About this Resource
The common recommendation for sportspeople and athletes is to evenly distribute protein across several meals to maximise muscle protein synthesis. This handout reviews whether consuming a balanced protein distribution results in greater strength or muscle growth than an unbalanced protein distribution (i.e., consuming most protein within a single meal such as dinner).
Grounded in the Research
“There seems to be a valid theoretical rationale to optimize protein distribution to influence muscle-related outcomes. However, the current available evidence is too limited and inconsistent to make a definitive conclusion about whether changing dietary patterns from consuming an unbalanced distribution to consuming an “optimal” protein distribution pattern will positively influence muscle-related outcomes.”
Excerpt from: Hudson, J. L., Bergia, R. E., & Campbell, W. W. (2020). Protein distribution and muscle-related outcomes: does the evidence support the concept? Nutrients 12: 1–22.
References
[1] Hudson, J. L., Bergia III, R. E., & Campbell, W. W. (2020). Protein distribution and muscle-related outcomes: does the evidence support the concept?. Nutrients, 12(5), 1441. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12051441
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[8] Jespersen, S. E., & Agergaard, J. (2021). Evenness of dietary protein distribution is associated with higher muscle mass but not muscle strength or protein turnover in healthy adults: a systematic review. European Journal of Nutrition, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02487-2
[9] Kim, I. Y., Schutzler, S., Schrader, A., Spencer, H., Kortebein, P., Deutz, N. E., … & Ferrando, A. A. (2015). Quantity of dietary protein intake, but not pattern of intake, affects net protein balance primarily through differences in protein synthesis in older adults. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 308(1), E21-E28. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00382.2014
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