Least Amount Of Post-Workout Protein

There’s a tendency among weight room warriors to believe that more is better. A study recently published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition takes a look at what can be accomplished with less. In this case, they were trying to determine the least amount of protein that could assist with post-workout recovery.
 
Twenty healthy male subjects in their 40s did 4 sets of leg extensions and presses using 80% of their one rep max. Some consumed 9 grams of milk protein while others got a calorie-matched carbohydrate drink.
 
Nine grams of milk protein was enough to increase some measures of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling, which plays a role in protein synthesis. It wasn’t enough to optimize the increased amino acid transport that results from exercise.