How long should you WAIT to take post workout shake?

[boxler]

Should you take your post workout shake right after your last set or wait 30 minutes to take it? I've heard that there is a 30 minute window of time that you should take the protein to get maximum results, but i recently heard that you should actually wait the full 30 minutes before taking the protein shake. It said something about your GH is still working until 30 minutes after you workout.

So what should you do to get the best results?

[RaginAzN]

The so called "anabolic window" could last as long as 24 hours, it doesn't matter when you take your shake just as long as you fulfill your protein needs for the day...hell you can take all your protein at one sitting and it might take a long time to digest but all of it will eventually be absorbed.

[GoBigBlue]

I'd hit up the nutrition section. Take some notes.

[sohei]

Depends a bit on what supps you are taking as well. If you are using a creatine with a sugar transport like celltech or cellmass, youll want to wait the thirty to let the creatine do its thing. If no other supps are getting in the way, Id drink up as soon as you feel like it. I tend to stick to "faster" proteins anyway and split em up over the day in 45-50g doses. Cant say I agree with above comment on being able to consume a days worth at time. What you dont use will get processed and passed out. Even on an intense training regimen I doubt your system can absorb more than 50-75g before digestion does its thing. Back to the "window". Dont wait too long (more than 30-45 minutes) cause after a good workout, your body is beggin for the tools to build up what you just tore down.

[deadenemy]

I like taking a shake before and after I workout. Does it help, I don't know, but it makes me feel better. Plus I am getting the extra bcaas near my workout. Really all you need to do is get enough protein throughout the day.

[boxler]

Depends a bit on what supps you are taking as well. If you are using a creatine with a sugar transport like celltech or cellmass, youll want to wait the thirty to let the creatine do its thing. If no other supps are getting in the way, Id drink up as soon as you feel like it. I tend to stick to "faster" proteins anyway and split em up over the day in 45-50g doses. Cant say I agree with above comment on being able to consume a days worth at time. What you dont use will get processed and passed out. Even on an intense training regimen I doubt your system can absorb more than 50-75g before digestion does its thing. Back to the "window". Dont wait too long (more than 30-45 minutes) cause after a good workout, your body is beggin for the tools to build up what you just tore down.

I just take a whey protein shake (30g protein) and mix 16g of dextrose with it for post workout. when I cycle onto creatine, i take that before i workout.

[cr357]

The postexercise "anabolic window" is a highly misused & abused concept. Preworkout nutrition all but cancels the urgency, unless you're an endurance athlete with multiple glycogen-depleting events in a single day. Getting down to brass tacks, a relatively recent study (Power et al. 2009) showed that a 45g dose of whey protein isolate takes appx 50 minutes to cause blood AA levels to peak. Resulting insulin levels, which peaked at 40 minutes after ingestion, remained at elevations known to max out the inhibition of muscle protein breakdown (15-30 mU/L) for 120 minutes after ingestion. This dose takes 3 hours for insulin & AA levels to return to baseline from the point of ingestion. The inclusion of carbs to this dose would cause AA & insulin levels to peak higher & stay elevated above baseline even longer.

So much for the anabolic peephole & the urgency to down AAs during your weight training workout; they are already seeping into circulation (& will continue to do so after your training bout is done). Even in the event that a preworkout meal is skipped, the anabolic effect of the postworkout meal is increased as a supercompensatory response (Deldicque et al, 2010). Moving on, another recent study (Staples et al, 2010) found that a substantial dose of carbohydrate (50g maltodextrin) added to 25g whey protein was unable to further increase postexercise net muscle protein balance compared to the protein dose without carbs. Again, this is not to say that adding carbs at this point is counterproductive, but it certainly doesn't support the idea that you must get your lightning-fast postexercise carb orgy for optimal results.

To add to this... Why has the majority of longer-term research failed to show any meaningful differences in nutrient timing relative to the resistance training bout? It's likely because the body is smarter than we give it credit for. Most people don't know that as a result of a single training bout, the receptivity of muscle to protein dosing can persist for at least 24 hours: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21289204

Here's what you're not seeming to grasp: the "windows" for taking advantage of nutrient timing are not little peepholes. They're more like bay windows of a mansion. You're ignoring just how long the anabolic effects are of a typical mixed meal. Depending on the size of a meal, it takes a good 1-2 hours for circulating substrate levels to peak, and it takes a good 3-6 hours (or more) for everythng to drop back down to baseline.

You're also ignoring the fact that the anabolic effects of a meal are maxed out at much lower levels than typical meals drive insulin & amino acids up to. Furthermore, you're also ignoring the body's ability of anabolic (& fat-oxidative) supercompensation when forced to work in the absence of fuels. So, metaphorically speaking, our physiology basically has the universe mapped out and you're thinking it needs to be taught addition & subtraction.

Whenever you can get to it^^^^^

[RaginAzN]

Depends a bit on what supps you are taking as well. If you are using a creatine with a sugar transport like celltech or cellmass, youll want to wait the thirty to let the creatine do its thing. If no other supps are getting in the way, Id drink up as soon as you feel like it. I tend to stick to "faster" proteins anyway and split em up over the day in 45-50g doses. Cant say I agree with above comment on being able to consume a days worth at time. What you dont use will get processed and passed out. Even on an intense training regimen I doubt your system can absorb more than 50-75g before digestion does its thing. Back to the "window". Dont wait too long (more than 30-45 minutes) cause after a good workout, your body is beggin for the tools to build up what you just tore down.

oh really now sir? read myth #5 about protein absorption and come back and report your findings.

http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top...-debunked.html

Also this is a good read...

http://www.musclehack.com/how-much-p...n-one-sitting/

[Ninetysix]

Depends a bit on what supps you are taking as well. If you are using a creatine with a sugar transport like celltech or cellmass, youll want to wait the thirty to let the creatine do its thing. If no other supps are getting in the way, Id drink up as soon as you feel like it. I tend to stick to "faster" proteins anyway and split em up over the day in 45-50g doses. Cant say I agree with above comment on being able to consume a days worth at time. What you dont use will get processed and passed out. Even on an intense training regimen I doubt your system can absorb more than 50-75g before digestion does its thing. Back to the "window". Dont wait too long (more than 30-45 minutes) cause after a good workout, your body is beggin for the tools to build up what you just tore down.

Wrong broseph. It's now 2012..time to learn what science has debunked.

[RaginAzN]

Wrong broseph. It's now 2012..time to learn what science has debunked.

We all know that broscience is alive and well and will live on forever...I still get people in the gym telling me all about eating 6 small meals a day and people telling my gf that drinking protein will get her bulky. Smh...

[Valhallabound86]

Depends a bit on what supps you are taking as well. If you are using a creatine with a sugar transport like celltech or cellmass, youll want to wait the thirty to let the creatine do its thing. If no other supps are getting in the way, Id drink up as soon as you feel like it. I tend to stick to "faster" proteins anyway and split em up over the day in 45-50g doses. Cant say I agree with above comment on being able to consume a days worth at time. What you dont use will get processed and passed out. Even on an intense training regimen I doubt your system can absorb more than 50-75g before digestion does its thing. Back to the "window". Dont wait too long (more than 30-45 minutes) cause after a good workout, your body is beggin for the tools to build up what you just tore down.

[boxler]

Wrong broseph. It's now 2012..time to learn what science has debunked.

Did i miss something? whats the new science saying?

[Valhallabound86]

Did i miss something? whats the new science saying?

The anabolic window is a load of shit.

Take your protein whenever, don't feel the need to do it right after.

[boxler]

oh really now sir? read myth #5 about protein absorption and come back and report your findings.

http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top...-debunked.html

Also this is a good read...

http://www.musclehack.com/how-much-p...n-one-sitting/

is this true???

[boxler]

The anabolic window is a load of shit.

Take your protein whenever, don't feel the need to do it right after.

so are protein shakes even necessary after a workout? wouldn't it better to just eat a real food meal after working out?

[RaginAzN]

so are protein shakes even necessary after a workout? wouldn't it better to just eat a real food meal after working out?

Real food always and will be better than any shake you can make/get and yes what i posted is true.

[Valhallabound86]

so are protein shakes even necessary after a workout? wouldn't it better to just eat a real food meal after working out?

The timing doesn't matter.

If protein shakes help you hit your protein goal for the day, then it's fine to take them. Just don't feel the need to do it right after a workout, whole food is just as good.

[boxler]

The timing doesn't matter.

If protein shakes help you hit your protein goal for the day, then it's fine to take them. Just don't feel the need to do it right after a workout, whole food is just as good.

So is there any reason to do something like take bcaas during your workout?

[Valhallabound86]

So is there any reason to do something like take bcaas during your workout?

Of course.

If you're training fasted they'll do a better job, but intake of BCAA's is certainly fine.

[JOSEF RAKICH]

Nutrient is all irrelevant for improving body composition.

Just hit your protein requirements and other macronutrient requirements over the day and you will be fine, the timing does not matter, you don't even need a post workout shake, consume your post workout shake 3 hours before the gym, it won't make a difference at all.

[southjman]

Should you take your post workout shake right after your last set or wait 30 minutes to take it? I've heard that there is a 30 minute window of time that you should take the protein to get maximum results, but i recently heard that you should actually wait the full 30 minutes before taking the protein shake. It said something about your GH is still working until 30 minutes after you workout.

So what should you do to get the best results?

Either you take amino acids right after your workout, THeeen take your post workout shake 30-40min after or you take the PWS right after!

[boxler]

When did all these new findings come out about how it doesn't matter when you eat? and how do you know they are true?

[Nailbomb9]

When did all these new findings come out about how it doesn't matter when you eat? and how do you know they are true?

Let it go man....just let it go. Get your macros in daily and chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiLL..............

[boxler]

Let it go man....just let it go. Get your macros in daily and chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiLL..............

i've been doing the "3 hour diet" for like 2 years now and really feel like it helps.

[Sickvtec101]

For good results talking from experience take a scoop of fast absorbin whey protein (optimum gold standard whey is perfect) 30 minutes before workout then as soon as you walk out that gym take a slower absorbin protein that contains casein and soy

[RaginAzN]

*sigh* I leave this thread for a week, come back and can't believe the broscience is still going on strong in this thread....I am disappoint son...

[Nailbomb9]

For good results talking from experience take a scoop of fast absorbin whey protein (optimum gold standard whey is perfect) 30 minutes before workout then as soon as you walk out that gym take a slower absorbin protein that contains casein and soy

Hey!! Who do you think you are, Mr H&R Broscience n stuff...???!!!!

[lllDBOlll]

You must wait precisely 26 minutes and 38 seconds and then take it, ensuring you swallow it all within 3 seconds. If you don't do this then you might as well quit lifting and bodybuilding in general because you have already failed.

[Valhallabound86]

i've been doing the "3 hour diet" for like 2 years now and really feel like it helps.

No one's taking that away from you. We're just saying that it's not any better than alternative forms of dieting. Such as 3 meals a day, or IF protocols.

For good results talking from experience take a scoop of fast absorbin whey protein (optimum gold standard whey is perfect) 30 minutes before workout then as soon as you walk out that gym take a slower absorbin protein that contains casein and soy

The timing is completely irrelevant, and doesn't enhance the protein effect.

[RichTotalGains]

One of the hardest parts of getting your diet right is knowing what to eat after the gym. A lot of people will offer varying advice as to the amounts and types of foods and supplements, and of course a lot of this will depend on your personal goals.

But the basics should be the same for everybody: a simple meal comprising of a mixture of carbohydrates and proteins. While there are all sorts of different ratios used by sports people, athletes or body builders, the basic rule should be to eat just a little more carbohydrates than protein, and to consume about 2 calories of carbohydrate for every pound of target bodyweight.

There is a window of about 20-60 minutes after you exercise in which your muscles are prime for accepting the proteins and carbohydrates that you consume and use them to rebuild the muscle fibers damaged when exercising.

However, if you wait too long after exercising to provide your system with these nutrients, your body will become less likely to use what you eat as fuel and recovery, and more likely to run out of energy during later in the day.Don’t wait until you get home to eat because by the time you’ve prepared breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you’ve missed the window of 20-60 minutes. Instead, prepare and carry your post-workout fuel in your gym bag or car.