Use of whey protein- pre workout and post workout recovery
Everyone who has been lifting weights for some time have inevitably heard – and most likely bought into – a lot of the gym talk and magazine wisdom surrounding training and diet. Besides learning that eating every other hour and completely devastating every muscle group once a week is the optimal way to go for muscle growth, new strength trainees usually hear about the “anabolic window” that opens up after a workout and the boost in protein synthesis and muscle growth that occur if you consume fast-absorbable protein directly after your last set. It doesn’t matter whether you’re hungry or not, just getting it down is the priority.
When people ask us “when is the best time to take whey protein“, it’s hard to give a short and simple answer. There are optimal times to take whey protein depending on your training goals. Whether you want to increase muscle mass, lower body fat or just recover from sport and training, this will affect the best time to take your whey protein shakes.
A whey protein shake pre-workout is imperative in creating a positive nitrogen balance in the body. This is necessary to stimulate protein synthesis and increase muscle mass. Protein is the fundamental block of new muscle growth. Research has found that protein synthesis is increased when whey protein were taken ‘immediately before resistance exercise’. For this reason try including 25-35 grams of whey protein as the basis for your pre workout shake.
“Listen to your body”. This must be your mantra, to take due care of your body in order to fetch optimum results.
Post-workout protein is vital, especially if you haven’t eaten anything for hours. Aim for 20-50 grams of protein after each workout depending on your body weight. Most women will do fine with 20 grams, while men should aim for the upper range.
Whey protein is the most popular and most sought after protein supplements, and for good reason: It’s convenient, easy to mix, and it offers a rapid absorption rate that’s perfect after a tough training session. Don’t merely go for taste or cost.
Invest in quality and quantity as far as whey isolate is concerned to see a difference.
Consuming at least 10 grams of whey protein after working out seems to help increase muscle mass. A review published in a 2009 edition of the “Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association” notes consuming 10 to 25 grams of protein after exercise stimulates protein synthesis. The 2007 study published in “Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism” suggests sports drinks containing 10 grams of whey protein plus 21 grams of carbohydrates increase muscle protein synthesis after strength-training exercises.
Therefore, consumption of whey protein before and after workout certainly gives you all the benefits that you desire for your body.