Nutrition plays an important role when you are an athlete, gym fanatic, or bodybuilder. Athletes and bodybuilders have long been avid seekers of the best supplements for post-workout recovery.
When you have a nutritional diet and use proper supplementation, your body will function optimally. In the quest for marginal performance gain, a faster recovery can make all the difference.
So, what supplements are good for post-workout recovery?
There is a wide variety of supplements for post-workout recovery. Some of the most popular of these supplements include Whey Protein, BCAA, and L Glutamine. Using the proper supplementation after an intense workout aids muscle recovery and reduces aches and pains allowing you to continue training while your body heals.
Do athletes, bodybuilders, and novice gym fanatics, actually benefit from post-workout supplements?
The consensus is overwhelmingly yes – but you have to choose the right ght supplements in the first place.
Let’s take a look at your best options.
What Are The Best Post-Workout Supplements?
There is a wide variety of post-workout supplements on the market.
Some of these you may already be familiar with:
Creatine
Creatine can be ingested in powder form or as a tablet. This supplement increases muscle strength and speeds up muscle recovery. It also replenishes your muscle glycogen stores. You can take Creatine on your off days to maintain a relatively high level of Creatine in your muscle cells. Athletes and Bodybuilders can take this supplement on their rest days too.
There is evidence that creatine can help with post-workout recovery.
One study found that taking creatine after working out helped people recover from exercise faster. The study showed that those who took creatine had less muscle soreness 24 hours after working out than those who didn’t take it.
Omega 3 Fish Oils
This supplement has anti-inflammatory properties, which aid the reduction of muscle damage and inflammation after your workout. Omega 3 fish oils help curb delayed onset muscle soreness and range of motion.
Another study found that people who took omega-3 fish oil before and after exercise had reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol and improved recovery from strenuous exercise.
L Glutamine
L glutamine is an amino acid that is critical for protein synthesis and cell growth. It is also involved in the metabolism of nitrogen and carbon. Glutamine is present in high concentrations in skeletal muscle, making it an important nutrient for athletes and bodybuilders.
The problem is that glutamine levels are often depleted during exercise, which can lead to fatigue and reduced performance. Supplementing with L glutamine can help to replenish these stores, aiding in recovery and helping to improve athletic performance.
One reason l glutamine is essential in the recovery of muscles is that it helps carry nitrogen around the blood. L glutamine delivers the nitrogen through the blood to the muscles. It’s an important supplement to keep your body in good health.
Whey Protein
Whey protein is a complete protein source, and it supports not only muscle growth but also muscle recovery. Branch chain amino acids found in whey protein will aid your body in building muscle, including its healing.
Whey protein also has a high concentration of glutamine, which we’ve already seen the benefits of.
After an intense workout, your body is in a state of muscle breakdown.
In order to repair and rebuild these damaged muscles, your body needs amino acids. Whey protein contains all the essential amino acids needed for muscle growth and recovery. It is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and delivers these nutrients to your muscles fast, making it ideal for post-workout recovery.
A study by the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education found that whey protein powder increased muscle gains and improved strength after resistance training. Another study in The International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that whey protein was more effective than other types of protein at stimulating muscle growth.
Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
BCAAs are metabolized in the muscles rather than in the liver, which makes them ideal for athletes and bodybuilders who are looking to build muscle mass. BCAAs also help to reduce fatigue and improve exercise performance.
There is a lot of scientific evidence to support the use of BCAAs for post-workout recovery. Studies have shown that BCAAs can help to reduce muscle soreness and promote muscle growth. BCAAs have also been shown to improve exercise performance and help to reduce fatigue – perfect for a busy workout schedule.
Electrolytes
As most of us are already aware – electrolytes are essential for post workout recovery. They help to replenish the body’s fluids, which are lost during exercise. Electrolytes also help to restore the body’s electrolyte balance, which can be thrown out of whack if you have been doing intense workouts (like HIIT).
There are many different types of electrolytes, but the most important ones for post workout recovery are sodium and potassium. Sodium helps to maintain fluid balance in the body and helps to regulate blood pressure. Potassium helps to preserve muscle function and prevents cramping.
If you are a long distance runner who suffers from cramping in the latter stages, it’s probably a sign that your potassium levels have dropped too much. This is one of many reasons why fuelling mid-race is key from half-marathon distances onwards.
Electrolytes are available in many different forms, including tablets, powders and drinks. Some sports drinks contain electrolytes, but they are not always necessary. It is important to drink plenty of fluids during and after exercise, especially if you are sweating a lot or working out in hot weather.
This is one of the few supplements that we’d consider essential to all runners.
Note: Magnesium is also a great choice for protecting those sore muscles!
Low Fat Chocolate Milk
A lesser known choice – but one we love!
Low-fat chocolate milk helps to restore the muscle to their peak potential. It also helps to replenish what your body lost during a strenuous workout. It’s not uncommon for athletes to enjoy low-fat chocolate milk after an intense workout.
Are Post Workout Supplements Beneficial For Recovery?
If you do bodybuilding, are an athlete, or are a novice gym-goer, post-workout recovery supplements will help with muscle recovery. These strategies to help muscle recovery will assist in reducing muscle soreness. It will minimize muscle damage induced by exercise.
Taking a post-workout recovery supplement will fast-track your healing and muscle growth.
Which Post Workout Recovery Supplements Are The Best?
There are numerous post-workout recovery supplements on the market.
Researching the different recovery supplements will help you find the supplement that will work for you.
Here are a few that we like:
Huge Supplements Formula XII Intra And Post Workout
Formula XII is a useful all-in-one intra & post-workout supplement.
Athletes are generally looking for a high dose of carbohydrates that will replenish what they’ve lost during a workout, and this is a great choice containing Cluster Dextrin (10000mg) and Creatine Monohydrate (5000mg). An ideal supplement is ideal for athletes who want to carb up during and after training.
Transparent Labs Creatine
Every nutritional company under the sun offers Creatine, and here’s one that isn’t full of additives or extra calories.
Transparent Labs has gone the extra mile by including HMB acids which show promising indicators concerning the recovery rates, including future performance, especially with aerobic exercise.
Legion Whey Isolate Protein Powder
After an intense workout, many choose to ingest a well-made whey protein powder that can help replenish the nutrients your body lost. This protein powder from Legion will refuel fatigued muscles.
Maltodextrin will help to get those muscles in repairing and growth mode. This whey protein isolate has about 22g of protein and 100 calories. Each product scoop contains 5.6g of BCAAs, including a gram of maltodextrin, a fast-digesting carb.
Athletic Greens AG1 Greens Powder
Athletic Greens AGI contains many useful vitamins and minerals for runners sourced from whole food – 75 to be exact. This powder also has muscle recovery benefits and growth.
Swolverine BCAA 2:1:1 Powder
Branched-chain Amino Acids help to facilitate muscle protein synthesis – during and after a strenuous exercise. The BCAA 2:1:1 Powder Packs increase glucose uptake in muscle tissue.
Who Does Not Benefit from Post Workout Recovery Supplements?
Some individuals don’t benefit from post-workout recovery supplements.
Why should you NOT use these supps?
- Exercising for a short period – post-workout recovery supplements will not be helpful if you exercise for 60 minutes or less.
- Low-intensity exercise – You will not benefit from post-workout supplements if you do low-intensity exercises such as strolling, gentle Pilates, or even yoga. When the exercise you do is gentle but lasts a long time, replenish your body by eating a meal or a snack. Post-workout supplements will be non-beneficial because you didn’t diminish your glycogen stores or break down muscle.
Best Post Workout Supplements To Accelerate Muscle Growth
After an intense workout (cardio or resistance training), your body is in a high drive to produce more energy (from stored fat or blood glycogen).
If it’s your goal to see muscle growth—which it will be—you must take a form of protein immediately after your workout. Then it begins to work on repairing muscle, including the joint tissue.
Now it’s beginning to recover damaged muscle which occurred during the workout.
Consuming protein, either in supplement form or a readily bioavailable food (like chicken breast, egg whites, or Greek yogurt), will ensure that your body has all the amino acids required to build new muscle.
Post-Workout Supplements are intended to provide your body with essential nutrients required after your workout. These nutrients facilitate muscle growth and full-body recovery. They ensure that your body can repair the damaged muscle tissue, reducing post-workout soreness and accelerating muscle growth.
That said, there are some caveats!
Because supplements do not require FDA approval before being sold, some of them could contain higher or lower doses of the nutrients they propose to deliver.
A quality muscle-building supplement should be third-party verified and tested for any banned substances.
Ultimately, you want a supplement that tastes good (or at least has no taste at all). Just because you’re packing on muscle doesn’t mean you should skimp on enjoying your supplement.
You will, after all, chug a fair amount of this stuff now and in the future!
