Every athlete who wants to gain muscle mass needs to know how and when they drink protein. The body is required to provide the right amount of protein, because it is he who is responsible for the endurance of the athlete and the growth of his muscles. Unfortunately, not everyone knows whether it is possible to drink protein before, after or during training. This article will help to understand all the nuances.
It is difficult to give an unequivocal answer to the question of how much protein to drink. The daily rate, as well as the schedule of admission directly depend on the goals of the athlete - drying, building muscles, increasing stamina and strength.
Protein intake in the morning
To understand when professional athletes drink protein to improve their characteristics, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the human body. As you know, a person sleeps about 7-8 hours a day. During this period of time, the body does not receive any nutrients, therefore, to ensure the normal functioning of organs and systems, it uses pre-prepared substances. These include: glycogen contained in the muscles and tissues of the liver, as well as amino acids that form after the breakdown of muscle tissue.
In the morning, immediately after waking up, the hormone cortisol is produced in the body at an accelerated pace, which contributes to increased catabolism. Therefore, when answering the question when they drink protein, experts say that this should be done immediately after sleep. Protein intake at this time will help stop the above process, which will positively affect the athlete's body. One of the most beneficial options is whey protein.
What to do during the day?
Often people wonder how to drink protein to gain mass and replenish amino acid reserves. The answer is simple: in between meals, 2 to 4 servings of the product should be consumed (20 g each). If the athlete knows in advance that the next meal will be later than usual, then it is best to use a slow or complex protein.
Drinking protein in training is allowed only to some people. It depends on their goals and characteristics of the body, therefore, only a trainer or doctor can prescribe protein intake during training.
Snack before training
In addition to the use of protein between regular meals, you should remember how to drink protein before or after training. A couple of hours before the training, the athlete needs to take whey protein.
Protein can easily be replaced by BCAAs, i.e., a complex of amino acids, representing a third of all muscle proteins. They are always actively used by athletes in order to obtain energy for intensive muscle work.
BCAAs must not be taken at the same time as they are drinking protein. In the case of the use of essential amino acids, they should be taken only 20 minutes before classes. It is important to learn that in the absence of a sufficient concentration of amino acids in the blood, the human body will use muscle tissue as an energy source. Proteins that are easily digested will be able to maintain the necessary level of amino acids, and therefore, muscle mass will not decrease during training.
Protein after class
Clearly knowing how much protein to drink per day, many novice athletes forget to take another portion after a workout, and it is this technique that plays an important role in increasing muscle. When all glycogen reserves are completely exhausted, and a low concentration of sugar and amino acids is observed in the blood, the body is completely ready for consumption and rapid absorption of nutrients. In order to quickly replenish the balance of amino acids and carbohydrates, an athlete needs to take a gainer immediately after training. Such a protein is absorbed quite well, and sugar immediately goes to glycogen regeneration.
Often you can come up with the question of how much to drink protein with large muscle mass. Doctors and experienced athletes claim that the more muscle, the more protein a person needs. Due to the deficiency of this substance, problems with the skin, hair and nails may appear. In addition, protein saves muscle groups from drying out, so it is simply impossible to survive without regular use.
The peak of insulin, provided by carbohydrates with a fairly high glycemic index, allows nutrients to assimilate normally, as well as restore lost body reserves. If you set yourself the goal of not only building muscle, but also getting rid of fat deposits, then you need to abandon carbohydrates and take only proteins.
Bedtime
Most people believe that eating before bedtime is the key to the accumulation of unnecessary body fat. This opinion is true regarding the consumption of fats, as well as carbohydrates, but not protein. Because the body does not receive food during sleep, it draws energy from internal reserves, due to which the muscle recovery process can be stopped for a while.
Obstacles to night catabolism will help a cocktail of slow proteins, taken half an hour before bedtime. Such a mixture will ensure a normal concentration of amino acids in the blood.
The protein complex in which micellar casein, whey protein and milk protein are most suitable for these purposes. The cocktail is guaranteed to provide a sufficient amount of nutrients for muscle growth, as well as contribute to the improvement of strength indicators.
Weight loss
Boys and girls closer to the summer season are wondering how to drink protein for weight loss. To effectively lose weight, you need to consume a sufficient amount of protein, which, unfortunately, cannot be done with conventional foods. Due to the insufficient amount of this substance in the body, catabolic processes in the muscles are activated, which do not allow a person to calmly reach their goal.
During the period of weight loss, people practice frequent meals (about 5-6 times a day). You can slightly ease the task with the help of protein shakes, which replace themselves with up to 2-3 meals. They lack fats and carbohydrates, so losing a few extra pounds will not be so difficult. In addition, such drinks give the body a lot of nutrients for muscle growth, and therefore help to increase strength.
When losing weight, one serving of proteins should be only half the usual - 15 grams. A cocktail must be drunk a couple of hours before training and the same after it.
Slow proteins will help to achieve the main goal. They come together and guarantee the normal concentration of amino acids that the body needs.
Dosage
Thanks to the studies of physiologists, it has long become clear that for the rapid growth of muscle mass, an athlete needs to consume more than one and a half grams (preferably 2-2.5 g) of protein in 24 hours, per kilogram of weight. This means that each athlete will have his own dosage. That is, a person weighing 80 kg should consume less protein than an athlete who is close to 130 kg.
Complete product
Complex proteins are mixtures of all sorts of types of protein. This type of protein is considered the best when viewed from the point of view of effects on the body and digestibility. In one product, casein, whey, soy and egg proteins are combined with all their best indicators.
Whey protein is made from whey. It has a fairly high biological activity. Use it immediately after the training. The advantage of the whey component over others is its low cost.
Soy protein is difficult to process in the body if it is not completely purified. Despite this, it is considered one of the most popular today. Its main advantage is the ability to reduce the level of harmful cholesterol in the body.
Casein protein is a milk protein, which is good because it has a sufficient indicator of biological value. It is absorbed quite slowly, so it is best to take it before bedtime. Casein protein is difficult to dissolve in a liquid and has an unpleasant taste.
Egg protein takes about 5 hours to decompose. It costs, of course, a little expensive, but it has a maximum indicator of biological value.
In the process of gaining muscle mass, a complex protein should be taken a couple of hours before a workout, before bedtime, and also between regular meals.
When and how to drink casein proteins?
With casein products, problems arise more often than with other components of complex proteins, so they should be considered separately. They break down several times longer compared to whey proteins. Casein is often used by people who are eager to get rid of extra pounds or build muscle, as well as provide the muscles with the necessary amino acids.
When burning fat cells, casein is actively used due to its ability to give a feeling of fullness and block hunger. As part of this product, carbohydrates are completely absent, and the amount of fat is minimal.
During an increase in muscle volume, casein supplies the fiber with amino acids for several hours. After the training, the muscles actively use the elements obtained in order to restore.
If the main goal is to increase muscle mass, then casein should be taken between meals. This is especially true in cases where it is not possible to make a snack. A serving of casein perfectly replaces a serving of familiar food without harming the body.
In the case of fat burning, the product helps to satisfy hunger without destroying the muscles. Drinking it is required 2-4 times a day, and one serving should be equal to 25-35 grams. You can do this either before bedtime, or in between basic meals.
Where is protein found?
A large amount of protein is present in foods of animal origin (meat, fish, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese and other dairy products). In addition, a lot of protein is also found in cereals (oats, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, and so on).
One of the richest protein sources is nuts (pine, cashew or almonds). These products are very useful for the human body, therefore, they should be consumed not only by athletes leading an active lifestyle, but also by other people. Also a good source of protein are legumes (lentils, beans, peas).
When to take protein?
The most favorable time for the assimilation of protein is considered morning, that is, the time immediately after sleep. Taking it after 8 pm, the chance to get a lot of benefits is not so great. According to the hypothesis of scientists, two main hormones control the level of amino acids in the body and the digestibility of protein: growth hormone and thyroid. A surge in their allocation occurs during REM sleep.
It follows from this that it is best to use protein of any kind in the morning, within an hour after the training, and also right after noon when the “protein window” is activated.