Acute response vs. long-term outcome
Resistance exercise sensitizes muscle to protein for many hours, so there is no tiny 30-minute window that suddenly closes. Total daily protein and progressive resistance training are larger drivers of hypertrophy outcomes.
Practical timing
A protein-containing meal within a few hours before or after training is reasonable, especially when it helps distribute protein across the day. Do not sacrifice daily intake or adherence to hit an exact minute.
Human meta-analyses
Evidence notes
- Schoenfeld et al.: total protein was the strongest predictor of hypertrophy effect size; narrow workout timing was not shown to be critical.
- British Journal of Sports Medicine: supplementation supported training gains; about 1.6 g/kg/day captured most observed fat-free-mass benefit in healthy adults.