Protein Shakes: Before Or After My Workout? The Simple Truth!

Let’s cut to the chase about consuming protein shakes and amino acids related to building muscle mass.

Best Time to Consume A Protein Shake

Optimizing Protein Shake Consumption: Before or After Your Workout?

Are you eager to maximize your protein intake and reap the full benefits for muscle growth and recovery? Protein shakes have become a popular choice for meeting daily muscle-building needs, but the question remains: Should you consume them before or after your workouts? This topic sparks debate among fitness enthusiasts and experts alike.

Let's explore the advantages and disadvantages of both pre-workout and post-workout protein shake consumption to determine the optimal timing for your needs.

Protein Shakes Before Workout:

Pros:

• Provides instant amino acid circulation in the body, aiding in muscle protein synthesis during workouts.

• Helps prevent working out on an empty stomach, especially if time constraints prevent a proper meal beforehand.

• Convenient for early morning workouts when time for breakfast preparation is limited.

• Helps maintain a feeling of fullness during the workout.

Cons:

• May cause discomfort for those with sensitive stomachs due to slow digestion and feeling of fullness.

• Could lead to stomach upset during activities like jump-ups or treadmill running.

Protein Shakes After Workout:

Pros:

• Replenishes lost water and nutrients after an intense workout session.

• Supports muscle recovery by providing essential protein for repairing muscle tears.

• Replenishes energy reserves depleted during the workout.

• Convenient and portable option for post-workout recovery.

Cons:

• There are no significant drawbacks to consuming protein shakes after workouts.

Ultimately, the timing of your protein shake consumption depends on your personal preferences, digestion capabilities, and workout schedule. While the "anabolic window" immediately after a workout has benefits, it's important to note that the window extends beyond 30 minutes and isn't solely dedicated to post-workout nutrition. Experiment with both pre-workout and post-workout shakes to find what works best for your body and fitness goals.

What does science say?

Up to now, you can only find one scientific study that compares protein consumption before and after workouts. And this is to determine its impact on the size of muscle and strength. Therefore, the research comprised 21 men into two groups. And each group received an equal amount of protein.

Here, one group took their shake after the workouts and the other group before workouts. And for consistency, both groups did a complete body workout thrice a week for up to ten weeks. At the end of the study, the comparison of results from the two groups and analysis showed no significant difference.

That means the muscle gain and strength of both groups were similar. And as such, the outcome of the studies proposes that consumption of protein within the workout period yields results. Further, it doesn’t matter whether you take yours before or after a workout as the results are similar.

How long before your workout should you consume?

To get the benefits and avoid the cons, consume the protein shake an hour to 3 hours before going to the gym. This is enough time for digestion and settling your stomach. And after workouts, have it between 1-2 hours.

What are the essential Ingredients/amino acids in the most productive shakes?

Animal source ingredient

·         Casein

·         Collagen

·         Whey

Plant source ingredient

·         Hemp

·         Rice

·         Pea

What do the essential amino acids affect/change/enhance?

Casein and Whey for instant are best for muscle building and shedding of fat. However, if you are a vegetarian, you must avoid this. And this applies to vegans as well.

As a man, there are specific ingredients that are more effective in you and deliver results. Casein and Whey will help you in gaining muscle mass and losing fat. But you can also work with rice; pea and soya if you prefer plant-based shakes.

To women, they can choose between egg, collagen, and whey as primary ingredients from animal sources. And from plant sources, brown rice. Hemp and pea will do.

How many grams can a person consume in one sitting?

A person can consume up to 25gm. This amount is enough for muscle building with little to none going to waste. And while you may try to have more than 25gm, this doesn’t change the impact on your muscles. And it’s because the excess protein will be metabolized to energy or turned to waste by the body, the study says.

How many grams of protein are required to increase muscle mass (formula)?

Due to conflicting results of various studies, there is no exact quantity of protein to boost muscle mass. You will find some studies supporting 07g/ pound, while others supporting 1.8 2.2g/pound. Therefore, a reasonable range is between 0.7 to 1g/ pound.

CONCLUSION

Protein is a critical component in your nutrition when it comes to muscle recovery and buildup. And it’s the reason why athletes, bodybuilders, and trainees take it during or before workouts. Interestingly, research studies neither support you take it before or after workouts even though there are benefits to both.

But what it focuses on instead is your daily protein consumption. So, while protein shakes before or after workouts are beneficial, you must consume enough for the day. Further, you can maximize the impact of the protein shake by distributing your consumption throughout the day. That means you can have it between meals.