Protein makes up about 16% of your total body weight, and is used in many cellular processes in your body including the release of hormones. For athletes and those interested in body sculpting, protein holds special value because it powers your body’s mechanism for building muscle and also increases endurance and stamina.
The main function of athletic protein supplements, then, is to facilitate the repair of muscle and building muscle. Muscles are damaged and broken down during strenuous exercise, and your body rebuilds them larger afterward using protein. This process occurs naturally without supplements, but what protein bars, shakes, and powders offer is a quick and effective way to consume protein immediately following a workout.
The reason you should supply your body with protein directly after a workout is that it is primed and ready for muscle growth at this time. The human body is most receptive to both protein and carbohydrate absorption (in a good way) immediately following a strenuous workout, up to 45 minutes afterward. Your results diminish after that, so it’s important to take in the nutrients your muscles need right away if you want to see build your muscle. For those wondering how to build muscle the fastest way possible, this is it: simply utilize an effective workout strategy and immediately follow each workout by consuming protein and carbohydrates to fuel your muscle growth.
For the 45 minutes right after a workout, your muscles are very sensitive to insulin. Glucose/carbs are forced into your cells by insulin, so this is the time when your muscles are primed to be filled up with the glucose they need to repair and regain energy for tomorrow’s workout. Protein synthesis is also powered by insulin, so consuming protein at this point will feed it directly to your muscles and allow them to grow. Studies show that ideal post-workout nutrition is a ratio of between 2-to-1 and 4-to-1 of carbohydrates to protein to keep those muscles healthy and growing.
On the other hand, if you don’t take in enough protein each day, your body will start to break down your muscles quite quickly. Fat and glucose are stored readily within the body, but protein is not–therefore it only takes about a day of insufficient protein consumption before your body will start breaking down muscles to meet its protein needs. So monitor your protein intake to make sure you don’t get too little, but also not too much. And time it right by taking protein immediately following each of your workouts as you pursue your physical fitness goals.
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