Key Points - Strength and muscle mass gains with training can be improved by optimizing nutrition. - Both strength training and eating a meal rich in amino acids result in an increase in protein synthesis. - The increase in protein synthesis in both cases is dependent on a protein kinase called the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). - Strength training and amino acid ingestion (eating) activate mTOR in different ways. As a result, when both are done together, the effects add up and result in a larger effect than either strength training or eating alone. - Proteins that result in a rapid and prolonged (~1 hour) increase in the amino acid leucine in the blood maximize the activation of mTOR and the increase in muscle protein synthesis and strength. - A simple nutritional strategy is presented that can be used to maximize the adaptive response to strength training.
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