When Is the Best Time to Drink a Protein Shake?

The best time to drink protein shakes is completely dependent on your goal. If you’re drinking a protein shake in order to shed pounds, you may drink your shake anytime during the day. But if you’re focusing on building muscle mass, then you’ll drink it more often, such as after every workout and then right before you go to sleep. To figure out the best time to drink your protein shake, you first have to think about your goals: IS your goal to build muscle? Or is it fat loss?

• If your goal is to build muscle, then you want to make sure that you’re drinking your protein shake within an anabolic window of time after your workouts. Drinking your protein shake immediately after your workout will give you the most anabolic effect possible. An anabolic window is simply the time frame (within an hour) after which your muscles are most sensitive to growth. This means that drinking your protein shake right after your workout will give you the greatest anabolic benefit possible.
• For those working toward fat loss, the best time to drink protein shake is, obviously, right before bedtime. When the hours in your day are most inactive, your body is particularly receptive to insulin and the hormone that drive sugar into your bloodstream. So, during this time, your nutrition needs are most sensitive. If you’re feeding your body sugar in addition to protein, your nutrition needs will be negatively impacted and you will probably see little to no benefit from drinking your protein shake.
• For those working towards gaining lean muscle, the best time to drink protein is, obviously, after you complete your workout. After you eat your post-workout meal, your blood sugar and insulin concentrations are particularly sensitive to amino acids. So, while you may not be consuming any carbohydrates during this time, you will still be receiving a large amount of nutrition from amino acids. If your goal is simply to increase the overall effectiveness of your workout, tryptophan will suffice. This amino acid is great at increasing the speed at which your muscles recover from exercise.
• If you’re looking to improve your athletic performance or are trying to improve your recovery process after an intense workout, tryptophan can also be used. The reason that tryptophan works so well as an amino acid addendum is that it is particularly efficient at boosting the production of glycogen. Glycogen is a simple sugar that is stored in your liver. It provides you with energy during your workout and is the source of carbohydrates for your muscles. If you want to increase the rate at which your muscles recover from such intense physical activity, then tryptophan can definitely help you.
• If you are trying to lose or maintain your weight, the last thing that you should be doing is decreasing the amount of protein that you ingest. In fact, experts recommend that you consume about one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every two hours. However, if you do happen to miss your meals completely, the best time to eat this much protein is in the very morning. This will allow your body time to get back into anabolic mode, which will reduce your hunger. This will also give your muscles ample time to recover and rebuild themselves.
• If you are trying to build huge muscles, then this may be the best time to increase your protein intake. Protein synthesis is an integral part of building muscle tissue. If you happen to have a protein shake before you work out, it will speed up the protein synthesis process. This will allow you to achieve your desired muscle growth rates more quickly.

One last benefit of protein consumption after you exercise is that it will help you sleep better at night. Your body needs protein in order to repair itself. However, if you don’t get enough protein during the night, your sleep quality will suffer, which could possibly result in you tossing and turning in your sleep. You might want to consider increasing your protein consumption by around 0.5 grams per pound of your body weight before you go to bed, so that your sleep will be more restful, and you can wake up feeling refreshed.