How does morning protein help?

Morning protein intake can be beneficial for various reasons, as Andrew Huberman explains:

1. Consuming around 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up as part of a slow carb diet can help with weight loss, dropping body fat percentage, and increasing muscle. This could be possibly due to offsetting food intake later in the day, but the exact mechanism is not clear 1.

2. In terms of muscle maintenance and hypertrophy, protein ingested early in the day supports these goals better, regardless of when resistance training occurs. This is because of the circadian rhythms related to muscle cells, which are more receptive to protein synthesis early in the day 2 3 4 5.

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     Protein Timing Benefits

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     Early Protein Intake

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     Protein Timing

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     4

     Protein Synthesis Mechanism

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     5

     Muscle Protein Synthesis

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     Protein Timing

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3. The intake of amino acids, especially leucine, which is vital for the cell growth process, influences muscle growth due to its relationship to the mTOR pathway. Therefore, including a high protein meal early in the day can significantly benefit those looking to maintain or increase muscle mass 6.

Despite these benefits, it's important to note that protein intake later in the day is still beneficial, particularly if resistance training occurs later 5. This information can be particularly relevant for those following intermittent fasting protocols and those interested in muscle maintenance or growth 6.