When you're training, you want to reap the full performance and muscle-building benefits of your hard work. That’s where recovery and adaptation come into play.
Recovery is the process of repairing muscle tissue damaged during exercise, restoring carbohydrate fuel stores, and rehydrating. You achieve recovery through rest and what you put back into your body nutritionally in the hours between your last workout and your next one. Done right, recovery is what enables you to be ready for your next training session or event.
Adaptation is a longer-term process. When you string full recovery from your workouts day after day, your body gradually adapts to the training load you impose upon it. Adaptation results because you are building muscle and developing the energy-producing biological machinery needed to meet the demands of exercise. But the catch is, adaptation to demanding training sessions can only occur if you consistently provide your body with what's needed to recover from workouts.
In short, to improve performance, build muscle, and achieve workout goals, recovery has to be part of the game plan. Unfortunately, this is a topic where confusion reigns and misinformation runs rampant. Not surprisingly, when it comes to recovery, athletes have lots of questions. To clear up some of the confusion and to set the record straight, in this article we tackle frequently asked questions about recovery and how to best support it nutritionally.
Q: Can everybody get bigger OR stronger in response to working out?
A: The answer is yes, but genetics also plays a role. Case in point, if you are 5'5", 135 lbs (61 kg), and slight of build, you're probably not going to be a good candidate for middle linebacker on the school football team, no matter what your approach to training or recovery. That said, a well-conceived training program combined with proper rest and the right nutritional approach to recovery can build muscle over time and lead to performance improvements no matter what your body type. Put in the effort to train, take a strategic approach to recovery, and you will get results. You will benefit, you just need to be realistic about your goals.
Q: Will eating protein enable me to build more muscle?
A: Athletes often think that eating lots of protein will ensure bigger muscles, probably because muscle tissue is made up of protein. But the fact is, while you need some protein for recovery and adaptation, more is not better. To explain this let's delve into why you need some protein during recovery. Your muscle tissue proteins are constantly being broken down and remade or synthesized. However, muscles only get bigger when the rate of muscle protein building from one day to the next outpaces the rate of breakdown. When this occurs, over time you build muscle. Workouts — whether they are strength training or endurance sessions — increase the rate at which muscle proteins are made. These workouts also increase the rate at which muscle proteins are broken down, but to a lesser extent. So training provides the right situation to build muscle. But the accumulation of new muscle protein doesn't occur unless you consume protein in close proximity to exercise. This protein is important because it provides amino acids, which are the biological building blocks used to make proteins. So, when you eat protein just before or after a training session, that protein first gets digested into its component amino acids, and they are then repackaged together to make the specific proteins needed for the repair and building of muscle issue. Thus, training combined with the availability of amino acids from the protein you eat lays the groundwork for muscle protein synthesis to exceed the rate of breakdown. And over time that leads to muscle building and better performances.
Q: How much protein is enough for recovery?
A: Based on the IOC Consensus Statement on Sports Nutrition 2010, the recommend range is 15–25 grams of protein after exercise to maximize muscle growth. Additional support of these guidelines were found when Researchers fed four different levels of protein after a workout and then measured the rate of muscle protein synthesis (Moore DR et al, 2009). They fed 5, 10, 20, and 40 grams of protein after the workout and found that 20 grams produced the maximum effect. Taking in 40 grams didn't offer any further muscle-building benefit. In fact, extra protein just gets broken down and used as an energy source. None of it goes to building extra muscle tissue.
Q: For maximum effect on recovery, when should I consume protein in relation to my workout?
A: Timing of protein intake is important. The key is to not delay. This point was underscored in a study where researchers had athletes exercise for an hour and then either consume a recovery beverage right away or wait for 3 hours before drinking up (Levenhagen DK et al, 2001). They measured muscle protein synthesis in the six hours after exercise and the difference was dramatic. Muscle protein stimulation was over three-fold higher in favor of taking the recovery beverage right away. So, putting all of this research altogether, athletes should try to consume in the range of 15–25 grams of protein to support the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis, and to consume the protein as soon as possible after exercise.
Q: Should I take an amino acid supplement for recovery?
A: Protein sources like whey, casein, and soy naturally supply the full range of amino acids your body needs to promote muscle protein synthesis. Powders and dietary supplements that solely rely on single or combinations of amino acids don't supply the full complement of amino acids needed for developing muscle tissue, and they typically offer only very small milligram amounts of the amino acids. Remember, 15–25 grams of protein is recommended for recovery after an exercise session. Stick to products that rely on whole protein sources like whey, casein, and soy.
Q: How much protein should I get per day to support my training?
A: Athletes generally need about 0.6 grams of protein per lb body weight (1.4 grams per kg) daily during intensive training. For more information on protein needs and strength training, download the
Strength Training Playbook. Also, to see how many grams of protein are recommended for you each day, check out the
Protein Calculator.
Q: Is protein the most important nutrient for muscle building and recovery?
A: Protein certainly seems to get the most attention from athletes, but it's actually calories that are most important if muscle building is your goal. It takes energy to build muscle, and if you aren’t meeting your calorie needs — for example, because you are trying to lose a few pounds – it is extremely difficult to build muscle. Many athletes fall prey to the trap of attempting to lose weight while trying to build muscle. They are two competing processes. You need adequate calories, in combination with protein, to build muscle. It is very difficult, if not impossible to gain muscle mass if you are consuming fewer calories than you are burning. So if building muscle is your goal, plan on taking in an extra 500 calories daily to ensure that you meet the energy demands for muscle building.
Q: If I consume protein after exercise, and I'm getting adequate calories, can I forgo or cut back on carbs?
A: Cutting back or limiting your intake of carbohydrates is generally not a good idea for athletes. Carbs are needed after exercise to replace the very limited stores of muscle-fueling carbs — glycogen — that you used up your workout. A single long workout can seriously deplete your glycogen stores. If not replenished, there's a good chance you'll run out of gas during your next training session. And that's going to prevent you from achieving your workout goals. In order to continue to train hard, you need to replenish the carbs you burn on a daily basis. If you don't, the quality of your workouts will suffer significantly.
Q: How much carbohydrate do I need for recovery and is timing of intake in relation to exercise important like it is with protein?
A:To reload glycogen stores rapidly, consume 0.5 grams of carbohydrates per lb (1.1 grams per kg) body weight within 30 minutes of finishing exercise and then repeat again within an hour or two, or transition to your usual carbohydrate based meals and snacks. In practical terms for a 150 lb (68 kg) athlete, this translates to about 75 grams of carbs immediately after a workout and then again an hour or two later. Rapidly absorbed simple carbs will tend to speed recovery more than slower-to-digest complex carbohydrate sources. If rapid reloading isn't necessary, just be sure to consume a healthy measure of carbs in the next 24–48 hours to help ensure a full recovery.
Q: I've heard that a 4:1 ratio or a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein is best for recovery — is that true?
A: It's not true, and here is why. Based on the recommendations by the IOC Consensus Statement on Sports Nutrition 2010, we have established that about 15–25 grams of protein after exercise produces a maximum stimulation of muscle protein synthesis, and that carbs are needed at 0.5 grams per lb body weight. Thus, consider three different athletes weighing 120, 180, and 240 lbs, respectively. Each would need about 15–25 grams of protein after exercise, and their carbohydrates needs would vary based on their body weights. Consequently, their ratios of carbohydrate to protein would vary as well:
- 120 lb athlete: 60 grams of carbs and 15–25 grams of protein = 2.4–4 to 1 ratio
- 180 lb athlete: 90 grams of carbs and 15–25 grams of protein 3.6–6 to 1 ratio
- 240 lb athlete: 120 grams of carbs and 15–25 grams of protein = 4.8–8 to 1 ratio
The bottom line is that carbohydrate:protein ratio claims (e.g., 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein) are not the key here. It is about supplying the body a customized recovery plan that meets the unique needs of the athlete.
Q: How much carbohydrate in total should I consume daily to support recovery?
A: Use the figures below to estimate your daily need for carbs based on your type of training (carbohydrate amounts recommended are for the example of a 150-lb (68 kg) athlete:
- Low intensity exercise: 2.3–0.2 grams per lb (5–7 grams per kg) = 345–480 grams of carbs per day
- Moderate- to high-intensity exercise: 3.2–5.5 grams per lb (7–12 grams per kg) = 480–825 grams of carbs per day
- Extremely high-intensity exercise: 4.5–5.5 grams per lb (10–12 grams per kg) = 675–825 grams of carbs per day
Q: What is the best way to rehydrate during recovery?
A: You lose fluids and the electrolyte sodium when you exercise due to sweating. These need to be replaced for you to be at your best during your next workout or competition. Replace lost fluids by gradually drinking 16–24 fl oz of a recovery beverage, sports drink, or water for every lb of weight lost (1000–1500 ml/kg weight lost). Also, consume sodium sources such as crackers and pretzels along with your fluids. Rehydration will be more effective when sodium is included with the fluids and food you consume as you recover.
Q: I've seen recovery products that claim to have a list of electrolytes important for recovery (beyond sodium) — what about these other electrolytes?
A: By far the electrolyte lost in the greatest concentration in sweat is sodium. The others — including magnesium, potassium, calcium — are found in a much lower concentration in sweat. As such, these electrolytes are much easier to replenish and you do so fairly easily in the normal course of eating and drinking during recovery. Sodium is a different story entirely. You lose much more of it in sweat, and by making a concerted effort to take in some sodium after exercise, you actually help the body better retain the fluid you are consuming.
Q: How do I know when I'm sufficiently rehydrated?
A: You can monitor your hydration status by checking the color of your urine. A light-yellow color is consistent with adequate hydration. If your urine is darker, more like the color of apple juice, that's a sign that more fluids are needed.
Q: There are so many different recovery products on the market today, how do I differentiate products that have a scientific basis from those that are based more on marketing hype?
A: Remember that from a nutritional standpoint, recovery depends on your intake of carbohydrates, protein, fluids, and sodium. Choose recovery products that have this nutritional emphasis.
Q: Does it matter whether I consume traditional foods versus a recovery product after exercise?
A: Regular foods and recovery products can both meet your needs after exercise. Recovery products are particularly useful when your access to traditional foods is limited and where rapid recovery is important. Below are examples of PowerBar
® recovery products and traditional food that can help to jumpstart recovery after exercise. Feel free to use them interchangeably as needed:
Traditional Foods
- Small roll or sandwich + low-fat chocolate milk + banana
- Fruit smoothie made with mango/banana/berries and low-fat or nonfat milk or yogurt
Traditional Foods and Recovery Products
Recovery Products
In conclusion, a well-designed recovery plan provides the right nutrition at the right time, and helps prepare you for your next physical challenge. Recovery can begin just as soon as you finish your workout or competition, but it doesn't start until you provide the nutritional components: carbohydrates to restore depleted fuel stores; protein to help repair damaged muscle tissue and develop new muscle tissue; and fluids and sodium to rehydrate. Begin the recovery process by consuming a carbohydrate/protein snack, meal, or recovery product as soon as possible after exercise Finally, attention to rapid recovery is especially important during periods of heavy training over successive days.
References:
Moore DR, Robinson MJ, Fry JL, Tang JE, Glover EI, Wilkinson SB, Prior T, Tarnopolsky MA, Phillips SM. Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 89:1–8.
Levenhagen DK, Gresham JD, Carlson MG, Maron DJ, Borel MJ, Flakoll PJ.
Postexercise nutrient intake timing in humans is critical to recovery of leg
glucose and protein homeostasis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2001; 280:E982–93.
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.
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 2009; 41:709–731.
IOC Consensus Statement on Sports Nutrition 2010
Topics:
Recovery, Protein, Strength training, Muscle, Nutrition advice, PowerBar, PowerBar products, Sports nutrition, Training, Training advice, Training program
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