While breakfast generally supports muscle building and appetite control, and dinner is commonly linked to overnight repair, the best time for consuming proteins has been the topic of a nutritional debate.

However, scientists at the Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan have found the answer to this topic through a research conducted on both mice and humans.

Prof. Shigenobu Shibata led research in which 60 older women were divided into 2 groups. Half of the women ate more protein at breakfast than at dinner, and the other half did the opposite. It was found that group consuming more proteins for breakfast build more muscle volume and achieved higher grip strength than other group.

The researchers also run their research on mice to get more diverse outcomes. One group was provided with a morning meal that contained 8.5% proteins, while the other group was given a meal with about 11.5% proteins at night. Surprisingly, in the case of mice, those who consumed less proteins in the morning showed greater muscle growth than the other group.

It is because consuming protein in the morning goes perfectly with one’s circadian rhythm. This rhythm affects human body chemistry and cellular processes, influences digestion, growth, and metabolism.

Based on the results, the researchers concluded, "For humans, in general, the protein intake at breakfast averages about 15 gm, which is less than what we consume at dinner, which is roughly 28 gm. Our findings strongly support changing this norm and consuming more protein at breakfast or morning snack time."

Well, so far so good, but does this habit offer any other benefits?

Which other effects can consuming more proteins in breakfast have?

While the research conducted at the Waseda University in Tokyo proved that consuming more proteins at breakfast helps in muscle growth and grip strength, they are far from being the only benefits that the habit offers.

Here's a look at how taking more proteins at breakfast than dinner can improve your health and muscle quality.

• It helps one’s body use protein more strategically for hypertrophy and muscle repair.
• Supports long-term muscle health, specifically during aging.
• Helps the body better utilize nutrients rather than store them.

Were you following the wrong routine, before reading this? And now that you know, are you planning to adopt the more beneficial habit?

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Souvik Roy