When to Drink Protein Drinks

Regular exercisers and athletes know that protein helps muscle performance and repair, but they wonder how protein drinks fit into their diet. A sedentary person does not need to supplement meals with protein drinks---regular food provides plenty of quality protein. A casual exerciser whose primary goal is health and well-being can also skip the protein supplements, but some endurance athletes, body builders and figure competitors can benefit from carefully timed protein drinks.

Types of Protein Drinks

• With the array of protein drinks available, how do you choose? Usually packaged as a powder to mix with water, juice, milk or in a smoothie, protein types vary in quality. The body most readily digests whey protein (a byproduct of milk), so it is a favorite among bodybuilders and athletes. Once ingested, the amino acids in whey can reach your muscles in as soon as 20 minutes. You can also buy powdered egg, soy (the only complete source of protein that is also vegetarian) and rice and hemp protein powders. Retailers sell ready-to-drink protein supplements, but you pay extra for the convenience.

Breakfast

• After an overnight fast, your body needs immediate fuel. If you tend to workout first thing in the morning, a protein drink provides your body with energy (especially if its made with some quick-acting carbohydrates like orange juice) so you can perform your exercises better. Exercising on an empty system compels your body to use your lean body mass as fuel and minimizes fat burning.

Repair for Muscles

• The traditional time to drink a protein drink is right after an intense strength training session. Resistance training builds your body by first creating micro-tears in your muscles. The growth of muscles actually occurs after the workout when your muscles repair themselves. Consume 20g to 40g of protein as close to your workout as possible to aid your body in this muscle synthesis. Try not to wait longer than 90 minutes to feed those muscles.

  Some protein can assist in recovery from endurance workouts as well. A protein drink with 10g to 20g of protein and about 50 percent of its calories from carbohydrates may help muscles reload their energy stores better than carbohydrate drinks alone.

Time Frame

• Some fitness experts recommend a protein drink prior to workouts, but you won't have the protein benefits right away. Your body needs time to break down the components in protein and make them available for use by the body. If you take in a drink 30 minutes before your workout, by the time you are midway through (or done) with your workout, the components in your protein drink will be available to your muscles.

Considerations

• Your activity level and fitness goals determine whether you need to supplement your diet with a protein drink. Remember, many protein drink supplements carry lots of calories---some upwards of 500 calories a serving. If you are looking to drop a few pounds through exercise, carefully check protein drink labels to see if yours carries too much sugar and additives. The most protein your body can use at any one serving is 40g, so any excess you consume will be stored as fat. If you currently make good whole food protein choices, you probably do not need a protein drink.