If you want to build muscle, here is some advice on when you should eat protein.

If you want to build muscle, you need protein. Sure, there are protein shakes and diets you can do to increase your protein intake, but the time you consume it may also factor in. The foods you consume may also either work for or against your desired goal.

According to an exercise expert from Lehman college, your body actually utilizes the protein you consume 4-5 hours after you eat it.

According to the latest medical literature, eating 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight divided over four meals each day best supports muscle building.

I found this article that uses the latest literature to offer great advice on the types of protein you should have, and when you should consume it during the day. Check it out below

Here’s When You Should Eat Protein

For optimal muscle gains, when you eat matters just as much as what you eat.

By Sara Angle

Because protein is key to muscle building, most people focus on getting a quick hit right after a tough training session. While that’s important, the timing of when you eat the rest of your daily protein may matter just as much. Your body uses the nutrients from your meal or snack to build muscle for somewhere around four to five hours, says Brad Schoenfeld, assistant professor in exercise science at Lehman College. “That means that to stimulate muscle growth throughout the day, you should consume protein every four hours or so,” he says.

Schoenfeld recently reviewed the current literature and found that eating 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight divided over four meals each day best supports muscle building. So you’re looking at about 24 grams of protein per meal for a 130-pound woman or 32 grams of protein per meal for a 175-pound man.