How Do Protein Drinks Work

Looking for a convenient and healthy pick-me-up to enjoy on the go? Want a nutritious pre or post-workout energy boost? Your go-to product might well be a protein drink. But have you ever wondered how exactly your daily shake works?

In this post, we take a look at the effect that protein has on our bodies. We also delve into how these drinks can help us to build muscle and bulk up, and explore the best times to consume them.

Why is protein so important?

Put simply, protein acts as the building blocks of all our cells. It helps to create the structure of our organs, skin, muscles and hair. It’s also important for supporting a healthy metabolism and it can help with weight management. For these reasons and more, getting enough protein in our diet is important.

Protein supplements offer a simple way to increase our intake of these essential nutrients. And there are plenty of protein drinks to choose from, including 100 percent plant-based anti-allergen blends that are easy for our bodies to absorb.

Do protein drinks help build muscle?

By themselves, protein drinks aren’t a magic bullet when it comes to building muscle. However, when they’re used in combination with regular exercise, they can be a big help. Your muscles need protein to grow, and if you’re doing lots of intensive physical activity to increase your strength and muscle mass, you’ll need more protein than usual. By increasing your intake of these nutrients, you’re giving your muscles more of what they need to repair and build new fibers.

This means that getting enough protein in your diet is key if you want to put on muscle - and consuming protein drinks can be an effective way to do this.

Protein also plays an important role in keeping your immune system strong, so it can help you to fend off infections like cold and flu viruses. In turn, this can make it easier for you to stick to your workout routine - and more time in the gym is bound to be good news for your muscle building. This could be especially important if you’re planning an intensive training program.

To get the full muscle-enhancing effects of protein supplements, you’ll need to make sure you’re doing strength exercises - and lots of them. Strength exercises are any activities that make your muscles work harder than they normally do. As well as workouts like weight lifting, push-ups, sit-ups, squats and resistance band training, they can include anything from cycling to yoga. Obviously, the exercises you choose will depend on the muscle groups you’re looking to build up.

Do protein drinks help you gain weight?

It’s no secret that eating lots of processed foods and products with high levels of sugar and fat can make you gain weight, but if you’re looking to bulk up, this isn’t the way to do it. Too much unhealthy food and drink in your diet can increase your risk of a whole range of health problems, including diabetes and certain cancers.

There’s no getting around the fact that you’ll need to increase your calorie intake if you want to put weight on, but it’s really important to make healthy food and drink choices when you’re doing this. Introducing protein drinks to your diet can help you to reach your weight gain goal without sacrificing your wellbeing in the process. They’re a quick, easy and nutritious option that you can enjoy between meals, whether you’re at home or on the go. You can also have them with your meals.

These drinks are a much better option than unhealthy products like candy bars or cans of sugary soda.

When is the best time to drink protein drinks?

We’ve established that protein drinks can have a range of positive effects, but when’s the best time to consume them? The answer to this will depend on what you’re using the supplements for.

For example, if you’re hoping to slim down and tone up, you could use them as meal replacements. Or, if you want to increase your calorie intake to bulk up, you could take them between or alongside your meals.

If you want to give yourself more energy for your workouts, you could try drinking one an hour or two before you hit the gym. Protein can help to prime your muscles before you exercise and give you the boost you need to work through the pain barrier.

You can also have them post-workout to help with muscle repair. Lots of people choose to sink a protein drink shortly after an exercise session. It’s thought that this can help muscles to recover and grow more quickly. Although you don’t need to down your supplement immediately after your workout to get the positive effects, experts advise you consume your protein shake within three hours of training. Let’s face it, you’ll probably have worked up an appetite while exercising, so why wait?

Understanding the vital role that protein plays in our bodies helps to explain why protein drinks are so popular. By choosing the right drink for you and using it in the best ways to support your personal health and fitness goals, you can tap into the full potential of this essential nutrient.