What is the best time to drink a protein shake?
Drinking protein shakes at different times of the day will have different effects on your body. The main use for a protein shake is to aid your body in recovering after a hard workout. When you exercise, the two main changes that occur inside your body are depleted energy reserves (in the form of glucose and glycogen) and damage to your muscles.
When you are done exercising, your body’s main priority is to replenish your energy stores and start repairing the damage you caused to your muscles making them stronger. Drinking a protein shake after your workout that is high in sugar and protein will help your body do all of the above.
The sugar helps replenish glucose and glycogen stores while the protein helps the rebuilding process begin. You can also drink a different type of protein shake before bed to increase your calorie intake.
While whey protein is best used after exercise because it is digested quickly, casein protein is best used before bed because it is digested slowly giving your body a steady supply of protein to help rebuild and repair your muscles during sleep. Try a delicious protein shake recipe.