What is nutrient timing?
Nutrient timing is nothing new. We all know it from the mass media, which often assign extraordinary effects to the consumption of certain ingredients at specific times of the day. Popular examples of nutrient timing include:
- drinking water with lemon on an empty stomach,
- eating fruit only in the first half of the day,
- breakfast based on protein and fats,
- not eating after 6 p.m.,
- eating protein after workout,
... and many more. Are there any scientific grounds to support the strategy of adapting your menu to the time of the day?
Nutrient timing and sport
There is one particular group of people which has long used precise nutrient timing and that is... athletes. Serving components such as: carbohydrates, protein, electrolytes, caffeine, etc. at appropriate times may significantly impact the stamina, strength, and general condition of those who exercise or professional athletes.
For example, the following habits are considered good practices which may improve the athlete’s stamina:
- a wholesome light meal eaten 60-150 minutes before the workout,
- ensuring proper hydration,
- taking vitamins (especially those considered to be antioxidants) outside the training period.
By contrast, after the workout ends, “the anabolic window opens” – which, in practice, is supposed to mean the best moment for taking nutrients, which our body will then absorb like a sponge.
- During workout, the body uses its muscle glycogen reserves, so according to the “anabolic window” assumption, it is immediately post-workout that we should supplement those reserves by consuming carbohydrates.
- In practice, sufficiently quick consumption of carbohydrates after a workout will matter for those who train several times a day or take part in competitions (multiple starts during one day) – those are the people for whom the pace of glycogen replenishment will matter, enabling them to approach the next session “with a full tank”.
- For those who train once a day, at fixed times, consumption of carbohydrates immediately after the workout will not be that important – the glycogen will be replenished from all meals served during the next 24 hours.
- It is similar in the case of protein – post-workout consumption will matter for those who train several times a day, however, in most cases, it is the daily balance of protein and calories that is of greater significance.
Nutrient timing and weight loss
The weight-loss process is surrounded by numerous nutrient timing issues. Some of them may turn out useful, however, it is worth remembering that regardless of the adopted strategy, the most important issue in the case of weight loss is reaching a calorie deficit. This means that no nutrient timing will bring any effect unless the calorie deficit condition is met.
- You can eat proteins and fats or carbohydrates for breakfast, but the most important factor will be the protein portion. Protein increases the sense of post-meal fullness and supports the weight-loss process, which is why it is especially important in the first meal of the day.
- Intermittent fasting (IF) may be a good tool to control the amount of consumed calories. By restricting the time designated for eating during a day, we may find it easier to maintain a specific calorific value of our diet, though it is not indispensable.
- Restricting carbohydrates in the evening will not bring us any benefits such as faster burning of the fatty tissue. On the other hand, an evening meal containing carbohydrates may help us sleep better.
Nutrient timing for dietary supplements
Even though conventional food should be our basic source of nutrients, many people use dietary supplements for various reasons. It is worth considering their interactions, solubility, and reactions with food.
- Vitamin D should be taken with a meal containing fats as it does not dissolve in water. It is worth combining it with a supplement containing omega-3.
- B-group (B-complex) vitamins should be taken in the first half of the day due to their stimulating effect.
- Nutrients such as iron and zinc should be taken between meals (also between drinks such as coffee or tea) as they interact with food, so their absorption significantly decreases if they are taken with a meal.
- Magnesium should be taken in the evening as it soothes the nervous system, which enables us to relax and fall asleep more easily.
- Probiotics are best taken together with a meal, this increases the chance of beneficial bacteria’s survival in the acidic stomach environment and reaching intestines. If we use probiotics in antibiotic treatment, there should be at least a 2-hour break between one and the other.
- Protein supplements do not need to be taken separately, they may well form part of a meal.
- Other workout supplements (e.g. caffeine, beta-alanine, creatine) should be taken in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, usually approx. 20-30 minutes before the workout.
Nutrient timing may support reaching your goals by ensuring proper nutrition. Yet, it is worth remembering that it is only one element in the puzzle – before we begin concentrating on the right timing of particular nutrients, we should make sure that our diet is properly balanced in the first place.
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References:
1. Bentley DJ, Ackerman J, Clifford T, Slattery KS. Acute and Chronic Effects of Antioxidant Supplementation on Exercise Performance, 2015.
2. Scoditti, E.; Garbarino, S. Nutrition, Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Health Implications: “Come Together”, 2022.
3. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement. Nutrition and Athletic Performance, 2016.