Protein Intake: Effect of Timing

D ietary supplement use among the adult population in the United States is widespread. Recent reports have suggested that more than half of the American adult and adolescent population use some form of nutritional supplement, with vitamin and mineral supplementation being the most widely reported (10). Thus, it comes as no surprise that nutritional supplementation use among athletes appears to be at record rates. Nearly 90% of collegiate athletes are currently using or have used nutritional supplements (18). However, whether nutritional supplementation by such a large segment of the athletic population is necessary could be cause for debate, especially considering that many collegiate athletes are not meeting their nutritional needs regarding both energy and protein intake (12, 20). Although a need exists to help athletes determine whether dietary supplementation is necessary, the primary focus for much of the research on nutritional supplementation has been on demonstrating the efficacy of various supplements or supplement combinations in regard to athletic performance improvements, muscle hypertrophy, and body mass changes. However, recent research has begun to examine the importance of nutrient timing. If an athlete is using a dietary supplement, does it make a difference when that supplement is consumed with regard to augmenting the acute physiological response to that training session or to enhancing recovery from exercise? This review focuses on the timing of protein intake and its effects on skeletal muscle remodeling.