Protein Before Bed: Does It Help Muscle Growth?
Eating 30-40 g of slow-digesting protein before bed can support overnight muscle repair and recovery. Casein, found in dairy, is ideal because it releases amino acids gradually…
Calculate Your Protein IntakeDuring sleep your body continues to repair muscle, and a pre-bed protein feed provides amino acids for that process across the whole night. Research shows a 30-40 g casein dose before sleep can raise overnight muscle protein synthesis, especially after evening training.
This is most useful if your daytime protein has been low or you train in the evening. Good options include Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, milk, or a casein shake, ideally as part of a normal evening routine rather than an extra large meal.
- Pre-sleep dose: 30-40 g of slow protein
- Casein from dairy digests slowly overnight
- Most useful after evening training or low daytime intake
- Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese or milk all work
Quick Reference
- General health (sedentary): 0.8–1.0 g/kg body weight
- Weight loss: 1.6–2.2 g/kg to preserve muscle in a deficit
- Muscle gain: 1.8–2.5 g/kg depending on training experience
- Athletic performance: 2.0–3.1 g/kg
- Spread intake across 4–5 meals of 25–40g each for best results
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Frequently Asked Questions
For most healthy adults, higher protein intakes within these ranges are safe. Spread your intake across 3-4 meals a day for the best absorption and results.