enough carbohydrates and protein after a workout, you will see the best results. This suggests that the best time to drink a protein shake is after a workout, not right before bed. Upon reviewing existing literature, however, it seems that nutrient timing is not particularly important for most people. This means that when you drink a protein shake does not really matter if you are simply trying to look and/or feel better.
Is it ok to drink protein shake before bed?
Is it bad to drink protein shakes at night? Nighttime eating, particularly before bed, has received a lot of attention in recent years. As a rule of thumb, you should stop eating about three hours before going to bed. This allows time for your body to digest the food, but also keeps you from going to sleep hungry. Digestion is important because researchers have found that undigested food can cause nocturnal awakenings and poor sleep quality.
Limiting and/or avoiding eating before nighttime sleep has also been proposed as both a weight loss strategy because negative outcomes have been observed in populations that consume a majority of their daily food at night. That said, research is beginning to show that negative outcomes are not consistent when the food choice is low calorie, nutrient-dense, and primarily one macronutrient. A protein shake before bed may therefore not be unhealthy, and could even promote positive physiological changes in healthy populations.
Research also shows that drinking protein shakes before bed is a great way to increase muscle protein synthesis rates during nighttime sleep. In other words, drinking a protein shake right before going to sleep will help you build more muscle and recover faster from resistance-type exercise training. That said, it is unclear if the benefits of this routine are due to nutrient timing or just increased protein intake. This all leads me to believe that as long as it does not upset your stomach, drinking a protein shake before bed is a good idea if you need the protein. That said, not protein supplements are created equal.