After a tough workout, you may feel more exhausted than hungry. Regardless of your appetite, it’s important to eat a carbohydrate and protein meal or snack within 30 minutes of completing your workout. A number of physiological changes occur during strength or endurance that makes post-workout nutrition vital for maximizing the benefits of a workout. Here are four reasons why you need to eat or sip a recovery shake after exercise.
To Boost Muscle Growth and Recovery
Getting protein on board within 30 minutes after a strength-training workout sends amino acids to the muscle fibers you’ve just damaged so they can repair and rebuild more quickly. A small study in the Journal of Physiology showed that older men who consumed protein immediately after a strength-training workout experienced a greater increase in muscle mass and strength over a 12-week period compared to those who waited 2 hours before consuming a protein meal or snack. Eating a protein snack in a timely manner may actually increase your gains.
Eating a source of high-glycemic carbohydrates at the same time will enhance the benefits by boosting insulin levels short-term to help amino acids enter the muscle cells that need them. This is one time when high-glycemic carbohydrates are a good choice since they speed the entry of amino acids into cells to kick the body into an anabolic or muscle-building mode.
To Lower Cortisol Levels
After a hard workout, cortisol levels are elevated due to the stress of working out. Since cortisol is a catabolic hormone, you want to lower its levels as quickly as possible. A protein and carbohydrate meal immediately after working out lowers cortisol levels so your body builds rather than breaks down muscle. Other ways to reduce the impact of cortisol? Keep your exercise sessions to less than an hour and a half– and be sure to rest after a workout and get adequate sleep (7-8 hours) to keep cortisol levels lower.
To Restore Healthy Immune Function
Intense exercise temporarily suppresses the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections with cold and flu viruses. One reason is the immune-suppressing effects of cortisol. Getting protein and carbs after a workout reduces cortisol, and some research suggests that supplementing with 800 to 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C reduces cortisol more quickly and speeds up recovery, although more research is needed.
Another reason why protein is important for restoring immune function is that eating a protein meal increases levels of the amino acid glutamine. Exercise lowers glutamine levels, and glutamine is essential for healthy immune function. There’s also evidence that glutamine plays an independent role in boosting muscle protein synthesis.
To Replenish Glycogen Stores Faster
After a hard workout, your muscles are in a glycogen-depleted state, and glycogen stores need to be replaced in a timely manner. During the first hour or two after exercise, the enzyme glycogen synthase that initiates glycogen storage is higher, so you’ll replace glycogen stores up to three times faster if you eat a carbohydrate meal immediately after a workout is over.
The Bottom Line?
Timing is important when it comes to refueling your body after a workout and to keep it in an anabolic state so you can reap the benefits of your hard work. Make sure you’re getting enough protein, carbohydrates and total calories and that you’re feeding yourself as quickly as possible after a workout – and don’t forget about the importance of fluid replacement.
References:
The Journal of Physiology, 535, 301-311. (2001)
Sports Med. 1998 Sep;26(3):177-91.
European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2006 97(4). 454-461.
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