How spacing your protein intake can unlock better endurance adaptations
You’re tracking your protein. You’re hitting your daily number.
But are you leaving gains on the table?
New research shows that timing and spacing your protein intake may be just as important as how much you consume overall—especially if you’re training consistently.
What the Research Found
In a study published in The Journal of Physiology, researchers gave participants the same total amount of protein but varied how it was spaced during the 12 hours after exercise ¹:
- 8x small doses (every 1.5 hours)
- 2x large doses (every 6 hours)
- 4x moderate doses (every 3 hours)
Adapted from: Areta JL, Burke LM, Ross ML, et al. Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise alters myofibrillar protein synthesis. J Physiol. 2013;591(9):2319–2331.
📈 Result:
The every-3-hours group achieved significantly higher muscle protein synthesis (MPS).
Both the grazing pattern (too frequent, too small) and the infrequent dosing (too far apart) were less effective, even though the total 12-hour protein intake was identical.
Why This Matters for Endurance Athletes
Endurance athletes don’t just maintain muscle—they're constantly breaking down and rebuilding.
That means you need to trigger multiple MPS “spikes” throughout the day, which happens best when you hit the ~3g leucine threshold per dose.
👉 Spacing protein intake every few hours is how you keep that recovery engine running and support:
- Mitochondrial development
- Muscle remodeling
- Capillary expansion
- Long-term performance gains
How ADDRA Helps
We designed ADDRA bars to simplify protein timing on busy days:
✅ 20g of protein
✅ ~3g of leucine (the trigger for MPS)
✅ Portable for mid-day or post-workout
✅ No blender or full meal needed
Whether you’re between workouts or between meals, this is your fuel to stay in the adaptation zone.
Bottom Line
- Total protein matters—but timing matters, too
- ⏱️ Aim for 20–30g of protein spaced every ~3 hours, each with ~3g of leucine
- ❌ Don’t “graze” or save it all for dinner
- ✅ Do spread it out and give your muscles multiple chances to recover
Want to see what that kind of fueling looks like in action?
Grab a sample pack → HERE and get your personalized protein plan and 4 free bars.
📝 COMING NEXT IN THE SERIES...
You're spacing your protein like a pro—but what happens right after your workout matters just as much.
Next up: Why endurance athletes need more protein post-exercise than previously thought — and why hitting ~3g of leucine could be the key to unlocking real recovery.
🔍 We’ll break down:
How endurance training burns protein for fuel
The post-exercise “sweet spot” for muscle protein synthesis
Why 20g might not be enough unless it includes a leucine boost
👇
Reference
1. Areta JL, Burke LM, Ross ML, et al. Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise alters myofibrillar protein synthesis. J Physiol. 2013;591(9):2319-31.
