If you are a dedicated fitness buff, you have probably heard that protein intake is the key to getting bigger and stronger. Consuming protein after running, lifting, cycling or other physical activity is a part of many active people’s fitness routine, and for good reason. Loading up on protein post-workout has been proven to not only speed up recovery time, but also can help increase muscle strength for your next gym session. The magical results stem from the consumption of amino acids in protein, which serve as a building block for creating muscle. Eating or drinking high-protein content foods after pumping iron supplies your body with amino acids necessary to begin repairing damaged tissue.
Timing is important as well — eating protein within an hour after exercising (called protein timing) fuels muscle growth. Exercise such as resistance training results in an increase of amino acid delivery to muscles and aids in absorption. The sooner protein is consumed after a workout, the bigger the muscle stimulation, leading to a leaner body mass and bigger long-term gains in strength.
Protein from a whole-food source provides all of the building blocks needed for a full post-workout recovery, but lugging a lunchbox packed with peanut butter sandwiches to the gym can be inconvenient – or prohibited. Also, because exercising causes blood to flow away from the stomach to muscles, making whole foods hard to immediately digest, many people find it difficult to force down food after exercising.
While loading up on foods with a high protein content offers one method of delivering muscle-building nutrients, consuming protein powder can be more effective. In fact, research indicates that a protein supplement may have an advantage – having a readily available amino acid source boosted the muscle fractional synthesis rate post-workout more than eating a meal. In addition to adding bulk, protein supplements increased workout performance. In one study, participants saw increased muscle size (hypertrophy) and strength after supplementation, and another indicated that individuals who chugged a protein shake jumped higher after a training session than those who didn’t.
Whether you are a gym owner seeking increased profits, a physician looking for a specific amino acid profile, or an established supplement brand with a web-wide distribution, protein powder manufacturers can help you formulate a product uniquely suited for your application. Protein powder manufacturers can reverse engineer a current product or create a custom formulation your customers will love.