Should i drink a protein drink before or after workout

Photo: Getty Images/Johnny Greig

People often wonder whether it's better to drink a protein shake before or after a workout, but does it really matter? According to the pros, timing really is everything in order to reap the benefits of the nutrient-loaded staple. While drinking one beforehand can actually mess with your workout, waiting until you're done can provide all the muscle-boosting powers.

According to Amanda Steinberg, RDN, a registered dietitian in California, protein digests slowly in the body. And that's why drinking a protein shake before your workout can cause problems. "Drinking a protein shake before a workout can decrease your performance, as you may feel heavy from the protein shake," she says. "But consuming protein shortly after your workout, or within three hours of exercise, is optimal for recovery."

What drinking a protein shake does for your body

There are many benefits to drinking protein shakes after working out, the main being the recovery and muscle-building aspects. "While exercising, small micro-tears take place in muscle tissue. Micro-tears allow amino acids to build and maintain muscle mass. (Amino acids are broken down protein from our diet)," Steinberg says. "Therefore, consuming protein is critical for rebuilding and maintaining muscle quality post-exercise."

Because post-exercise muscles need to be built up again after a workout, Steinberg says the consumption of protein through protein shakes is the way to go. You just need to make sure you're using the right kind in order to truly give your body a boost.

The best kind of protein powder to look for

When you're choosing a protein powder for your protein shake, Steinberg recommends focusing on a handful of different qualities to ensure what you're getting is high-quality and healthy. "The best quality protein powders are the ones that contain all nine essential amino acids: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine," she says. "Both grass-fed whey protein or pea protein powder are great options. Just be sure to look for protein powders that don’t have added sugar or additives."

What to put in your post-workout protein shake

Aside from the protein powder (duh!), what else should you be putting in your post-workout protein shake? "Pairing protein powder with carbohydrates from fruit will help muscle recovery. Interestingly, carbohydrate consumption with protein immediately after exercise increases protein synthesis in the muscles," she says. "Also, when eating carbohydrates with protein, a higher percentage of lean body mass is found."

There are so many delicious recipes to try, and if you need some ideas, you can start with the matcha shake Jessica Alba drinks every morning or the cauliflower smoothie the Tone It Up founders love. Whichever combo you go with, getting in your protein right after sweating it out will have you feeling stronger than ever.

May 26, 2021 • 2 min read

Should I Drink Protein Before Or After A Workout?

You can take in protein or amino acids pre- and post-workout, but if I absolutely had to pick one time, I'd say pre-workout. Sacrilege, you say! If you're more upset than a cat kicked off a ledge, give me time to explain before you claw my face off.

Post-workout shakes have long been considered the most important pieces of the workout nutrition puzzle. Recent research suggests, however, that ingesting protein and amino acids prior to training may be even more beneficial.

Hang in there, kitty. Here's why:

Fuel Your Muscles

Pre-workout protein, specifically the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), will help fuel your muscles during training. BCAAs don't need to be processed by your liver; after being absorbed, they head directly to your blood stream to be picked up by your muscles.

This is key because exercise causes the breakdown and oxidation of BCAAs. Providing BCAAs to working muscles will prevent the need for your body to catabolize the working muscle itself.

Increase Protein Synthesis

Adding protein prior to your training session primes the pump: It starts protein synthesis during rather than after your training session.

Pre-workout protein shakes most likely increases amino acid delivery and uptake by muscles during training.

Taken alone or as part of a complete protein, BCAAs inhibit muscle breakdown. So net protein synthesis is elevated even higher!

Burn More Calories

A study published in Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise found that one scoop of whey protein prior to working out increased calorie burning over the subsequent 24 hours.

The exact cause of this increase in calorie burning is unknown, but it may be due to the added metabolic effects of increasing protein and modifying substrates (energy sources) used during exercise.

Don't wait for the eggheads: It's okay to reap the benefits of the what (increased calorie burning!) without knowing the why (exact metabolic cause).

A study published in Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise found that one scoop of whey protein prior to working out increased calorie burning over the subsequent 24 hours.

Carryover Effect

There is also a carryover effect of nutrients taken in the pre-workout period. After ingesting protein, muscle protein synthesis can stay elevated as long as 3 hours.

This means that pre-workout protein allows you to double dip: You reap the benefits of elevated blood amino acids during your training session in addition to a carryover of elevated blood amino acid levels after your workout.

This elevation of blood amino acids will also help prevent excessive post-workout muscle breakdown.

This occurs partly through the reduction of the muscle-catabolizing hormone cortisol. A 2007 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that starting your workout nutrition with a protein-and-carbohydrate shake 30 minutes prior to exercise led to a significant reduction in cortisol up to one day following the training session.

Fat-Burning Bonus

Taking protein (specifically BCAAs) alone before a workout is extremely beneficial during a low-carb diet. The consumption of pre-workout BCAAs, especially when glycogen levels are low (as they are during a low-carb diet), leads to an increase in fat oxidation (fat-burning) during high-intensity exercise like interval training or metabolic resistance training.

The nutrients you ingest around your workouts are extremely critical to developing and refining your physique.

The Winner: Pre-Workout Protein

The nutrients you ingest around your workouts are extremely critical to developing and refining your physique. If you skip pre-workout protein, you skip a chance to support intra-workout anabolism (muscle growth AND reduce post-workout catabolism (muscle breakdown).

Provided that you're getting adequate dietary protein throughout the day, I recommend BCAAs pre-workout. Their free form offers much faster absorption and uptake, which means your blood amino levels will be high when you hit the training floor.