If your goal is to maximize muscle growth or maintain as much lean muscle as possible, some people would argue that you need to drink your protein shake within 30-minutes after the workout. If you miss that 30-minute window after your workout you are losing out on your potential gains from the gym.
Scientific research has proven this to be no more than a myth. There is no magical 30-minute cutoff period after your workout where you lose the gains that you could’ve made. The window is much longer, if you could even call it a window. The rate at which your body could use the protein is increased after your workout for as much as seventy-two hours, with the largest effects somewhere within 4 hours post-workout. So, don’t feel like you have to rush to drink that protein shake immediately after.
The caveat to this is if you workout fasted in the morning, meaning you haven’t had any quality protein prior to your workout. In this case, you would want to consume protein as soon as possible.
If you eat a pre-workout meal with sufficient protein in it, then your body has enough amino acids present to take advantage of the effects of your workout; thus, there is no need to consume protein immediately after.
Not having to chug that protein shake immediately post-workout can be especially good for people who want to lose weight. Liquid calories tend to be less satiating than eating whole foods, so waiting to eat whole foods after your workout can keep you fuller longer to push off your next meal.
Now that you know the anabolic window is a myth, hopefully you won’t be as tempted to slam that protein shake immediately after your workout!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3577439/
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