What is the anabolic window, and what happens if I miss it?

The term “anabolic window” refers to the half hour to hour after training when your muscles are most sensitive to growth. During this time, the signalling proteins in your muscles that are responsible for contraction are activated. The muscles get ready to synthesise new protein and can grow a little more.

This is why it is assumed that we should top up on protein, or rather amino acids, in this window, so that we ensure optimal muscle growth.

Some people worry that if they don’t use this window, they miss out on the maximum possible progress. Is that really the case?

Speed doesn’t matter

It is true that eating protein right after training increases protein synthesis in the muscles and their growth. However, when scientists compared total daily protein intake with protein timed straight after training, they found no difference in the overall amount of protein synthesis.

This means that your total daily protein intake, and above all spreading it evenly across the whole day, matters more than when you eat it.

Muscle growth carries on for up to 24 hours after exercise, so there is no need to rush your meal and worry that you’ll fall out of the anabolic window and your muscle growth will stall.

What matters, though, is that protein synthesis only runs for roughly 2 – 3 hours after a protein-rich meal, which is why it is also important to distribute protein evenly across your meals throughout the day.

Another study found that if you eat 30 g of protein 3x a day (morning, lunch, evening), protein synthesis is higher than when you split the same amount unevenly into 10 g in the morning, 15 g at lunch and 65 g in the evening.

If you take protein right after training, it has been found that protein synthesis is best saturated at 0.25 – 0.4 g of protein per kg of body weight. Obviously, it depends on a person’s total muscle mass. A bigger person will need more protein per kilo of body weight.

Even though it basically doesn’t matter, almost everyone I know tries to get their protein in as soon as possible after training. It’s a habit, and nearly everyone is hungry after a workout. But it’s fine if you don’t, as long as you top up steadily and evenly over the rest of the day.

How many grams of protein a day do I need to build muscle?

The optimal daily protein intake is given as 1.6 – 1.8 g/kg of body weight per day. At 2 or more grams of protein per kg a day, the amino acids are no longer used by the body but oxidised. This produces ammonia, which is converted into urea and excreted.

And how should the basic nutrients be split in your diet?

On average, 25 – 30 % of your energy intake should come from protein, 55 – 60 % from carbohydrates and 15 – 20 % from fat. If you need to lose weight, however, keep carbohydrates and fat as low as possible.

Protein powder after training? Voxberg

Recent research has shown that the essential amino acid leucine has a positive effect on protein synthesis. Leucine is the main regulator that activates protein synthesis, meaning it helps kick-start the process. That’s why we add leucine to our WHEY100 protein so that one serving contains the optimal amount of 3 g of leucine. It comes in as many as seven flavours.

Complex Protein in turn ensures an even absorption of protein, because it combines three different “slow” and “fast” proteins – whey, milk and egg. It is the only one that contains lactose.

Women’s Protein is enriched with Garcinia Cambogia extract, which contains hydroxycitric acid. This suppresses fat storage and reduces food intake, helping you control your body weight. On top of that, zinc for healthy nails, hair and skin, plus iron, folic acid and vitamin D for immunity, fatigue, red blood cells and blood renewal.

Water Shake is interesting because even though it is made from whey protein isolate, it has none of the typical milky taste or texture. It is a fresh, fruity protein drink, ideal for anyone who would rather quench their thirst than fill up on a milky shake.

Vegan protein consists of pea protein isolate and fava bean protein isolate. We’ve added a vitamin complex to it, especially B12.

All VOXBERG proteins are gluten-free.

Read also: Training without adjusting your diet is like taking one step forward and two steps back