4×20 g protein every 3 h maximizes 12-h myofibrillar MPS vs 8×10 g pulse or 2×40 g bolus
Participants
n=24 healthy trained males, assigned to three groups of 8.
Protocol
A bout of resistance exercise, then 80 g whey protein over 12 h recovery as 8×10 g every 1.5 h (PULSE), 4×20 g every 3 h (INT), or 2×40 g every 6 h (BOLUS).
Muscle biopsies at rest and 1, 4, 6, 7 and 12 h post-exercise; MPS by L-[ring-13C6]phenylalanine; mRNA abundance and cell signalling.
Key Findings
All three protocols raised MPS above rest throughout 1–12 h recovery (88–148%).
20 g every 3 h (INT) was superior to both PULSE and BOLUS for stimulating myofibrillar MPS across the 12-h period.
The treatments produced a BOLUS > INT > PULSE hierarchy in phosphorylation of signalling proteins and differential mRNA expression (MuRF-1, SLC38A2 with BOLUS) — signalling magnitude did not track the MPS result.
Interpretation in the entry's earlier version ("frequent-small failed to reach the per-feeding threshold; large boluses spiked early then left gaps") is the authors' reasoning, not a measured result — inference from the design.
Practical Application
Parallel trial, 24 resistance-trained men, 80 g whey over 12 h after lifting: 4×20 g every 3 h produced more myofibrillar protein synthesis than 8×10 g every 1.5 h or 2×40 g every 6 h — distribution, not just total, matters for the post-training day.
Prescribe ~20 g quality protein every ~3 h through the post-training day — not grazing or one big meal. Not from this paper: the per-kg equivalent (~0.25 g/kg) is the ISSN figure in REF-578.
Limitations
Acute 12-h MPS, not chronic hypertrophy; young trained men; fixed 80 g whey — spacing may differ for slower proteins/larger totals.
Parallel groups of 8 (not a crossover) — between-subject variability limits precision.
How this entry was checked and changed
Why this level
(acute mechanistic RCT)
Content correction 2026-09-27
Entry called the design a "randomized crossover" -> abstract: three separate groups, n=8 per group (parallel). Type, Participants and Limitations corrected.
"≈0.25–0.3 g/kg" and "4–5 meals/day" are not in this abstract -> labelled as ISSN figure / base practice. Added the 88–148% MPS rise, the biopsy schedule and the signalling hierarchy from the abstract.