I hear all types: within 45 minutes of workout; with breakfast; before bed; etc etc etc.
Anyone got the official word on when is best.
i think to be a true recovery drink you need some carbohydrates too. Protein is only half of the solution
I take a bottle of 25g whey with either 75 or 100g of carbs after a workout, depending on how many kcals I burned during the workout. For long rides or races, I’ll take two of these. I start taking them as soon as I can.
I am very big on drinking a “recovery” drink with in minutes of finishing some sort of exercise or race. I like Hammer and EAS products as they are easy to drink and don’t mess up my stomach. These products both contain carbohydrates and proteins, go to the manufactures websites and you can read more then you want to know about this stuff. I think recovery drinks are more important then any other class of nutriental supplement out there, as they help repair the damage you just did to yourself so you can get a fresh start for your next work out or race. Tim
The absolute most efficient and fast way to get your muscles replenished after a workout is: as soon as possible get in some quick acting carbs(dextrose, a type of sugar, is the fastest and is dirt cheap(online bodybuilding.com) if you are going home to make a shake), mixed with some longer acting carbs(maltodextrin or oatmeal in addition to the sugar), and whey protein(the cheap stuff works the same as the expensive stuff so save your $$$). Honey is also a good substitute as it is one of the fastest acting carbs, especially in food form. Dont go by a set time, 45 minutes is a good rule of thumb but the sooner the better. If youre away from home, what ive found that does the job great is in the produce area of every grocery store/walmart/target ive been to. Bolthouse farms makes 2 different whey protein drinks with the carbs you need and the protein, they taste amazing as well. hazenut latte and mocha cappuccino(sp?) is the other one i believe. 35g of carbs, low fat, and 10g of whey protein per serving, 2 servings in the small bottle. In my shakes ill throw in a banana if im using oatmeal and not malto, it helps smooth it out.
People use whey to replace whole foods for breakfast and at night, at breakfast it would be ideal for anyone wanting protein and wanting it to be digested quickly(which whey does). At night its supposed to increase gh production or something of that nature(im not positive to the claims so dont quote me on that), i dont know how effective it is though. A more ideal food before bed would be cottage cheese, some type of meat, or another type of casein protein. All of these are broken down much slower by the body, compared to whey particularly, and will allow your body to have some sort of nutrients to allocate throughout a good portion of the night. Assuming you have the time or money, whole foods are a better choice in most situations, post workout excluded.
Thanks to all thus far. Just for clarification, I use Recoverite post workout, but am looking for some idea of how to build fitness and recovery on days when I am completely “shagged”. I have added protein on occasion (when doing high mileage), and feel it helps for the next day. So, I am looking for some ideas on the better timing opportunity.
First of all, powders are always second choice to real food.
That said, I like a fast protein source (whey or egg whites) in the morning and a very slow one (casein or tuna) before bed.
The fast protein in the morning stops catabolism from the nightly fast (therefore “breakfast”), the slow protein in the evening avoids catabolism for some time.
And - if I really think I need more protein - I will add some to a joghurt in between.
A recent study I came across shows that whey protein, taken at night, right before bed, mixed with water ( not milk, as the carbs will screw it up) will increase HGH peaks up to 400%.
I have been taking it nightly. it’s kinda gross with water, but if it helps, then I am all for it. Every once in a while I cave in and use rice or almond milk.
I’ve been using Endurox’s R4 within about 20 minutes of a workout - followed by ‘real food’ within an hour. Been doing this for about a year and it feels like I’m more recovered the next day than when I wasn’t doing this.
A more ideal food before bed would be cottage cheese, some type of meat, or another type of casein protein. All of these are broken down much slower by the body, compared to whey particularly, and will allow your body to have some sort of nutrients to allocate throughout a good portion of the night.
I thought cottage cheese WAS whey protein (little miss muffet sat on her tuffet eating her curds and whey)?
Could you explain to me what makes some proteins quick vs slow digested? Is it what amino acids are in them? Curious… I took a nutrition class last fall at school but we didn’t really get that deep into it.
One advantage of taking a whey protein supplement is that you can get a fast absorbing protein in your body just when it needs it. You might have a post workout meal of some whey protein, a banana (for simple carbs), and maybe some whole grain oats in milk. However, just make sure you don’t take in excess protein or carbohydrates - otherwise it might just end up being stored as fat.
Casein protein on the other hand is slower absorbing, and would be good to take late at night since that’s when you’ll go for 8 hours with no food.
Supposedly, the “best” ratio of protein to carbs post workout is 1:4. And this is also the ratio that is in some recovery drinks such as Ultragen.
Other than post workout whey, try to get most of your nutrients from whole foods.
While it does have a percentage of whey(im thinking around 20%), 80% of the protein content is made up of casein. I Believe it is the amino acid profile and the way they are broken down by the body, im guessing the longer, more complex chains take longer to break apart? Im not a nutritionist but i love learning about the body/nutrition/etc. and am fortunate enough to have learned from people very knowledgable in these fields 
http://www.mens-total-fitness.com/casein-protein.html That site i just googled to verify the whey part, is a pretty good summary.
I hear all types: within 45 minutes of workout; with breakfast; before bed; etc etc etc.
Anyone got the official word on when is best.
Save your money, just drink some Chocolate Milk.
I hear all types: within 45 minutes of workout; with breakfast; before bed; etc etc etc.
Anyone got the official word on when is best.
Save your money, just drink some Chocolate Milk.
Exactly … no minerals (natrium), the worst carb ever (lactose) … If you don’t already have lactose problems, you will develope them within 2 years for sure. Leave milk to the creatures, created to digest it.
Cottage cheese is mainly casein, therefore good before bed. The whey with water torture before bed sounds interesting, sources?
Personally I avoid milk wherever possible, all kind of inflamation (joints, immune system) profit from it. If I need diary, low fat yoghurt is ok.
Do you have any research to back up any of that ridiculousness?
Do you have any research to back up any of that ridiculousness?
What to you need backed up?
That milk contains lactose? That choclate milk does not contain natrium for recovery? That it is slow digesting? That cows milk increases inflammation in the human body?
Do you have any research to back up any of that ridiculousness?
What to you need backed up?
That milk contains lactose? That choclate milk does not contain natrium for recovery? That it is slow digesting? That cows milk increases inflammation in the human body?
Never mind the studies coming from all over the place that show it’s as good if not better than purpose built recovery drinks. Hell Gatorade usually does better than most of them. If you have a lactose issue then obviously that’s not going to fly. However a very large percentage of people have absolutely no issues with lactose and never will no matter how much they drink. No Natrium? Last time i checked mine had about 140mg of Sodium in it not a massive amount but most US residents are going to have a problem putting it all back when they eat. Milk causes inflammation? Last time i checked things like conjugated linoleic acid and several other compounds they found where anti-inflammatory acting.
There are two different issues that you want to pay attention to in regards to protein needs for endurance athletes.
First, you want to be sure you are taking in enough total protein daily in your diet (from predominately foods). The amount you need each day depends on several factors including your total training volume, current and desired body weight (are you trying to gain or lose weight or muscle?) and whether you are a vegetarian or not. So depending on those factors, and assuming that you are engaging in endurance training, you will want to take in a total of 1.2-16 grams of total protein per kg of body weight (1kg = 2.2 #) per day. You can track your food intake for several days using an online nutrition software program to see if you are close to meeting your needs, or make and apt. with a Registered Sports Dietitian in your area who can better help you asses you needs, intake and any changes you might want to make.
Second, you do want to include some protein within the “recovery window” following endurance exercise. That ideally means during the first 15-30 minutes after competing your workouts. However, fluids and carbohydrates are still extremely important during and after each workout, so you want to get in ALL THREE. Best bet during exercise is to consume sports drinks with about 14 grams of carbohydrate and 200mg of sodium per 8oz. After workouts you have several choices; you may choose to continue to consume the same type of sports drink but to also eat some yogurt, cottage cheese or other protein source with it. Alternatively, you can choose a “recovery drink” that contains fluids, carbs and protein, Finally, you can certainly opt for real foods such as a sandwich with lean meat and fruit or pasta with tomato sauce and beans tofu or chicken. There is no one right way to get in adequate protein….just be sure you are getting enough (but not at the expense of inadequate carbs or fluids post workout). J
Lauren Antonucci RD, CSSD
Registered Dietitian Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics
Member of the GSSI sports nutrition network
I didn’t read any of the other posts but I’d avoid protein powders. They are processed and this likely destroys/diminishes their bioavailabilty.
I doubt many of us need more protein but some may - esp. if they follow vegan/other diets.
I vote real food.
Timing - I’d eat some after each work-out.
Dave
A recent study I came across shows that whey protein, taken at night, right before bed, mixed with water ( not milk, as the carbs will screw it up) will increase HGH peaks up to 400%.
I have been taking it nightly. it’s kinda gross with water, but if it helps, then I am all for it. Every once in a while I cave in and use rice or almond milk.
any chance you have a link to this study?