You're well aware of the muscle building assistance a quality protein shake can provide post-workout. You know protein synthesis is involved, but have you ever wondered what mechanism was doing all the heavy lifting? A study published in the journal Amino Acids makes an attempt to explain the mystery behind protein's muscle building potential.
Researchers gave a group of young men 15 grams of whey protein, a placebo or nothing after they performed 5 sets of 10 reps on a leg press machine twice weekly for 21 weeks. The protein seemed to prevent a post-workout decrease in mRNA expression. Messenger RNA is a molecule that encodes a chemical 'blueprint' for protein that's carried to the site of protein synthesis. Altering this expression in your favor might help promote greater gains from protein synthesis.
