How soon should you take your post workout protein shake?

tlosal
tlosal Posts: 7 Member
edited December 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I typically try to down it within the first 2 hrs of my post workout but not sure if that's too long.

Replies

  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Two hours is perfectly fine, it doesn't have to be a shake either. A mixed macro meal is also perfectly fine, maybe better.

    The number of people who actually need to consider nutrient timing around everyday workouts is minimal though.


    By Aragon and Schoenfeld - "Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window?"
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3577439/

    Great study. As long as you have amino acids in your blood. Protein timing really does not matter.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    RunnerGrl1982 wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    RunnerGrl1982 wrote: »
    Agree with @lorrpb. General rule of thumb is to get protein into your system within 30 - 45 minutes after you've completed your workout for the best recovery. Granted....yes, of course you can take in protein a bit later outside the window and you'll recover fine, but technically speaking, your muscle recovery will benefit more from taking in protein within that time frame.

    It also depends on the intensity and type of the workout whether you need a protein boost, etc... post workout. It's never a bad idea though. :smile:

    There is no research that supports any specific window, 30 minutes or otherwise for recovery of MPS. Both Chieflrg and AJ_G have both provided factual info. There is really no such thing as a protein boost. If you are hitting proper protein targets through the day, that is all that matters. Timing within a 24 to 36 hours period is irrelevant.

    Fair enough! I should have written that it was personal preference. Apologies, as I had also written in my first post that it would also be fine to eat protein outside what I had suggested and still recover post workout.

    I’ll be more careful with how I should clarify my intentions.

    Thanks for that acknowledgement. The thing I always fear in these kind of statements when they are not clearly identified as preferences is that less experienced folks take it as some kind of rule they have to follow. Then we see a post along the lines of "I just can't get my protein shake in within 30 minutes of my workout! Please help!!"

    Based on the research from Eric Helms and Brad Shoenfeld, what is most optimum is to take in your protein about 4x per day with no relationship to exercise timing. There is a maximum rate of MPS if your protein intake is whey shakes. But protein from meat or other sources changes the whole game with absorption rates and transit times etc.

    At a certain point, unless one is an elite athlete trying to maximize their MPS to achieve their max genetic potential, it just doesn't matter that much. For the untrained to novice, they will experience MPS for 24 to 36 hours after a weight training session. That is the "anabolic window". And protein eaten in reasonable proximity before a session is just as effective as protein eaten after. Just get enough every day and train!
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