How important is protein after a workout?

We’ve all seen the guy with their protein shake at the gym, which begs the question: How important is protein timing for muscle growth?

It has long been thought that post-workout protein intake is essential for muscle recovery and growth. After exercising, your muscles experience micro-tears that require adequate protein to repair. Consuming protein soon after your workout can help stimulate muscle protein synthesis, improving recovery and enhancing overall strength gains.

This idea is known as the anabolic window, during which 30 min to 2 hours post exercise, the body is primed to absorb nutrient (particularly carbs and protein) for muscle repair and growth. This happens because exercise induced hormonal changes enhances the body’s ability to synthesize protein and replenish glycogen stores. The recommended intake in the anabolic window has typically been around 20 to 40 grams of protein, depending on your body weight, workout intensity, and individual goals.

Recent research however, has shown that this heightened window is actually more like 24 hours post exercise instead of this narrow 2 hour window. Additionally supplementing protein before a workout has been shown to have the same benefit compared to supplementing after a workout. So this means that you are free to choose WHEN you want to consume your protein as long as you make sure that your total daily protein intake is high enough to support protein muscle synthesis.

https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/protein