Protein Timing: When Is The Best Time To Take Protein Shake?
Updated: Oct 29
Protein is protein right? Get the right amount of grams of protein per day and that’s all I need to focus on right?
It can be easy for runners to neglect their protein intake. This may be partly due to the stereotype that all runners eat is pasta. However, your post-run recovery requires you to eat protein in order to get the most out of the hard work you're putting in. Protein shakes are a great way to recover from you're running strength work you're doing in the gym or from your interval sessions.
You may also like: Best Protein Powders For Runners.
When is the best time to take your protein shakes?
Well, timing of protein intake can be just as important as the quality of the protein you have. Making sure we have our protein at the right time can help us maximise our recovery, and adaptations and get us ready for our next workout. 'When is the best time for you to take your protein shakes' is an important question to ask yourself as well!
By having protein closer to your workout your body is going to be able to speed up the muscle repair process and glycogen replacement. However, it is important that you also get carbohydrates within 90 minutes of exercise as well.
If you recover faster then this means you will be able to workout again sooner and get a better workout in. Also, you will adapt better from the hard training you have been doing.
You may see high-level athletes walking around with a protein shake in hand whilst working out, but is this for show or do they need it at a certain time to benefit their performance?
Read: Post-Run Recovery Guide.
Benefits of Protein
Protein is a vital macronutrient for all of us to have, some of the benefits include:
Increase muscle mass
Increase strength
Aids in recovery
Great for energy levels
Increase the feeling of being full
Help the body to efficiently carry oxygen around the body
Increase resistance to illnesses and infections
Check out this blog from RunnersWorld: The Performance Benefits of Protein for Runners and How to Get Enough for Recovery.
When should I focus on getting protein in?
30-minute window after exercise
Hard intense exercise causes muscle protein to break down, this is then followed by an increase in muscle protein synthesis for the next 24 hours.
For your exercise and recovery, it is important to make sure you get sufficient protein within a 30-minute window after exercise to maximise recovery and adaptations, in this window you will want at least 20 grams of protein.
Check out this blog from RunnersWorld: Your Post-Run Recovery Starts With Protein.
2-hour window after exercise
The next window you will be looking at will be within 2 hours of your workout where you have 25-30 grams of protein with a meal, this will aid with all of the above benefits and also help prevent the loss of muscle mass. This is usually easier to do because you're likely to be hungry and it is much more convenient to eat after you have had a shower etc.
Protein before bed
Studies have shown that having protein before bed can help further boost recovery rate, muscle repair, and muscle mass, and increase strength for sports and performance. One study showed that having 40 grams before bed showed significantly improved strength and muscle mass adaptations.
Side note on protein for fat loss
Protein is a super important part of any individual's fat loss journey, but 'When is the best time for you to take your protein shakes' is a question you should also be asking yourself. This is because if you recover better then you will be able to continually hit your workouts and get the best muscle growth and adaptations to help you reach your goals.
When you are trying to lose weight or fat it is important to utilise protein as a snack between meals to keep hunger away and increase your metabolism.
If you found this blog useful then be sure to share it or drop a comment with your thoughts, it is all much appreciated!
And if you want to learn more about how to improve your running then be sure to sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of the screen.
Comentários