Adjust your daily protein intake based on your goals: 1.2-1.6 g/kg for general health, and 1.6 g/kg or more for older adults, athletes, or those aiming to lose weight while preserving lean mass. Always calculate based on ideal or lean body weight.
Combine resistance training with a daily protein intake of 1.6 grams per kilogram body weight to significantly increase muscle mass and strength.
Combat age-related anabolic resistance by combining regular physical activity with a higher daily protein intake, ideally around 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Focus primarily on your total daily protein intake for optimizing muscle protein synthesis and training gains, as the ‘anabolic window’ is not as narrow as once thought, allowing flexibility in consuming protein before or after workouts.
Ideally, distribute your protein intake evenly across 3-4 protein-rich meals, aiming for 20-25 grams per meal (20-30 grams for older adults), but remember that total daily protein intake remains the most crucial factor.
Older adults should consume higher doses of protein per meal (e.g., around 32 grams for an 80kg man) to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis, compensating for age-related anabolic resistance.
Consume approximately 30 grams of protein before bed, particularly on resistance training days, to enhance overnight muscle protein synthesis, improve net protein balance, and aid muscle recovery and growth.
Increase your protein intake to improve satiety, helping you feel fuller for longer and potentially preventing overeating, which is a major benefit for weight loss.
During weight loss, consume a higher protein diet to prevent the loss of lean body mass, ensuring that a greater proportion of weight lost is from fat.
When aiming for weight loss, combine a higher protein intake with resistance training to effectively prevent the loss of lean body mass.
Engage in regular exercise, including strength training, both when young to build muscle reserve and in old age to slow and reverse age-related muscle and strength decline.
Combine higher protein intake with regular exercise, as physical activity positively influences how the body uses amino acids and growth factors, directing them beneficially towards muscle and brain health.
If following a plant-based diet, ensure adequate protein intake by consuming larger quantities of plant-based proteins, diversifying sources to create complete amino acid profiles, and incorporating plant-based protein isolates or concentrates.
Utilize high-quality protein supplements like whey for rapid muscle protein synthesis (e.g., post-exercise) or casein for a prolonged amino acid release, offering targeted benefits even if dietary needs are met.
Aim to consume 20 grams of a high-quality protein, such as whey, per meal to provide 2-3 grams of leucine, which is a saturating dose to stimulate muscle protein synthesis for up to six hours.
Feel free to choose whether to consume protein before or after your workout, as there are no meaningful differences in outcomes, provided your total daily protein intake is sufficient.
Engage in high-intensity strength training regardless of age, as studies show significant increases in muscle strength and size even in adults aged 90 and older.
Engage in regular exercise to modulate growth factors like IGF-1, directing them towards muscle and brain tissue for repair and growth, while potentially reducing their pro-cancer effects elsewhere.
Calculate your daily protein needs based on your ideal or goal body weight, reflecting a healthy body fat percentage (e.g., 12-15% for men, 20% for women), to set realistic and effective targets.
If you dislike going to bed hungry on training days, consider having a low-calorie protein shake before sleep, as it may enhance muscle gain.
Prioritize consuming whole foods as the best strategy to ensure you are getting enough leucine, a critical amino acid for stimulating muscle protein synthesis.
Sprout and ferment plant-based foods to improve the digestibility and absorption of plant protein, which can be lower due to fiber content.
Avoid using collagen as a primary protein source if your goal is to enhance skeletal muscle protein synthesis, as it has a suboptimal amino acid profile and does not significantly boost muscle growth.
Consume a high protein diet, as it may cause a slight increase in your metabolic rate due to the thermic effect of food, helping you burn more calories daily.
Download the free ‘How to Train According to the Experts’ guide at howtotrainguide.com to access comprehensive advice on training, nutrition, and supplementation from leading experts.