





Is pre-sleep protein useful for older adults?

Older adults lose muscle mass with aging, which is termed sarcopenia. One of the underlying mechanisms is that they are less responsive to anabolic (muscle building) stimuli such as protein ingestion. To compensate, older adults need to eat more protein than younger adults.

However, it can be difficult for older adults to eat a large amount of protein in each meal. Instead, an extra portion of protein before sleep may be a feasible option to increase total daily protein intake.

In this study, we investigated the effect of pre-sleep protein on muscle protein synthesis (the process that drives muscle growth and recovery) during the night in older adults (≥65 years old). Subjects had a normal day of eating, with a total protein intake 1.1 g/kg/d of which ~30 g at dinner. In addition, subjects consumed either 20 g casein protein, 40 g casein protein, or a placebo (0 g protein) right before sleep.

The 20 g casein dose before sleep did not significantly stimulate overnight muscle protein synthesis rates. However, 40 g of casein did stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

Pre-sleep protein ingestion did not impact the amount or quality of sleep. In addition, pre-sleep protein ingestion did not impact food intake during breakfast the next morning.



These results suggest that consuming some extra protein before sleep might help slow down muscle loss in older adults.

In conclusion, consuming 40 g of casein protein right before sleep stimulates overnight muscle protein synthesis in healthy older adults. However, 20 g of casein is not enough to see this effect.

Our study:

Kouw et al, Protein Ingestion Before Sleep Increases Overnight Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates in Healthy Older Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nutr, 2017