Post-Workout Supplement Benefits: Do Post-Workout Supplements Help Muscle Growth?
Post-Workout supplements are commonly used to help in muscle gains and recovery. As the name suggests, these supplements are consumed after a workout session.
One of the drawbacks of long hours of the gym is body aches and soreness. Another fear that athletes and fitness enthusiasts worry about is muscle wastage.
Post-Workout supplements are designed to help combat the negative aftermaths after a long workout. They aid quicker body recovery and helps you maintain and increase your muscle growth.
Post-workout and pre-workout have different benefits and aims to achieve different specific goals.
While pre-workout supplements are mainly focused on giving you the energy to perform during sessions, post workout supplements are made to help muscle growth.
What are Post Workout Supplements?
Post-workout supplements are usually protein-based powders or capsules. These supplements can be broadly based on their chief ingredient- Glutamine-based Supplements, BCAAs supplement, Creatine, and Casein Protein.
Most of these supplements are protein-based as proteins help build muscles. While some supplements have specific amino acids, which allow the production of proteins that builds up body mass.
Post-workout supplements are generally preferred by gym rats who wish to build muscle. It is preferred to have something (supplements or not) after an intense workout session to help regain energy.
Why not invest in a supplement that helps you stay fit and makes you fit too.
What you need to know about Post Workout supplements
There are several misconceptions and misinformation about Post Workout Supplements. Let’s clear some of them right away.
WEIGHT LOSS OR MUSCLE BUILDING?
If the plan for you is to lose weight. Using post-workout supplements won’t make much difference to you.
The main aim of a post-workout supplement is for muscle repair, mass increase, and reduce muscle wastage. This supplement works best for those looking to build up their muscle mass and tone up their body.
If you are looking to lose weight, it would be wise to use pre-workout supplements, which will provide you the energy to burn off the fats.
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
One of the most frequently asked questions is how much protein powder or supplements should I be taking?
Excess consumption of these supplements will not work as an extra booster.
There is no recommended dosage for supplements like creatine, BCAAs.
The recommended dose is 1.1 grams of protein per pound of your body weight.
In a day, it is estimated that most gym-goers consume about 2-5 protein shakes. Typically, the number of shakes consumed in a day should also follow the above rule.
About 20-40 grams of protein a day is the optimal range for a healthy adult.
How does each Post Workout Supplement work?
While most post-workout supplements share the same goal to maintain and increase muscles. Each supplement also has its specific ingredients that help achieve the desired goals differently.
GLUTAMINE SUPPLEMENTS
Glutamine supplements are a popular choice of post-workout supplements. It helps improve protein production and decreases the breakdown of muscle.
If new proteins rapidly synthesize in the body, the energy from the formerly developed muscles is not utilized.
This becomes important in helping maintain your body strength and your body mass/ muscle.
BCAAs SUPPLEMENTS
These are the specific essential amino acids that are required by our body. They help reduce body soreness after a workout session. They also aid in rapid protein synthesis, so it supports muscle growth.
CREATINE
Creatine-based supplements help reduce muscle soreness. It aids the muscle in recovering quickly.
Incorporating Creatine supplements as a part of the post-workout regimen helped athletes gain more muscles than those who used them before the workout.
CASEIN PROTEINS
These Casein proteins help support muscle growth. They help in the metabolization of proteins and helps you retain your muscle. They are used to replenish your electrolytes and keep you and your muscles hydrated.
Whey proteins also work just as same as Casein proteins.
When to take Post-workout Supplements?
They can usually be consumed 30 minutes after a workout session.
Most supplements are advised to be consumed within an hour of the training session to achieve maximum results.
Dr. Kendall, a Kinesiologist, suggested that consuming the supplements directly after a session depends upon the person’s fasting habits.
If you have undergone a session while on a fast (on an empty stomach), eating directly after a workout is ok. However, if you’re not on fast and have had something to eat. It is not imperative that you have to take the supplements directly after.
However, it is advised that the supplements are to be taken during the body’s anabolic window, which is when the body breaks down substances like proteins and glucose.
Do Post-Workout Supplements actually work?
Yes, they do. In a study, male athletes were studied in two groups—one group using only pre-workout supplements and the other Post workout supplements.
In a month, there was a visible difference between the two groups. The group using post-working supplements had a more considerable increase in body mass and retained the muscle.
While the pre-workout supplement users also gained but a rate comparatively slower to the first group.
What should you expect from using Post Workout Supplements?
Anyone who starts taking Post Workout Supplements is usually looking for energy and muscle mass retention.
A good post-workout supplement should provide you maximum benefit but don’t forget to keep your expectations realistic.
These are some of the benefits that you should look forward to:
It should keep your muscles hydrated.
It should help reduce muscle soreness.
It should help increase your muscle recovery rate.
It should provide you the energy to continue your day without the feeling fatigue and lethargic.
It should help you maintain your muscle gains.
It should keep you fit and improve your physical performance.
Remember that these supplements are, after all, supplements. They do not assure you a 100% success rate of everything. Being consistent in your intake also plays a big role in seeing differences and improvements.
