There is a commonly held belief in some fitness communities that consuming protein right after

a workout is crucial to taking advantage of the nutritional benefits of protein to aid with muscle
recovery and repair. Protein is one of the three essential macronutrients that make up a healthy
diet. This is because of the amino acids the body can synthesize from it, which it uses to build all
the proteins used in processes within the body, including muscle repair (Greer, Price, & Jones,
2014). But does consuming protein immediately post workout offer any benefit to recreational
athletes?
Those who argue that protein should be consumed within this short timeframe, commonly
referred to as the anabolic window, believe that it may even be more important than the quantity
or ratio of the macronutrient. They claim that during this window, the muscle will be more
sensitive to the ingestion of protein (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). Further, it has been hypothesized
that if the damage done to muscles is caused by a lack of needed nutrients and proteins during
physical exertion rather than mechanical damage, that immediate protein consumption would be
able to speed up the recovery process (Greer et al., 2014). However, despite solid reasoning,
there is far more evidence arguing against any noticeable benefit caused by the timing of protein
consumption.
It has been found that even in situations where there is a benefit to consuming protein within the
anabolic window, this benefit can completely vanish when the amount of total protein intake of
each participant was able to be controlled (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). This would suggest that it is
not when the protein is consumed that has an impact on the rate of muscle recovery, but that the
body is consuming an adequate amount of protein to meet all the needs placed on it by the
exercise performed. During an analysis of 20 studies performed on protein consumption and
timing, it was determined that it was more likely the increase in protein consumption rather than
its timing that led to any of the positive effects noted (Schoenfeld, Aragon, and Krieger, 2013).
To maximize muscle recovery there should be more importance placed on the quality of the
protein being consumed rather than when it occurs. During an experiment where participants
were to consume either a milk protein blend of rapid digesting soluble proteins and slow
digesting casein protein or just the casein protein, those who consumed the milk protein noted
improved muscle endurance and reduced muscle fatigue. (Babault, Deley, Le Ruyer, Morgan,
and Allaert, 2014).
Ultimately, none of the studies were able to conclusively prove that consuming protein post
workout would provide any sort of recovery benefit. Instead, the focus should be placed on
ensuring that enough protein is being consumed and that it is of appropriate quality. If the body
receives all the amino acids it requires to produce proteins, it will be able to do its job efficiently.
References
Babault, N., Deley, G., Le Ruyet, F., Morgan, F., & Allaert, F. A. (2014). Effects of soluble milk
protein or casein supplementation on muscle fatigue following resistance training
program: a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study, Journal of the
International Society of Sports Nutrition, 11(36), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-
11-36
Greer, B. K., Price, A., & Jones, B. (2014). Timing Influence of Carbohydrate-Protein Ingestion
on Muscle Soreness and Next-Day Running Performance, Journal of Dietary
Supplements, 11(2), 166-174. https://doi.org/10.3109/19390211.2013.859215
Schoenfeld, B. J., Aragon, A. A., & Krieger, J. W. (2013). The effect of protein timing on
muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis. Journal of the International Society of
Sports Nutrition, 10(53), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-10-53
Schoenfeld, B. J., Aragon, A. A., Wilborn, C., Urbina, S. L., Hayward, S. E., & Krieger, J.
(2017). Pre- versus post-exercise protein intake has similar effects on muscular
adaptations. PeerJ, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2825