In your article you write about muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and refractionary period.
My understanding is, that MPS comes into effect a) AFTER you've eaten enough protein to trigger it and b) you must have had enough essential amino acids ingested in the past 4-6 hours. So far correct?
So, first question: if I use a protein shake (say, 50g protein) after waking up in the morning and I haven't had any protein for the past 10-12 hours, will a MPS still be triggered?
Second question: After MPS is triggered, does any more protein ingested afterwards still contribute to the refractionary period that follows afterwards? Or would it be "stored" until the next bout of MPS occurs?
If it's relevant, I'm (soon) 28yo, 5'9" and around 200 lbs.
I'm not Miro, but if he thinks just like me, then he is asking this: If you consume a protein heavy meal 2 hours after your last meal, the next opportunity to spike MPS is going to be in 3-5 hours since the first (the one that spiked MPS) or the second meal (the one taken in the refractory period)?
Well, is MPS instantaneous or is there a process going on (for say, 10 min) before MPS "finishes" and the refractionary period begins?
If it's the latter, can you use that time window to ingest more protein to be "used" in said refractionary preriod? Would that even have any effect whatsoever?
I eealize this is a purely academic question, but I'm curious nonetheless.
The second meal, as amino acid levels need to drop and signaling molecules need to become more "sensitive" to subsequent feedings. As far as how much this matters long term? We don't know.
MPS peaks at about 90 min post prandial and then wanes until a certain threshold of amino acid/hormonal sensitivity is realized. After this, a response can be seen to subsequent feedings.
So that would mean, if I ate some meat or drank a protein shake again 1 hour later after my last meal, the protein would still be used for rebuilding "stuff". If so then it's clear why consuming lots of protein every 2h isn't as effective as many think.
The second meal before the MPS peaking doesn't count against the 3-5h window, though, does it?
How do BCAAs fit into this relationship? Should you wait 3 hours after a meal to take your BCAAs and then wait 3 more hours to eat again or does a small dose of BCAAs not signal MPS?