As an athlete, you may know that carbs provide the glucose that fuels your muscles when training and competing. You may also know that recovery is key after a hard workout or competition: Push carbs to replenish those tapped muscle and liver glycogen stores, and start eating as soon as possible after exercise to flip the metabolic switch from catabolism (breaking down) to anabolism (rebuilding).
But in your rush to refuel, don't thumb your nose at protein. It doesn't take the place of carbs, but there are some compelling reasons for knocking back protein along with carbs right after exercise.
Recovery Benefits of Protein
Reason #1 in favor of a protein/carb combo on the post-exercise menu is that together they can be even more effective than carbs alone at boosting your rate of muscle glycogen synthesis. Increasing blood insulin concentration seems to be the key. Insulin is a natural anabolic hormone, meaning that when levels are high, glucose circulating in the bloodstream is taken into cells and turned into glycogen. Carbs and protein as a duo can be more effective at raising blood insulin levels, especially in those situations where your carbohydrate intake post-exercise might not be as high or as frequent as you'd like it to be.
Reason #2 in favor of pairing protein with carbs is that strenuous exercise such as a marathon, for example, causes microscopic damage to your muscle tissues. That damage needs to be repaired, and it's the protein you eat that provides the amino acid building blocks for the making of proteins to repair muscle tissue.
Finally, that same pool of amino acids used for muscle tissue repair is also utilized to build new muscle as an adaptation response to your training.
Timing is important
If you want the full recovery advantages that protein and carbs offer, timing your intake after exercise is important, especially if rapid recovery is your goal. The rate at which glycogen refueling and muscle tissue repair and building can occur is at its very fastest right after exercise. But recovery can't begin until you flip that metabolic switch by eating carbs and protein. So if the first thing you do once you finish exercising is reach for something to eat or drink that contains carbs and protein, you're taking advantage of that wide-open window of opportunity for rapid recovery. But if you wait to eat, you miss out. And when rapid recovery is a must, you can't afford to waste those precious minutes.
Practical carb/protein strategies post-exercise
It doesn't take lots of protein to get a solid recovery bang, so don't go overboard. For an endurance event or workout, 10–20 grams of protein in combination with carbs right after exercise may be all you need. For resistance training workouts, 20–40 grams of protein with carbs is recommended, and the combo can be consumed before or after lifting, or in divided doses.
Products designed for recovery, such as
Ironman RESTORE™ drink mix (6 grams protein and 40 grams carbs per 16 fl oz) or
PowerBar® Recovery bar (12 grams protein and 30 grams carbs per bar), are convenient options. But there are many go-to protein/carb combo options to choose from for recovery. Some athletes like to rehydrate with a sports drink, recovery beverage, or even a can of soda right after exercise, and then follow that up with a favorite sandwich, such as peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter with honey and banana. A fruit smoothie, chocolate milk, or yogurt with fruit are also good options for getting the protein and carbs you need to kickstart recovery.
Experiment with different foods and beverages after exercise to see what you like best and what feels good. If you don't have much of an appetite post-workout, a fluid source of carbs and protein, such as a fruit smoothie made with yogurt, may be more appealing than eating something solid.
| Protein/Carb Combo Ideas for Rapid Recovery |
| Mix and Match: Be Prepared! Pack in Your Bag |
| • Peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches |
| • Fresh and canned fruits |
| • String cheese and low-fat crackers (or pretzels) |
| • Low-fat chocolate milk |
| • Ironman RESTORE sports drink mix |
| • PowerBar Recovery bar |
| • PowerBar ProteinPlus® protein bar |
| • PowerBar® Fruit Smoothie Energy bar |
| • PowerBar® Nut Naturals Energy bar |
|
Is recovery right for you?
Athletes often wonder whether extra attention paid to recovery will really make a performance difference. If you're working out strenuously 3–4 times a week or more, or if you regularly train more than once in a 24-hour period, an effective recovery regimen that includes carbs plus protein right after exercise should be on your agenda. That said, carbs and protein also can come in handy on light training days or rest days, especially if managing your weight is a goal. A protein/carb combo is often more satisfying than carbs alone, and that can be an effective strategy for taking the edge off a ravenous appetite.
Quick Guide to Recovery
If all this talk of what to do post-exercise has you wondering whether you've got all the recovery bases covered, compare what you're currently doing with what the experts recommend for optimal recovery:
For effective rehydration:
- Gradually consume 23 oz (680 ml) of fluid for every lb (0.45 kg) body weight you lose during exercise
- Also, make sure you're consuming sodium sources along with fluids post-exercise, in order to replace the sodium lost in sweat
For rapid refueling:
- Consume 0.5 grams of carbs per lb (1.1 grams per kg) body weight after exercise and repeat again within 2 hours or consume a meal
- For a 150-lb (68-kg) athlete, that equates to 75 grams of carbohydrates right after exercise and then again 2 hours later
To repair and build muscle tissue:
- Consume 10–20 grams of protein along with your carbs as soon as possible after endurance exercise, or 20–40 grams plus carbs before and/or after resistance exercise sessions
- Refine your recovery strategy through trial and error to identify what works best for you
References:
1. Burke L. Nutrition for recovery after training and competing. In: Burke L, Deakin V. Clinical Sports Nutrition. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill, 2006:415–453.
2. Burke L. Strength and power sports. In: Practical Sports Nutrition. Human Kinetics, Australia, 2007:265–287.
3. Tarnopolsky M. Protein and amino acid needs for training and bulking up. In: Burke L, Deakin V. Clinical Sports Nutrition. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill, 2006:73–111.
4. American College of Sports Medicine; American Dietetic Association; Dietitians of Canada. Joint Position Statement: nutrition and athletic performance. American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, and Dietitians of Canada. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000;32:2130–2145.
5. American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007;39:377–390.
Topics:
Hydration, Recovery, Protein, Carbohydrates, Competition, Endurance, Ironman, Nutrition, Nutrition advice, Training, Training advice
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