We will have all seen those men, and in some cases, women, in the gym showing off their big strong muscles but how do they do it? As well as regularly training their muscles, most who train will use protein shakes and recovery drinks to help build up the muscle. For those just starting out or those who have never tried protein shakes before, it can be difficult to know not only which to buy, but if they really work. So, do protein shakes and recovery drinks really help? The answer is yes, for some!
Bodybuilders and those who work out in the gym a lot will usually consume a protein shake either immediately before or after working out, sometimes both. Sometimes, protein shakes are also used as meal replacement drinks. Most of these protein and recovery shakes include whey protein which contains high levels of essential amino acids which help muscle recovery.
Those who spend a lot of time in the gym working out trying to build and grow muscle will require higher levels of protein than the average person. That is because protein is essential to support muscle growth, which is why protein and recovery drinks are important for that building muscle.
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The nature of training muscles means that in many cases, the muscle is slightly ripped during training. In order to repair the muscle, protein is needed. This is also one reason why different muscle groups are trained on different days, to allow muscles a couple of days to repair. For all of us, eating a balanced and healthy diet means that most of us will already be getting our daily recommended intake of protein, so who needs extra protein and who doesn’t?
This is not as easy to answer as it may first seem. Bodybuilders and athletes, it has been proven, need additional levels of protein intake, but for most, it is simply not necessary. Those who regularly and intensively work out muscles either at home or at a gym may need increased protein intake, but this all depends on the type of training, the length of training, the trainer’s size, age, and gender.
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Those who take protein and recovery shakes who do not need the additional protein levels may be doing themselves more harm than good. Those who go to the gym regularly but spend a relatively short period of time training should already have enough protein from their daily diet to repair and build muscles. Extra protein, in the form of protein, shakes increases the number of calories the body takes which if not burnt off, can lead to weight loss, particularly if the protein shake is used in addition to a meal.
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Those who have excessive protein levels in their body can suffer from a number of health problems, including problems relating to kidneys as well as osteoporosis. Although some of these claims have been disputed, those who take protein shakes without intensive training may be advised to stop.
There are many different brands and varieties of protein and recovery shake on the market including brands such as MaxiMuscle, but many are designed for different uses, so be sure to do research before buying to get the right one for you. Although there can be risks of having too much protein, there are also many benefits of taking protein drinks.
Firstly, bodybuilders in particular require the extra protein to help gain strength and stamina in their muscles with the additional benefit of reducing the amount of time needed for muscles to recover. Shakes also provide a fast and efficient way of increasing protein without having to eat heavy meals, which are not suitable when training intensively.
Protein shakes help to build muscle mass but to stop the risk of weight gain, it is important to only use protein shakes when you will be training so that the protein can be consumed in the workout.
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Once chalky and bad tasting, protein shakes have now evolved into great tasting, highly advertised products that can be purchased up and down the high street. Protein forms part of the building blocks of our body and healthy, balanced diets provide most of us with the correct level of protein our body needs.
For those who are bodybuilders and those who work out intensively on a regular basis, protein shakes can help to build and repair muscle. However, for the majority of us, protein shakes are unnecessary and are designed to be used to build muscle for only those hardcore trainers and bodybuilders.
For those who do regular exercise but have less intensive workouts, protein shakes are unlikely to have any beneficial results in terms of muscle growth and excessive protein intake can lead to possible kidney and liver problems. In short, protein shakes do work but should only be taken by those training hard-to-body build, and ideally, under supervision following trained advice.
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Here is the answer to “Protein shakes and recovery drinks, do they really help?”
