# WOO® Protein Kakao: what happens to your muscles overnight

> Post-training repair largely happens during sleep - the longest fasting phase of your day. What research shows about evening protein intake, and how WOO® Protein Kakao is set up for it.

After the last set at the gym, the work on your muscles isn't finished - it's just starting. Most of the repair happens in the hours that follow, a substantial share of it at night. How well that goes depends mainly on whether any building blocks are circulating in your blood at the time.

## The night is the longest fasting phase of your day

Seven to nine hours without intake is a long time for amino acid availability. Build-up and breakdown run in parallel around the clock; what matters is the balance between them. When amino acid availability in the blood drops, that balance turns negative - the body then covers part of its needs from your own muscle tissue. Groen et al. (2012) showed this directly: when protein was administered to subjects during sleep, nocturnal muscle protein synthesis rose measurably, while the control group stayed at a low level. So if you train in the evening, you place the repair demand precisely in the phase where the least building material is available.

## The window is wider than assumed

For years the rule was that the "anabolic window" closes 30 minutes after your last repetition. The meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Aragon & Krieger (2013) put that into perspective: once you control for the same total daily protein intake, exact timing loses much of its importance. The evening still remains the most important moment - not because a clock is ticking, but because the longest break of the day follows. A shake after an evening session is therefore less an emergency measure than a bridge into the night.

## Protein before sleep: what was measured

Res et al. (2012) had athletes train in the evening, giving one group protein before sleep and the other a placebo. Across the night, muscle protein synthesis was around 22% higher in the protein group, and net protein balance was positive instead of negative. Snijders et al. (2015) tested the long-term effect: across twelve weeks of resistance training, the group taking an additional serving before sleep achieved greater gains in muscle cross-sectional area and strength. Trommelen & van Loon (2016) summarised the mechanisms: what matters is less the type of protein than an amount above the threshold of roughly 20 to 25 g of high-quality protein.

## How WOO® Protein Kakao is set up for the evening

**[WOO® Protein Kakao](/en/shop/woo-protein-cocoa-can)** is a whey protein isolate with 79.2 g of protein per 100 g - a 30 g serving delivers 23.8 g of protein at 106 kcal and 0.4 g of sugar. One serving therefore sits above the threshold without blowing up your energy balance after dinner. As a "fast protein", blood amino acid levels peak after 20 to 30 minutes. The flavour comes from heavily de-oiled cocoa powder (6.5%), which makes the serving drinkable as a standalone evening shake without sugar as a carrier. Protein contributes to the maintenance and growth of muscle mass and to the maintenance of normal bones. Lactose-free, gluten-free, with soy lecithin as an emulsifier; the 600 g tin covers 20 servings.

## Frequently asked questions

**How much protein should I take in the evening?**
The pre-sleep studies work with roughly 27 to 40 g; the lower bound for a clear synthesis response is considered to be around 20 to 25 g of high-quality protein. One serving of whey covers that.

**Isn't whey too fast for the evening?**
Directly after training, fast kinetics are an advantage. If you want to extend the effect further into the night, combine the shake with a slower source such as quark. Food supplements are no substitute for a balanced diet.

**Cocoa or vanilla?**
Cocoa is usually drunk as a standalone shake after training, while vanilla is more neutral and fits into porridge or coffee. Protein content is 80% for cocoa and 90% for vanilla.

## Sources

Res PT et al. (2012), Med Sci Sports Exerc - Protein ingestion before sleep improves postexercise overnight recovery.
Snijders T et al. (2015), J Nutr - Protein ingestion before sleep increases muscle mass and strength gains.
Groen BB et al. (2012), Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab - Intragastric protein administration stimulates overnight muscle protein synthesis in elderly men.
Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA & Krieger JW (2013), J Int Soc Sports Nutr - The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis.
Trommelen J & van Loon LJC (2016), Nutrients - Pre-sleep protein ingestion and the skeletal muscle adaptive response to exercise training.

*WOO® Protein Kakao in the NEMAPO shop.*