2956: How Much Protein Should I Consume After A Workout

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[00:00:30] Have you ever noticed how a calm mind can really set the stage for a good night's sleep? That's the idea behind our new podcast, Good Sleep. Greg, our host from Optimal Relationships Daily, is here to help ease you into a peaceful night's rest with some positive affirmations. And these affirmations aren't just comforting, they can help ease anxiety and nurture positive thoughts, setting you up for true good sleep.

[00:00:54] So, press play on good sleep tonight, because a good tomorrow starts with a good night's sleep. Just search for good sleep in your podcast app and be sure to pick the one from Optimal Living Daily. It's another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily, and I'm Dr. Neil Malek. Hey there, a very happy Friday to you. Welcome to another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily, where I answer your health questions related to fitness, diet and nutrition, and lots more.

[00:01:23] You send me the questions, and I answer them for you. I'm sure you're eager to hear today's question, so let's jump right in as we optimize your life. I'd love to understand a bit more about post-workout nutrition, whether there is truth behind liquid versus solid post-workouts,

[00:01:47] the benefits of natural food versus powders, and overall timing for workouts. How long after a workout should I be ingesting post-workout nutrition? Thank you for your question, caller. Working out and proper nutrition, they go together like peanut butter and, well, not jelly, but something more nutritious. They go together like peanut butter and banana, let's say.

[00:02:14] So, what should you eat after a workout to help maximize your gains? Of course, protein is important. This is because our muscles are made up of proteins. Now, I will use my psychic abilities and go out on a limb by saying, chances are you're probably already consuming enough protein each day. How could I possibly know this? This is because there have been a lot of data collected on how much and what types of food populations around the world consume regularly.

[00:02:41] And what we've learned is that most in the U.S. consume plenty of protein each day. But, do we need protein immediately after a workout to help support muscle growth? Is timing really everything? Well, after your workout, especially after strength training, researchers are discovering that consuming 20 grams of leucine-rich protein is often recommended. Leucine-rich proteins can be found in animal products as well as beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds.

[00:03:09] So, how much is 20 grams of protein? Well, if we take a 3-ounce chicken breast, that would contain about 27 grams of protein. And 3 ounces isn't all that much. It's about the size of a deck of cards. We've also learned that consuming some carbohydrate after a workout is also beneficial. This is because carbs can help our bodies absorb that leucine-rich protein more efficiently. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends we aim for about 1 gram of carbohydrate

[00:03:37] per kilogram of body weight after a workout. Now, this does take a little bit of math to figure out, but stick with me. It's not too bad. So, let's say you weigh 150 pounds. In order to decide how much carb you need after a workout, you need to convert your weight in pounds to weight in kilograms. To do this, luckily it's really easy, divide your body weight by 2.2.

[00:04:02] So, using my example, just divide 150 pounds by 2.2. You would do this whatever your body weight is. If you weighed 135 pounds or 110 pounds or 225 pounds, no matter what, just divide that number by 2.2. Plugging into my imaginary calculator here, this means 150 pounds is equivalent to 68.2 kilograms.

[00:04:28] Now that we know your hypothetical body weight in kilograms, the math is super simple now. Because the American College of Sports Medicine says you need 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, you actually don't need to do anything else. You actually have your answer. So, using our example, we said 150 pounds is equivalent to 68.2 kilograms. And because the recommendation is to get 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight,

[00:04:57] if you weigh 150 pounds, you should consume about 68.2 or let's round up 70 grams of carbohydrate after a workout. So, what's 70 grams of carbohydrate? That would be like eating a bowl of oatmeal topped with blueberries. So, now if you combine that bowl of oatmeal topped with blueberries with about 20 grams of leucine-rich protein, which would be like 6 ounces of Greek yogurt, you would then have met all of your post-workout needs. So, what about timing?

[00:05:27] Researchers are discovering that the timing of this post-workout meal is important. The goal is to consume these foods within 20 to 30 minutes of finishing your workout. So, after a workout, the demand for protein is high, which makes it the best time to replenish it. And again, because carbohydrate actually helps with protein absorption, eating both within 20 to 30 minutes of your workout is ideal. So, what about supplements? Yes, there are liquid forms, powders, you name it.

[00:05:56] I won't be able to discuss every single one here, but I'll just mention some of the ones that are super popular. I'll begin with creatine. Creatine, which is also known as creatine monohydrate, has been found to improve performance and muscle gains for most healthy adults. Our bodies actually make creatine naturally, but researchers have found that in those who are active, and especially those folks that lift weights, extra creatine may help. There are some side effects though with its use.

[00:06:22] I don't usually recommend creatine to those with a history or a family history of kidney disease. This is because by taking supplemental creatine, it may lead to the body retaining more water, and the kidneys are in charge of helping the body get rid of not only water, but any extra creatine too. Now, if you do use it, pay attention to the dosing indicated on the packaging. And yes, it is good to cycle on and off creatine, but I can't provide specifics without knowing the dosages.

[00:06:50] Now, before you run out and buy creatine supplements because you're convinced this is a good idea, I must quote the International Society for Sports Nutrition. Quote, The same result of improved performance can be achieved with the ingestion of sufficient carbohydrates and high biological value protein. End quote. So basically, they're repeating what I just mentioned earlier. Next supplement, beta alanine. This is also a protein, and one of its main jobs in the body is to reduce lactic acid buildup.

[00:07:20] Think about the last time you sprinted really hard. Did the muscles in your legs start to burn? That's caused by the buildup of lactic acid. So our bodies produce lactic acid normally when we perform very high intensity movements. Most of us can't wait to stop and take a rest when we feel our muscles burn like that. So the thinking is, by supplementing with beta alanine, you'll get less of this lactic acid buildup, meaning your muscles won't feel like they're on fire, which will allow you to work out at these high intensities for longer.

[00:07:50] Unfortunately, there's conflicting evidence whether this actually works. So at this time, there's simply not enough information to know whether supplementing with beta alanine is safe or effective in the short or long term. So I would save your money on this one. Moving on to glutamine. Glutamine is also a protein. Our bodies actually make glutamine on their own. So we really don't need to get this protein from our diets. So why would anyone want to supplement with it then?

[00:08:16] Well, glutamine is interesting because when the body is undergoing extreme stress or has gone through some trauma, we can't make enough glutamine to heal ourselves. So under those specific conditions, we may need to supplement with it. Some have argued, well, I train so hard and I'm so sore afterwards. Doesn't that count as extreme stress for the body? What about all that muscle breakdown? Doesn't that count as trauma? Well, technically, sure. But what we're finding from research studies is that while it's safe to take as a supplement,

[00:08:47] extra glutamine doesn't help improve performance or improve immune functioning or help the body heal any faster. So again, I would say save your money there. Lastly, whey protein. Whey is one of the proteins found in milk. The other one is casein. So yes, if you drink milk or consume any products made from milk, you're consuming whey protein. You're also getting some leucine as well. What's frustrating is that we simply don't know if whey is helpful or not.

[00:09:14] From what I've seen, whey protein supplementation is really only helpful for one specific population. Those over the age of 60 that participate in resistance training. For everyone else, the results are conflicting. So here's my take on sports supplements. Most do not appear to help in reality. Next, the quality of supplement is very important. So do your research before buying. I recommend you scroll through the website consumerlab.com.

[00:09:41] They're an independent organization that tests for the quality and purity of many of the popular supplements on the market. Just know it does require a subscription to access their database. But if you're a college student, it's likely your library already has a subscription. And lastly, something that most people don't really talk about. Many of the studies that have been performed focus on comparing protein supplements against each other. So we really need more research comparing protein supplements to real food to see if eating

[00:10:09] more nutritious food would lead to the same or even better results. Now I'll quote the authors of a research article that was written by experts in the field of sports medicine. Quote,

[00:10:45] So basically, many times, we don't really know what's in the supplement. All right, so what's my bottom line? First, you likely don't need a protein supplement. If you want to help your body build strength and muscle as efficiently as possible, consider focusing instead on consuming some leucine-rich foods plus some carbohydrate within 20 to 30 minutes of finishing your workout. Then, do your best to stay consistent with your strength training and follow a meal plan full of balance and variety.

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[00:13:44] Thank you so much for sending me your questions. Answering them is one of my favorite parts of this show. All right, that's another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily. Thank you so much for listening every day and all the way through. I hope you have a great start to your weekend, and I'll see you back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits. faith. Did it take this way for you? Please like theла apathy. 1 O