FITNESS

The Post-Workout Meal Myth

Questioning the #1 fitness myth

I have read so many articles about the importance of post-workout protein supplements and recovery drinks. Every time I went to a gym, I saw men drinking whey protein shakes like a six-pack potion, and I joined in. It made sense — when you work out, you cause muscle breakdown. Hence, you need to drink a protein shake to help the body repair all the damage. But does the science support this thought process?

The Science Behind Protein Synthesis

Protein is a chain of amino acids. We primarily associate amino acids with muscle building. However, our body also utilises amino acids for a wide range of activities such as growing nails, repairing connective tissue and a plethora of additional purposes. Every protein source contains a different proportion of the various amino acids.

Whenever we consume protein from any source, the amino acids are broken down and stored within the body. Depending on the purpose, our body utilises the necessary amino acids from the reservoir.

Interestingly, protein synthesis after a workout, is enhanced by 50% and 109%, 4 hours and 24 hours later. Hence, that protein shake you consumed after your workout — does not make much of a difference. You could drink that after a few hours and it would still be insignificant, because your body would take time to digest. Protein is important for muscle building, but not immediately after a workout.

The Post Workout Fast

When you work out, in addition to the muscle breakdown, you also deplete your glycogen stores. In the absence of glycogen, your body turns to fat reserves, turning them into ketones — an alternate source of energy for your body.

Exercise also increases the concentration of growth hormone in our body. The injection of this hormone into our bloodstream stops when insulin spikes, i.e. when we consume food. The growth hormone is terrific, and it has functions ranging from building muscle to improving cognitive function.

So, why not benefit from the accelerated fat burn? Why not exploit the reward of elevated growth hormone levels?

Takeaway

Consuming a post-workout meal is not as beneficial as fasting for a few hours. Fasting after a workout enhances fat burning and also increases the levels of growth hormones. When you are ready to consume food, I suggest eating something with a very high nutritional content — a juice.

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