Taking Supplements on Your Post Workout

The easiest way to ensure an anabolic response to resistance training is through a proper and consistent scheduling of nutritionally balanced meals. A post workout supplement, such as a commercial meal replacement and drinks are optimal for providing adequate amounts of both protein and carbohydrates to help fuel protein synthesis and to limit protein breakdown. In addition, a liquid post workout supplement at this time meets the demand of increased fluid requirements and assists in enhancing the hydration level of the athlete.

Post workout supplement can help you with:

• Restore muscles after intense workout
• Fuels your body
• Prevents muscle inflammation
• Maximize your workout progress

Post workout supplement carbs are also required to facilitate sodium absorption in the gut after a sweaty workout that leaves you in need to replace electrolytes. Most recovery drinks have low carbohydrates and high sugar content. An ideal recovery drink should have protein with carbohydrates for proper post workout recovery. Combining protein with fast acting easily digested carbohydrates quickly replenishes glycogen levels and acts as a catalyst carrying nutrients that were lost during training. Your body's glycogen stores are used as fuel during exercise, and consuming carbs after your workout helps replenish them. The rate at which your glycogen stores are used depends on the activity. Endurance sports cause your body to use more glycogen than resistance training. For this reason, if you participate in endurance sports, you might need to consume more carbohydrates than a bodybuilder. 

Additionally, insulin secretion, which promotes glycogen synthesis, is better stimulated when carbs and protein are consumed at the same time. Therefore, consuming both carbs and protein after exercise can maximize protein and glycogen synthesis. Try consuming the two in a ratio of 3:1 (carbs to protein) for example, 40 grams of protein and 120 grams of carbs. Eating plenty of carbohydrates to rebuild glycogen stores is most important for people who exercise often, such as twice in the same day. If you have a few days to rest between workouts then this becomes less important.

Many people think that eating fat after a workout slows down digestion and inhibits the absorption of nutrients. While fat might slow down the absorption of your post-workout meal, it will not reduce its benefits. A study showed that whole milk was more effective at promoting muscle growth after a workout than skim milk. Another study showed that even when ingesting a high-fat meal after working out, muscle glycogen synthesis was not affected. It might be a good idea to limit the amount of fat you eat after exercise, but having some fat in your post-workout meal will not affect your recovery.

Adding creatine to your post workout supplement will then help limit muscle damage and enhance recovery. After training, the fuel stored in your muscles, glycogen will be depleted and therefore the dextrose will then immediately be absorbed and stored as new muscle glycogen. Protein has a number of different roles in the body such as repairing cells, building and repairing muscle cells and the production of energy. Usually, people using a post workout supplement is whey protein because of its fast absorption, it sends amino acids to the muscles to quickly boost recovery and kick start muscle growth.