Nutrient Timing Revisited: Is there a Post-Exercise Anabolic Window?

Over the past two decades, nutrient timing has been the subject of numerous research studies and reviews. The basis of nutrient timing involves the consumption of combinations of nutrients--primarily protein and carbohydrate--in and around an exercise session. The strategy is designed to maximize exercise-induced muscular adaptations and facilitate repair of damaged tissue [1]. Some have claimed that such timing strategies can produce dramatic improvements in body composition, particularly with respect to increases in fat-free mass [2]. It has even been postulated that the timing of nutritional consumption may be more important than the absolute daily intake of nutrients [3].