Pre or Post Workout- When Should You Take Whey Protein Supplement?

There is a huge debate among the mass on whether one should take whey protein supplements before or after workout. Pre and post workout supplements have long been considered as the most important parts of bodybuilding. According to Gympik’s expert Nutritionist Sujetha Shetty, “Whey protein supplements can be taken either pre or post workout, but it acts as the fuel for the muscles if taken after workout.”

Matching a healthy diet along with a proper workout regimen help in maximizing the benefits of whey protein supplementation. Sujetha adds, “Protein supplementation depends on the kind of workout you are performing and hence the need for replenishing your muscles can be as important as following a healthy diet. The time of whey protein consumption can be anytime as long you are following a high-intensity workout regimen and there’s a requirement of additional protein for muscle growth and replenishment.”

Here are the benefits of taking whey protein supplements as pre and post-workout drink:

Whey Protein Supplement as Pre-workout

1. Fuels the Muscles

If whey protein is taken pre-workout, it fuels the muscles during workout and helps in breaking down and oxidizing the BCAAs. The essential amino acids present in BCAAs help the working muscles to recover faster and prevent catabolizing the working muscles, hence prevent the muscle loss. Since BCAAs are easily absorbable by the body, the working muscles get the right energy immediately after consuming whey protein pre-workout.

2. Burns More Calories & Fat

According to studies, taking whey protein supplement prior to workout helps increase the metabolism of the body. The BCAAs present in whey protein supplement is considered to be helpful for those who are on a low carb diet as the lower glycogen levels leads to an elevated fat oxidation during high-intensity workouts.

3. Increases Protein Synthesis

Taking whey protein before workout not only elevates the muscle pump but also initiates protein synthesis during your workout. Pre-workout whey protein supplement consumption also increases amino acid absorption by the body and helps the nutrient ingestion by the muscles during training. Since BCAAs prevent muscle breakdown, pre-workout whey protein consumption increases protein synthesis even more.

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Whey protein Supplement as Post-workout 

1. Replenishes muscles
   

During workout your muscles are challenged and the muscle fibres break down. Post workout whey protein supplement consumption replenishes and recovers the worked muscles, helping you gain muscle mass by encouraging the muscle protein synthesis with the help of branched-chain amino acids present in whey protein. According to studies, whey protein supplements if consumed soon after workout, has the most effective most muscle-boosting benefits.

2. Builds Muscles

If you are following a strenuous workout regimen, too less protein consumption can lead to muscle fatigue and soreness. Hence, consuming whey protein supplements post workout increases muscle strength and stamina as it helps the body repair  the micro-tears in the muscle, a process which makes muscles stronger over time. Though whey protein supplements are the easiest and fastest absorbable proteins, it is also necessary to follow a proper diet according to your workout regimen for a noticeable change in the muscles.

3. Reduces Muscle Loss

Of all the types of protein, whey protein brands like Optimum Nutrition has the highest bioavailability. This makes it the most rapidly used agent post-workout. During workout, the muscles go through high level of stress that causes muscle and tissue damage. In simple terms, workout is the component that amplifies the growth of the muscles followed by a proper nutrient and replenishment. A post workout whey protein supplement during the muscle recovery increases the chances of muscular hypertrophy and reduces the probability of muscle loss. The right post workout supplement contains protein combined with carbs which increases muscle-protein synthesis and reduces protein breakdown. The BCAAs in the whey protein also prevent excessive post-workout muscle breakdown.

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The Last Word

The most important factor behind consuming high quality Whey protein supplement from the best brands like Optimum Nutrition (watch ON’s Best Flavor of 2018) is to enhance the growth and recovery of the muscles. Sujetha says, “Your pre-workout snack could be anything from a mix of protein, carbs and healthy fats but it is necessary to provide your muscles the right quality and balance of carbs and protein post-workout, as this maximizes the growth of muscles and replenishment.” It doesn’t only depend on the quantity you take but also the quality of the protein you are consuming. Hence, it is always advisable to consume high quality protein like ON Whey protein that are derived from cow’s milk and considered as a complete protein supplement with essential amino acids. With the ultra-filtering processing, the ON whey protein powders contain 22 grams of whey protein with just 1 gram of sugar and 1 gram of fat.