But the most common question on everyone's lips is what to do to get the best after a gym session. One such method of reaping the benefits of a much-utilized workout is nutrition. 

They both have their benefits, and the right choice would depend on the goals one has set and the body's needs. This article will examine the benefits of taking the protein shake at different times around your workout.

Let's get started.

Benefits of Protein Shakes

Protein shakes are a convenient and effective method of ensuring the body receives proteins required during muscle repair and build-up.

Why?

Because, 

They contain essential amino acids for the recovery and growth of muscles; thus, they are necessary for any serious fitness enthusiast. 

Protein shakes also help one manage weight by making them feel full and reducing general calorie consumption.

Advantages of Protein Shake Before Workout

Pre-workout Fuel Source: 

Intake of a protein shake before working out supplies amino to the muscles, which will be used as a fuel source. This will aid during endurance training or any heavy workouts.

Help in Muscle Breakdown:

During apt exercises, your muscles might be broken down into muscle proteins for energy. This is commonly referred to as catabolic. A pre-workout protein shake tries to prevent this process because amino acids are already available for repair.

Increased Performance:

Proteins and a reasonable amount of carbohydrates combined in your pre-workout shake further increase performance by maintaining your blood sugar levels at a steady rate, charging you with energy to pull through that session.

Considerations

This sometimes leads to a small amount of digestive upset. However, this is more than compensated for by the benefits of consuming a protein shake just before exercise. It is all about balance and finding the best timing for your body.

Advantages of Protein Shake After Workout

Muscle Recovery

After exercise, the condition of muscles is optimally set for recovery and growth. There can be further optimization of muscle protein synthesis response after protein shake treatment within 30 minutes after exercise, pinpointing faster recovery and higher muscle gain.

Pro-Tip

Carbs also help refill glycogen stores, which are depleted after a hard workout. A protein shake post-workout, especially when combined with carbohydrates, helps re-feed the stores above and lets the reparation process come into full swing.

Less sore muscles

The quick transmission of amino acids all work toward reducing soreness and stiffness within muscles, enabling you to return to your routine with less pain and sooner.

Considerations

Most people have no problem consuming post-workout shakes, except that timing is crucial. You should take your shake within 30 minutes to an hour after your workout to get the most out of it.

The question Still Stands Tall, What's Better?

The answer from the above information is that choosing the pre- or post-workout protein shake depends on your goals and, most importantly, what works for your body in response to that protein intake.

Here Are Just a Few Examples:

For Muscle Gain

If you want muscle gain, the protein shakes taken pre- and post-workout would be very beneficial. The pre-workout shake will prime your body to fight muscle breakdown. In contrast, the post-workout shake will optimize growth and muscle recovery.

For Endurance

The pre-workout shake is more enjoyable since, with a more significant number of training sessions, it will provide slow-digesting energy. But, of course, the post-workout shake is necessary for recovery.

General Health

Suppose you are doing exercises for general health and fitness. In that case, the timing does not matter. Still, the main idea is to ensure you take enough proteins during the day to maintain your activity level.

Conclusion

Both pre- and post-training protein shakes offer their benefits. The choice mainly depends on personal preference, fitness goals, and how the body responds to the intake timing. This may be experimented with to find out what is best.

Pro-Tip: Put Some Vigor8 in Your Workout.