Eat before bed

[Babyfaced Assassin]

Ok it seems to be common knowledge that its a good idea to get some food in, preferably protein before bed because the body enters a catabolic state during sleep since we're deprived of food so long.
My question is this. Is this true or a myth made up by supplement companies for us to again fork out on their powders? The reason I question this practice is because the body in sleep is supposed to recover and rebuild itself anyway. We've been created with this trait and there has been no error in how our body works on a biological level. Lots of people don't eat before bed and they don't lose muscle or wake up feeling like death.

well anyway i'd appreciate any input.

thanks

 

[LaviathanX]

I don't know but I've been eating 1c fat free vanilla yogurt, 1/2c cottage cheese, and 1 scoop EAS Simply Whey Vanilla every night before bed for the past 3 weeks.

I've dropped 9lbs in 3.5 weeks and I don't notice any muscle loss. I actually look bigger.

 

[Senior Woonaki]

You do a lot of growing at night. Eating protein before you go to bed will ensure that you have nutrients in your system to rebuild itself. When your bulking, you might want to chill a casein drink to have in the middle of the night. when I drink a protein shake right before bed I have to use the bathroom 4 hours later (you can set your watch by it). That is a great time to down more protein...

on a biological level, I am not sure if your body would like to have a lot of excess muscle... If your bodies number one goal is self preservation, too much muscle is probably not a good thing because breaking it down in times of crisis will not yield as much energy as breaking down body fat... Plus higher amounts of muscle increase metabolism which also might be a bad thing in times of crisis... That is probably why it is soo much easier to put on fat than build muscle...

 

[Babyfaced Assassin]

thanks woonaki

 

[satchboogie]

i'll have a meal before bedtime, and 40g protein shake when i awake in the middle of the night to piss.

 

[LaviathanX]

Woonaki, you're exactly right. The body was meant to store fat and burn muscle.

 

[AlbinoAssassin]

I think it is important to eat a slow digesting protein before bed (casein, milk, tuna, chicke, beef, cottage cheese, etc.) and maybe add some flaxseed oil and some fiber (green beans). Adding the flax and the fiber will further slow the absorbtion of the protein and allow it to stay in the body longer. Combining quality nutrients with quality sleep will help spur growth.

 

[Lumberg]

I think it is important to eat a slow digesting protein before bed (casein, milk, tuna, chicke, beef, cottage cheese, etc.) and maybe add some flaxseed oil and some fiber (green beans). Adding the flax and the fiber will further slow the absorbtion of the protein and allow it to stay in the body longer. Combining quality nutrients with quality sleep will help spur growth.

I don't buy the fiber thing, though I have heard it repeatedly on here.

1) Fiber SPEEDS the movement of food through the intestines.

2) Fiber REDUCES the absorption of food.

It's not going to kill you or make you sick, but if you are trying to maximize absorption of your pre-bed protein, fiber is one thing you would want to stay away from.

Comments welcomed.

 

[satchboogie]

I don't buy the fiber thing, though I have heard it repeatedly on here.

1) Fiber SPEEDS the movement of food through the intestines.

2) Fiber REDUCES the absorption of food.

It's not going to kill you or make you sick, but if you are trying to maximize absorption of your pre-bed protein, fiber is one thing you would want to stay away from.

Comments welcomed.

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makes sense dude..

we have to find out what the 'half life' of fiber is because if it stays in the digestive tract for over a few hours then perahps it would be an idea to stop fiber consumption "x" amount of time before sleep. no?

 

[Lumberg]

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makes sense dude..

we have to find out what the 'half life' of fiber is because if it stays in the digestive tract for over a few hours then perahps it would be an idea to stop fiber consumption "x" amount of time before sleep. no?

my cousin the doctor said what you eat comes out 18-24 hours later.

I would just not eat any fiber in the last meal before bed.

 

[LaviathanX]

Fiber slows gastric emptying much like fat does. So the food you eat WITH fiber isn't digested as quickly.

Straight from my nutrition class.

 

[Lumberg]

Fiber slows gastric emptying much like fat does. So the food you eat WITH fiber isn't digested as quickly.

Straight from my nutrition class.

Then why is it commonly stated that fiber "speeds digestion?"

Is it just a mistranslation of "keeps things moving?"

 

[jerkbox]

fiber doesn't get digested. the keeps things moving comes from the fact that it keeps the digestive system clean buy preventing buildup of food on the intestinal wall keeping that colon healthy.

 

[satchboogie]

ok...

we have 3 conflicting views.

whats' the deal here?

 

[HANSEL]

I have always been of the same school as Lumberg regarding Fiber.

 

[AlbinoAssassin]

Maybe this will help with all the conflicting opinions.

Soluble fiber: lower blood cholesterol, slow glucose absorption, slow transit of food through upper digestive tract, softens stools

Insoluble fiber: softens stools, regulat bowel movements, speed transit of material through small intestine, increases strength of digestive system walls

 

[fogg88]

ok...

we have 3 conflicting views.

whats' the deal here?

They're both right in a sense.

Fiber slows gastric emptying: means that fiber makes it take longer for the stomach to purge its contents.

Fiber speeds digestion: once the liquified food has left the stomach and entered the intestinal tract, fiber speeds the transit.

 

[massbuild]

god this is confusing!

 

[Ceebs]

god this is confusing!

If you don't understand, eat first, and ask questions later.

 

[LaviathanX]

Fogg88 is right. The fiber "bulk" isn't digested, but pushes everything else right out your butt.

Where'd u get the Strong Bad icon? That rocks!

 

[Lumberg]

OK let's figure this out:

Fiber slows gastric emptying. It speeds passage through the intestines.

As far as I know not much is ABSORBED from the stomach. Certainly as far as protein goes, absorption in significant amounts does not start until after the chyme has entered the small intestine.

However prolonging the period of time the protein is in the stomach may make it break down better by subjecting to acid for longer (?)

However as the first paragraph implies what we want to prolong is the overall digestive process; does fiber slow gastric emptying by more than it speeds passage through the intestines? Does more time spent in the intestines mean better absorption?

I would have to guess that since food spends more time in the intestines than in the stomach, that the overall effect of fiber will be a speeding of the time it goes in your mouth to the time it comes out your butt.

Based on this reasoning I am still inclined to avoid fiber in the pre-bed meal.

Again I am open to further comment.

 

[AlbinoAssassin]

I think we are splitting hairs here. I don't think it really makes a whole lot of difference. I just think it's a good idea to eat fiber with protein or anything for that matter. I doubt that fiber will hurt muscle gains. I know it makes you bowels healthier and stronger, that's a good thing when you consume large amounts of food as BB'ers often do. Some interesting points were raised by Lumberg, that's what it's all about. Good solid discussion that can be backed up, without it turning into a flame-a-thon. Thanks guys! Hopefully we all got a little education out of it.

 

[AlbinoAssassin]

I think we are splitting hairs here. I don't think it really makes a whole lot of difference. I just think it's a good idea to eat fiber with protein or anything for that matter. I doubt that fiber will hurt muscle gains. I know it makes you bowels healthier and stronger, that's a good thing when you consume large amounts of food as BB'ers often do. Some interesting points were raised by Lumberg, that's what it's all about. Good solid discussion that can be backed up, without it turning into a flame-a-thon. Thanks guys! Hopefully we all got a little education out of it.