Protein is vital for muscle repair in addition to growth. So, the question is if you need protein shakes in order to achieve your strength training and nutrition goals. It can be argued that a protein shake is one of the best supplements that you can buy. It’s extremely convenient and practical to use. In addition, there’s plenty of science to support how important protein is.
Many individuals consume protein supplements in the form of shakes together with their workouts. However, the best time to have a protein shake is a hotly debated topic. Some people believe that it’s best to drink a protein shake before a workout, whereas others argue that after a workout is the ideal for a protein shake.
People Who Exercise More Need More Protein
Research suggests that people who routinely do strength training may need double the RDA of protein, to 1.6 g/kg), to support muscle recovery and growth. For a person weighing 68 kg this equals 109 grams of protein per day.
In order to optimise your results, spread this amount over three to four meals which are consumed every three to four hours. A protein shake is a good option between meals, either as a snack or around your workout. They typically contain 25–30 grams of protein per scoop.
What Is The Truth?
The truth Is that there isn’t a right or wrong answer.
It really depends on your fitness goals as well as when you ate your last meal before working out. If you want to build stacks of muscle, you should be having a protein-rich meal (or shake) every three to five hours during the day.
An academic study showed that muscle protein synthesis (in other words, the process of using protein in order to build muscle) rises when you consume a reasonable amount of protein — around 30 grams per meal — during the day as opposed to eating the suggested daily amount (0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight) at once, for example at dinner. So whether you exercise in the morning or evening, it’s best practice to spread out your protein intake evenly, and you can do it with a shake if it’s more convenient for you.
It’s not so much about the timing of your protein consumption but rather the total amount of protein that you take in daily. If you prefer to have your protein shake before your workout, as opposed to after, that will be just as beneficial to you. If you are attempting to gain muscle as well as strength, drinking your protein shake before or after your workout doesn’t matter like it was once believed.
What Protein Shake Is Best?
Whey protein comes out on top and is the most bio-available protein on the market. It beats both solid foods as well as other protein supplements.
When a protein has a superior bio-availability, this means it is absorbed and utilised well in the body. Whey protein has a bio-availability of somewhere between 90% to 100% which means that it comes out on top when compared to other appropriate protein sources.
There’s also a timing benefit to utilising whey protein. Protein from whey is broken down very rapidly as compared to other proteins. This means that its amino acids are readily available within roughly an hour.
Alternative proteins – such as casein – break down at a much slower rate and this gives them an almost drip-feed effect. So, if you don’t have a lot of time to eat a solid meal around your workout window – need some fast-acting, high-quality protein – you won’t go wrong with whey. In addition, if you mix your whey protein shake with milk, it behaves more like casein and slows down the digestion.
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