Best Supplements for Fast Post-Workout Recovery

Athletes' needs

For fans who rarely exercise, it is enough to take a balanced meal without any additives 1-2 hours before and after exercise. This is enough to satisfy your needs. But professionals have special needs:

Endurance work . You are training for competitions. Walk or run many kilometers at a high intensity every week. Need more calories and carbohydrates. A drink made from proteins and carbohydrates is suitable as support.
Bodybuilding . Lift weights to build muscle. Do you want to gain weight? The body quickly burns nutrients and glycogen. You will need a protein shake with added carbohydrates.
Fitness . Spend many hours in the gym. Trying to reduce your body fat percentage to a minimum. Carbohydrate intake should be lower. You'll benefit from performance-enhancing, muscle-preserving essential amino acids (EAAs).

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the table, which provides recommendations that allow you to use sports nutrition for post-workout recovery with maximum efficiency:

Body type	Target	After training
Ectomorph	Growth of muscle mass, development of endurance	Water, protein-carb shake, or EAA drink
Mesomorph	Improvement of relief, support of shape	Water, protein + carbohydrate drink, EAA
Endomorph	Losing weight, developing physical strength	Water and drink with EAA

If you exercise a couple of times a month, it makes no difference what you eat. But you will need:

Eat more clean protein, quality carbohydrates, vegetables and healthy fats.
Regulate portion sizes to meet your needs and avoid overeating.
Eat slowly, because the feeling of fullness comes with a delay of up to half an hour or more.

Protein in endurance sports

Possible problems with a lack of protein in runners, skiers, cyclists, swimmers:

overtraining
weakened immune system
frequent injuries
long recovery
power drop

Skiers and runners have a common problem. During pre-season training, due to high volumes of training and poor nutrition (especially for amateurs), muscle mass is burned. In other words, the body begins to eat itself. Everything that was gained during the preparatory period through strength training is lost in 1-2 months and the athlete approaches the season broken. There is endurance, but not enough speed and power. One of the reasons for such problems is a lack of protein in the diet. The body begins to take protein from the muscles to support the life of more important organs.

Do you need protein for training? If you want to get a positive effect from training, and not a broken immune system and injuries, then yes, you definitely need it.

Read more about the benefits of protein in our article
What is protein and what is it for?

Do you need a schedule?

Not everyone needs a precise routine regarding when to take post-workout recovery supplements. Many sports magazines provide graphs and try to squeeze the athlete into a rigid framework. But the latest scientific evidence suggests that it doesn't make much difference whether you drink a protein shake 15 minutes later or an hour later.

If you have problems with metabolism and a tendency to be overweight, your eating routine is important. In other cases, no.

How much and how should you take protein?

Each person's protein needs are different. What does it depend on?

body weight (a person weighing 60 kg needs less protein than a person weighing 90 kg)
physical activity
health conditions and age (older adults and children need slightly more protein than the average adult)

The daily protein requirement for an adult is 0.8-1 g per kg of body weight. This refers to the average person leading a sedentary lifestyle.

The protein norm for an athlete, even an amateur, is 1.5-2 g per kg of body weight. This amount of protein will cover the body's needs for recovery after training.

The bulk of protein must be obtained from regular food; if you can meet the requirement without using additives, then this is good. With a high need for protein, it is difficult to get it from food, especially if your daily routine does not allow you to regularly eat well. In this case, take additional protein supplements. If there are no problems with weight, then after training take a gainer or protein; if you have excess fat , then it is better to exclude the gainer; your choice is whey protein. The ratio of protein from food to protein from supplements should be approximately this: 2/3 from regular food, 1/3 from protein shakes. Thus, an 80 kg athlete should receive 120-160 g of protein per day. Of these, 80-110 g come from food.

From which products is it better to get protein and which contain more of it, read our article What is protein and what is it for?

What's the best way to take protein for recovery?

From personal experience and the experience of fellow athletes, we came to this protein consumption regimen: 1 serving immediately after training and 1 serving in the evening or before bed (healthy food during the night gluttony :)). We often practice taking protein shakes as a snack when we don’t have the time or opportunity to eat a normal meal.

There is no point in taking protein after lunch or right before lunch. Mixing food and protein supplement will complicate digestion and increase the rate of absorption. It is better to take it between normal meals.

Diet

We will try to create a complete menu that will help you move towards sports results at maximum speed.

After training

The period after sports exercise is important. After about half an hour, you may need food for the following purposes:

Recover.
Replenish the water-salt balance.
Get a boost of energy.
Build muscle mass.
Improve future performance.

Here is a list of substances that are needed first.

Squirrels

Protein consumption:

Helps maintain muscle size and increase it. This is important for bodybuilders and powerlifters.
Reduces markers of muscle damage. The fewer microtraumas inside the soft tissues, the faster the recovery.
Fills the bloodstream with amino acids. This reserve will make it possible to cope with the consequences of training.

Carbohydrates

Eating carbohydrates allows you to:

Restore glycogen in muscles and liver. The brain receives data about the saturation of the body and does not burn resources so quickly.
Calmly bear the consequences of stress. Carbohydrates maintain body tone.
Stimulate insulin release. Protein synthesis improves and their breakdown slows down.

Fats

The role of fats is:

Slow down the digestion process. Insulin and glucose levels remain normal.
Provides vitamins and minerals. Fatty acids contain many beneficial substances.

Post-Workout Sports Nutrition: The Six Best Supplements

During strength training, the human body expends a large amount of energy, loses vitamins, minerals and other nutrients such as glycogen, amino acids or creatine. In addition, during strength training, human muscles receive microdamage and to restore muscles, as well as their growth, the body needs nutrients - amino acids, creatine, vitamins, minerals, etc. That is why the time after training is very important for bodybuilders and representatives of strength sports - it is during this time, which is called the “ protein-carbohydrate window ,” that the body needs a large amount of nutrients, which it can quickly absorb and use to restore damaged muscles and replenishing lost nutrients received during training.

In this article we will talk about sports nutrition that you can take after training . The 6 Best Post-Workout Supplements to Speed Up Your Muscle-Building and Post-Workout Recovery Process.

Whey Protein

The use of whey protein after training allows you to provide the body with all amino acids: essential, conditionally essential and essential, including branched chain amino acids (BCAA). The advantages of whey protein are high bioavailability and high absorption rate - the human body absorbs whey protein well and quickly. About 15 minutes after taking whey protein concentrate, amino acids will begin to flow into the blood, and after 45 minutes, whey protein concentrate will be completely absorbed. Whey protein isolate has an even greater absorption rate .

To achieve positive results, you need to take 20-40 grams of whey protein immediately after finishing your workout.

Micellar casein

The use of micellar casein after training is justified exclusively in combination with whey protein. Micellar casein is absorbed very slowly and provides the body with small portions of amino acids over a long period of time. Long-term intake of small portions of amino acids into the blood helps to shift metabolism towards anabolism, which has a positive effect on muscle growth and recovery. Combining micellar casein with whey protein allows you to quickly provide the body with a “shock” dose of amino acids due to whey protein and nourish the body with small doses of amino acids for 8-12 hours due to micellar casein.

To achieve positive results, you need to take 20 grams of whey protein and 20 grams of micellar casein immediately after finishing your workout.

Micellar casein should be taken along with whey protein post-workout

Leucine or BCAA

BCAA are branched chain amino acids. BCAA consists of three amino acids - leucine, isoleucine and valine. The use of leucine after training allows you to activate metabolic pathways that are responsible for enhancing anabolic processes . When taking leucine after a workout, it is very important to choose an effective dosage of this amino acid. If you plan to take leucine along with protein , your post-workout serving of leucine should be 3 grams. If you plan to take leucine separately - 6 grams. If you plan to take BCAA after training, then the serving should be 10 grams.

Simple carbohydrates

The time after exercise is ideal for the use of simple carbohydrates, which are quickly absorbed and provide a large amount of glucose into the blood. During exercise, muscle glycogen stores are depleted and can be quickly replenished with simple carbohydrates. Also, simple carbohydrates stimulate the production of insulin , which is a powerful anabolic hormone. The use of simple carbohydrates after training can significantly speed up the body's recovery.

To achieve positive results, you need to take 30-60 grams of simple carbohydrates immediately after finishing your workout. It is optimal to use simple carbohydrates along with whey protein or leucine.

Creatine

Creatine is one of the most popular supplements among bodybuilders and strength athletes. The use of creatine after training can improve energy supply to muscles, since creatine is involved in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and increases the accumulation of glycogen in muscles by 20 percent. Also, creatine stimulates the production of two key anabolic hormones - testosterone and somatotropin.

A post-workout serving of creatine should be 5-10 grams. For maximum effectiveness, it is recommended to take creatine along with simple carbohydrates.

Creatine is one of the best post-workout supplements

Beta-alanine

Beta-alanine is a beta amino acid that helps enhance the synthesis of carnosine, a dipeptide that prevents the decrease in pH levels in the muscles and accelerates the process of removing hydrogen ions from the muscles. Beta-alanine significantly accelerates muscle recovery processes. You can read more about beta-alanine in our article “Three Reasons to Take Beta-Alanine.”

A post-workout serving of beta-alanine should be 3 grams.

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Special sports nutrition

In addition to regular food, there are specialized supplements for post-workout recovery. They act faster and more effectively than traditional products.

Gainer

Needed to replenish expended energy. Power loads take a lot of energy. Let's say an athlete weighing 90 kg worked in the gym with a barbell. In 2 hours he spent about 700 kcal. You can't get by with regular food here. You will need a concentrate of fast carbohydrates. They are contained up to 70% in gainers.

But what to do if drying is needed and weight gain is strictly contraindicated? When everything is in order with recovery, you can refuse the gainer. And if the time between workouts is not enough to return to normal, the supplement will help compensate for the missing energy.

Names and brands of popular supplements:

Mass Builder - VPLab.
Real Mass – Maxler.
Mutant Mass - Mutant.

BCAAs

These are amino acids with branched side chains. They help with muscle fiber regeneration. These post-workout recovery supplements provide up to 30% of the amino acids needed to heal micro-trauma.

During physical activity, microscopic tears form in muscles, joints and ligaments. They are the ones that lead to delayed pain – soreness. Many felt aches throughout their entire body. It's an unpleasant feeling.

BCAA can be taken 2 times a day, 2 grams per 10 kg of weight. This is a sufficient dosage for people who spend at least 3 days a week in the gym. For example, an athlete weighs 110 kg. Then he will need 22 grams of supplement.

Here is a list of popular BCAA:

Premium BCAA Powder - Weider.
100% BCAA - BioTech.
BCAA Xplode - Olimp.

Vitamin-mineral complex

The body spends more than just carbohydrates and protein during physical activity. Magnesium, potassium and sodium are washed out of tissues. These are important minerals, without which progress stops. In addition, there is a loss of vitamins. Complex preparations will ensure muscle recovery after training - sports nutrition copes with its tasks much faster than traditional food.

Supplements can be purchased at a pharmacy. This is the well-known “Complivit”. But there is a special line of products:

Multi AZ - PurePro.
Vita-min Multiple sport – Olimp.
Multi Pack - Nutriversum.

Of course, you can eat more salt, which contains magnesium and potassium, but this is not enough to compensate for all the “damage.”

Protein

Proteins are the basis of the muscle frame. Protein for post-workout recovery is an important component. The substance is broken down into amino acids. From these, the body “builds” new muscle fibers.

You can get protein from food, but how well the absorption process will go is unknown. Usually this is 10%. Another 30% is lost during cooking. In total, we will get only 60% of the protein from a piece of boiled meat. Not enough.

Therefore, athletes use ready-made, purified protein. To replenish losses, it is enough to take 1 gram per kilogram of weight 2 times a day. An athlete weighing 90 kg will need 90 grams per day. Whey concentrates from trusted manufacturers:

Golden Whey - Maxler.
ProStar Whey - Ultimate Nutrition.
Matrix - Syntra.

Before training

1. A drug like Piracetam will help you get ready for hard training. You can also use injections of vitamin B 12 for these purposes. Piracetam needs somewhere between 400 - 800 mg, B 12 - 3 mcg (one ampoule). It is accepted that the first and second, 60 - 45 minutes before the start of the training. The same B 12 can act as an excellent energy drink (before aerobic exercise, especially).

2. Another good source of energy can be a drug such as ATP. It is present in two forms. Tablets and solution for injection. So here it is. Forget the pills. The injections are much more effective. Dosage - one or two ampoules (10 - 20 mg), an hour to an hour and a half before the start of training. And remember, to avoid pain at the injection site, administer the drug very slowly.

3. Caffeine sodium benzoate. There is no doubt, in terms of activation of the central nervous system and energy charge, few will argue with him. There are only two but. First, this medicine can significantly increase your blood pressure. Second, caffeine slows down glycogen synthesis, which means recovery after exercise will be somewhat delayed. Dosage 200 – 300 mg one hour before starting work in the gym.

4. VERY well increases endurance, including strength peptide TV - 500. Dosage 2 mg (one bottle) in the morning after breakfast, on the day of training, if the latter is planned for lunch. If you train in the evening, use the same protocol, but do it after lunch.

5. If you use BCAAs during training (especially a lot), then Metformin will be of great help. This drug will ensure that most of the amino acids taken will not become a source of energy, but will go straight to the muscle fibers. Naturally, if your goal of taking BCAAs (although such a desire can be directly called waste) is strictly energy for training, then you do not need to swallow Metformin. Dosage 1000 – 1500 mg an hour to an hour and a half before training.

6. Dexamethasone, at a dosage of 0.5 mg (1 tablet), taken 40 - 60 minutes before training, is designed to reduce the release of Cortisol during training.

7. Actovegin and Clenbuterol will significantly increase the filling of muscles with blood during training. It is quite possible to use them as a duet. The dosage of the first is 2 – 3 ml (purchase strictly the injectable version, tablets are garbage). The second is one tablet (40 mcg). Both are taken 40–60 minutes before the start of the training.

8. And finally, one of my favorite non-hormonal medications. Mildronate. In addition to a large number of useful qualities (and it really has a lot of them), it helps to endure physical activity more easily and has a tonic effect on the central nervous system. Dosage in the range of 500 – 1000 mg (usually 1 – 2 capsules), taken one and a half to two hours before the start of the training. In the case of Mildronate, capsules are more effective.

With the exception of TV-500 and Clenbuterol, all other drugs can be easily purchased at the pharmacy chain. I think everyone already knows where to buy the first two.