Protein shakes are a popular drink among fitness enthusiasts. This is due to its versatility and nutritious components. Not only is it used to help build muscle, but it also provides a general health boost.
Protein shakes have thus become a widely consumed breakfast drink, especially after a hard workout. This, however, doesn’t mean its even necessary.
You can meet your protein needs with just a balanced diet. If anything, protein shakes might be better utilized at a time when the need for it is that much higher – before bed.
Now don’t get me wrong. Protein shakes can be immense because they ensure muscle protein balance and provide essential amino acids that ensure muscle growth.
As such, to achieve these, you are better-suited drink protein before bed.
According to studies, drink before protein before bed provides you with additional benefits compared to other times of the day.
Some of the benefits of drinking protein before bed include:
1. BETTER MUSCLE GROWTH AND PRESERVATION
Drinking protein before bed improves muscle protein synthesis (MPS). This is a vital process used while the body builds muscle.
In order to build muscle, the body goes through MPS in conjunction with muscle protein breakdown (MPB).
However, consistent resistance training will accelerate MPB, yet these two processes need to be balanced.
By drinking protein before bed, you ensure protein balance during these processes. This creates optimum conditions for muscle building.
Protein shakes are also rich in essential amino acids, as mentioned above. They are, therefore, especially beneficial if you work out considering you are likely to have a low amount of amino acids in your body.
2. FASTER RECOVERY
According to studies, drinking protein before bed has been shown to improve post-workout recovery. According to the study, a sample size of 16 healthy young men was used.
They were all put through a regimen of mostly resistance-type exercises. Afterwards, they were given 40 grams of protein shake before going to bed.
The results showed that protein ingestion before sleep increased protein synthesis rates across the body after a sustained period.
As a result of the increased protein synthesis rates, the body restores whole-body protein balance leading to recovery.
3. IMPROVED ENDURANCE
Drinking protein bed is able to improve your athletic endurance. When you consume a protein shake, protein synthesis is increased, and protein breakdown is decreased.
As a result, the next time you work out, there is a protein balance during and after exercise. This, therefore, improves your athletic endurance as there is less chance of tiring during exercise.
4. FACILITATES WEIGHT LOSS
Drinking protein shakes generally boosts your metabolism. This happens as a result of consuming high-protein and strength training which leads to muscle growth.
When you have more muscle than fat, then you consequentially consume more calories than fat.
This is because protein can also increase metabolism because of the number of calories needed to digest and metabolize it. This is known as the thermic effect of food.
In the end, this ensures that you reach your calorie deficit.
5. IMPROVES YOUR SLEEP
Unknown to many, drinking protein before is actually good for the quality of your sleep. When consumed with a bit of carbohydrate, the body boosts the production of the amino acid L-tryptophan.
This is done so as to facilitate quicker uptake of the consumed protein. Consequentially, the boost in L-tryptophan betters the quality of your sleep.
This is because this amino acid is associated with proper sleep and it also increases the speed of how fast you fall asleep.
6. INCREASES ENERGY LEVELS
Protein shakes are a potent source of proteins for the body. By drinking them before the body, you provide the body with ample protein.
This leads to increased energy levels. This is considering proteins are harder to break down when compared to carbohydrates.
As a result, when broken down for energy, they provide a longer-lasting energy source.
7. PROMOTES HEALTHY WEIGHT
Protein shakes have been consistently used in conjunction with resistance training to build lean muscle.
This is because the protein provides the necessary nutrition to ensure levels of satiety, metabolism and energy are right.
In turn, these conditions create optimum conditions to facilitate weight loss. Consuming protein shakes also means that your body uses a lot of calories.
This is considering it takes a lot of energy to break down and absorb proteins. As a result, this contributes to weight loss during sleep.
8. PREVENTS MUSCLE MASS LOSS IN OLDER ADULTS
Drinking protein shake before bed is believed to help with sarcopenia. This refers to a condition that leads to involuntary loss of muscle mass.
Early-onset sarcopenia can manifest as early as your 40s. However, according to a 2017 study, it has been shown that drinking a protein shake before bed may reduce lean muscle mass loss in older adults.
The study used a sample size of men above 40 who took about 40 grams of casein protein.
Despite not engaging in any exercise, it was observed that there was a higher protein synthesis rate. This is when compared to the period when they were not taking the protein shake.
A higher rate of protein synthesis, therefore, leads to muscle hypertrophy.
9. IMPROVES IMMUNE FUNCTION
The immune system is primarily made up of proteins. Therefore, it relies on more proteins to be made (protein synthesis) to function effectively.
When you drink a protein shake before, protein synthesis ensures that your sleep is kept at a balanced healthy rate.
This therefore creates the optimum conditions for your immunity to continue working effectively.
10. PROTEIN SHAKES ARE GOOD FOR YOUR BONES
According to studies, consuming the recommended amount of protein helps you maintain bone mass better.
This is because protein increases the urinary calcium in your bones and the amount of intestinal calcium absorption.
Better bone mass ensures that you stand less of a chance of suffering from osteoporosis. This is especially important as exercising or physical activities generally put strain on your bones.
TYPES OF PROTEIN SHAKES
There are various types of protein shakes, each of which stimulates muscle growth differently. These protein shakes include: whey, casein and soy.
Whey protein is digested fastest out of the three and provides almost instant MPS. Soy and casein are digested much more slowly; however, this prolongs MPS throughout the night.
Casein is however the best in terms of MPS thus making it the best for recovery.
ARE THERE ANY NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF DRINKING PROTEIN BEFORE BED?
Before you make the decision to take a protein shake, look at the contents. This is because there are protein shakes that contain contents such as sugar.
Sugar is not the kind of content you want to be ingesting. Sugar increases your energy level and, as such, disrupts sleep.
CONCLUSION
Protein shakes are not the answer to your muscle growth goals. However, they do help provide the optimum conditions to achieve said goals.
However, it is crucial to plan out just how you’re going to incorporate protein shake into your diet. Remember to not exceed your daily limit and also use protein shake in conjunction with an exercise.
For instance, you could engage in resistance-training and use protein shake for post-workout recovery.
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