Protein shakes before or after workouts?
Are you a gym bunny? If so, do you take your protein shakes before or after workouts? Whatever your answer to the question is, it’s important to remember that having an adequate amount of protein within your diet is essential if you’re hoping to build lean muscle mass and recover effectively.
There is a lot of debate in the fitness world about whether protein shakes should be taken before or after a workout. Fortunately for you, the answer to this debate is right here. So, read on and you’ll find out everything you need to know.
What are protein shakes?
Protein shakes are drinks that are often made from concentrated protein powder. They can also be made naturally using foods with high protein content (but this isn’t always so yummy). They really are just a great way of increasing the amount of protein you consume on a daily basis.
Protein is the building block of all the muscle in your body. So, taking protein shakes is important if your goal is to increase your muscle mass (1).
Most athletes turn to protein shakes all the time. And there are plenty of reasons why – in the next section, we’ll look into them further.
Why should you take a protein shake?
Protein shakes are packed with protein, which as we mentioned before, is very important for your body. During an exercise, your body breaks down a lot of protein because of the strain you put on your muscles.
So, because you’re losing protein during an exercise (which is in your muscles), you need to replace it. If you do exactly that, your muscles can grow instead of shrinking or becoming really lean.
In addition to this, the protein itself plays other important roles in the body, such as repairing your muscular tissue after you work out and allowing your hormones to function normally. Protein is also good for your immune system because it helps protect you from getting sick.
Even though we eat protein every day, protein shakes help give you the extra amount of protein you need to build muscle. It’s not always possible to consume an adequate amount of protein with just food alone. This is where protein shakes come in.
They are a quick and easy method of boosting your protein intake each day so that you can supplement your workouts nicely. Essentially, taking a protein shake will help your body rest, recover, and grow.
What is The Optimal Protein Intake?
It is recommended that normal adults who don’t exercise have around 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight. This is to avoid a deficiency in protein which has the potential to have a hugely negative impact on the body.
However, for those who exercise regularly, this amount of protein per day is far too low to help you recover from your workouts and build muscle.
Therefore, if you are one of these people, then it is advisable to consume at least double the usual recommended amount for a sedentary adult. This especially goes for athletes who would usually need around 1.3g to 1.8g per kg per day (2). An optimal protein intake for regular gym-goers would typically be towards the lower-mid end of this range.
Protein Supplementation
It is important to remember that there are many different types protein shakes on the market, and many of them do different things. Some are designed for you to build muscle while others are designed for you to lose weight. Before buying a protein shake, make sure you know what you want.
However, the main benefit of taking protein shakes is that it is a convenient way to boost your daily intake. As well as this, there is plenty of choice when it comes to flavors.
There’s tons of manufacturers out there which have popular flavors including strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla. But, if you look around, there are also other great options to choose from such as salted caramel, banana, and so much more.
So, if you have a sweet tooth and often find yourself resisting the urge to snack on sweet treats, this is a great option to get your fix without breaking into your caloric intake too much.
If you want to learn more about protein supplements in general, you can click here. As for other tips and tricks for taking protein supplements, you can check out our “How to Use Protein Supplements” blog post.
Conclusion – Protein shakes before or after workouts?
Protein shakes can be taken either before or after a workout. However, there are more benefits to taking protein shakes after a workout. This is because the protein shake will supplement your muscles after you work out so that they can grow by replacing the lost muscle.
Taking a protein shake before you exercise will only give you a little boost of energy. However, taking a protein shake after exercise will replenish the lost protein. This will help repair your muscle tissue and will help build your muscle mass.
Overall, it would be appropriate to suggest that the most important thing would be to pay attention to your overall daily intake of protein. If you do exactly that, then you’ll be well on your way to building lean muscle and recovering efficiently from your workouts.
You can record your protein and overall caloric intake accurately by using an online tool such as MyFitnessPal. This is a quick and easy method in which you can input the food and drink you consume. By doing this, you’ll be able to see exactly how much protein you are consuming per day.
It is also important to spread your protein intake throughout the day too. This is a great way to combat cravings which is particularly useful if you are attempting to reduce fat gain when in a bulk.
Additionally, it can be useful to keep you feeling fuller in between meals. This is handy for when you are in a calorie deficit. In turn, this will allow you to preserve muscle mass, lose fat, and reduces the likelihood of you reaching for the snack drawer and potentially falling off track with your diet plan.