By The more that a healthy person works out, the more protein your body needs to recover. If people who regularly strength-train need 0.72 grams of protein per pound of body weight to maintain muscle recovery and growth, then someone who weighs 150 pounds needs 109 grams of protein per day.
For the best results, divide the number of grams of protein over three to four meals that are eaten every three to four hours. Having a protein shake is a great way to meet that protein quota between meals, either as a snack or around your workout. Protein shakes generally contain 25–30 grams of protein per scoop.
Now that it is understood the amount of protein that is needed each day, the question remains, should you take protein before or after a workout?
The “Anabolic Window”
The common assumption is that drinking a protein shake within 30 minutes of your exercise activities will enhance their results. The name for this 30-minute range is “anabolic window,” the period of time in which your muscles have a really easy time absorbing protein.
The fear is that if you have your protein outside the boundaries of the anabolic window, your body won’t be able to utilize it to build muscle
Research is now showing that the now suggests that the anabolic window of opportunity expands beyond a half-hour and may not be limited to only after exercise. It may not even make any difference if you consume a protein shake before or after your fitness workout as far as optimizing muscle growth.
Daily Protein Intake
Total protein intake is the most valuable predictor of muscle size and strength, regardless of whether people consumed it close to their exercise periods or not. How much protein you have every day is likely more important than when to take protein for gaining muscle.
Hitting Protein Goals
Animal and plant-based foods contain protein and can help you achieve your daily protein goal. Great sources of protein include meat, poultry, dairy, fish, nuts, beans, legumes, and soy. Research seems to have crowned animal-based protein victorious over plant-based protein for building muscle, but it is still beneficial to consume both.
When you are; table to eat a regular meal during the day, and you need that protein boost, protein shakes can also be a convenient strategy to increase your protein intake.
What are the most common types of protein powders?
Whey protein
Whey protein can be defined as a milk protein that is very useful to the body during workouts because it can be quickly absorbed and contains bioactive proteins that can offer other health bonuses.
Soy Protein
Soy protein is a complete protein source for vegetarians because it is a plant protein that contains all of the essential amino acids.
Egg Protein
Egg protein powders are one of the more pricey protein supplements created with pure egg white protein, and they digest at a medium rate.
Rice and Pea Protein
If you are allergic to dairy, soy, and/or egg, rice, and pea proteins are an ideal choice. But they do not contain all of the essential amino acids.
Casein Protein
Casein is another milk protein that digests much slower than whey. For this reason, it is good to consume it during periods of sleep.
In Closing
It doesn’t matter whether you have yourself a protein shake before or after your workout because it is your actual daily protein intake that matters the most.
Protein shakes around the time periods of workouts and between meals are helpful. Just make sure you’re getting enough throughout the course of the day with foods and supplements.
