“If you don’t drink a protein shake within 30 minutes of finishing your workout, it will be wasted.”
If you’ve done even the slightest bit of research on how to build muscle then I’m sure you’ve come across this advice.
It’s 100% pure bullshit, and I’ll prove it in this article.
The “Anabolic Window” Myth Explained
Here’s the typical logic people use to rationalize the anabolic window:
After you lift weights, your muscle fibers are in a damaged state and your glycogen stores (the carbs your body stores for immediate energy) are depleted.
By consuming a mixture of protein and “quick-release” sugary carbs you’re able to super-compensate for these effects by preventing further muscle protein breakdown, spiking muscle protein synthesis, and refilling your glycogen stores, resulting in a state where your body can quickly construct new lean mass. And they say that this state only lasts for 30 minutes or so: the “anabolic window.”
The problem with this theory is that it relies only on basic logic… or what you would EXPECT to be true. And the basis of this theory is true: intense exercise depletes glycogen and breaks down muscle tissue. But using these facts as reasoning to consume a mixture of protein and carbs directly after your workout is making a lot of assumptions. Below are three reasons why it simply doesn’t work this way.
Evidence #1: Muscle protein breakdown is only an issue if training fasted
The first purported benefit of ingesting a mixture of carbs and protein immediately post-workout is fight the breakdown of muscle tissue by spiking insulin. And while this is a valid recommendation (spiking insulin does slow muscle protein breakdown), the fact is that the rates of muscle protein breakdown are only slightly raised post-workout (1). Therefore consuming something right after working out won’t make much of an impact.
The exception to this rule is when you train fasted, without having eaten a meal for many hours beforehand (e.g. before eating breakfast). When this is the case, muscle protein breakdown is significantly heightened post-workout and spiking insulin to diminish its effects is advisable (2).
Note: Your body builds new muscle tissue when the rate of muscle protein synthesis outweighs the rate of muscle protein breakdown. This is why these factors are at the heart of the discussion.
Evidence #2: There’s no evidence post-workout nutrition raises muscle protein synthesis
In 2013 Alan Aragon and Brad Schoenfeld, two of the top researches in the realm of bodybuilding nutrition, conducted an in-depth review of the “anabolic window.” They analyzed and compared every major study that relates to this topic (3).
One of the main things they found is that there’s no conclusive evidence that ingesting carbs and protein directly after a workout does anything to raise muscle protein synthesis. And this is the primary alleged benefit of traditional post-workout nutrition. While some studies found a slight benefit, others found a bigger benefit from the ingestion of a pre-workout meal. And to make matters more complicated, most of these studies were conducted on elderly individuals, obese people, or populations that didn’t regularly exercise.
All in all, there’s no reason to believe that an immediate post-workout meal does anything to raise muscle protein synthesis.
Evidence #3. Glycogen doesn’t need to be replenished right away
Unless you’re a competitive athlete who plans on working out again in just a few hours, you don’t need to worry about replenishing your glycogen stores right away. This is because your glycogen levels are used for energy by your body, not for building new muscle tissue. The main thing you need to worry about is refilling these stores before your next workout, so you can perform at your best and lift as much weight as possible at that time.
A recent study compared the effects of ingesting carbs 2 hours after working out with doing so immediately after. They found no significant differences in glycogen levels at 8 hours and 24 hours post-exercise (4). This evidence confirms the notion that you don’t need to consume carbs right away.
Conclusion: There’s no reason to drink a post-workout shake (unless you trained fasted)
What can we conclude from all of this data? Well, quite simply, there’s no evidence to support the theory that a post-workout shake does anything for you… nothing special at least.
The exception to this rule is if you train fasted, in which case you should ingest a protein shake (or a meal) right after your workout.
And that’s why when they perform studies on the long term hypertrophic benefits of a post-workout shake, they don’t find them. A recent study divided a group of 33 young men into two groups – one had a whey shake post-workout and the other ingested a placebo. After 12 weeks of lifting 3 days per week no significant differences were found in the change in lean muscle mass between groups (5).
I didn’t write this post to declare protein shakes evil, in fact I drink a smoothie with fruit and protein powder in it every day. I only wanted to dispel the myth that you must take a shake right after a workout in order to avoid “wasting” it.
References
2. Pitkanen HT, Nykanen T, Knuutinen J, Lahti K, Keinanen O, Alen M, Komi PV, Mero AA: Free amino acid pool and muscle protein balance after resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003, 35(5):784-92.
3. Aragon, Alan Albert, and Brad Jon Schoenfeld. Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 10.1 (2013): 5.
4. Parkin JA, Carey MF, Martin IK, Stojanovska L, Febbraio MA: Muscle glycogen storage following prolonged exercise: effect of timing of ingestion of high glycemic index food. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997, 29(2):220-4.
5.Erskine RM, Fletcher G, Hanson B, Folland JP: Whey protein does not enhance the adaptations to elbow flexor resistance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012, 44(9):1791-800.
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To clarify, shakes aren’t necessary, but they aren’t harmful/useless right? I’m always starving right after a lift (not fasting) and don’t have an option for a meal for another couple hours.
Harmful? No not at all.
Only trying to dispel the myth that they’re crucial for optimal muscle growth.
Not sure I agree here. I’ve read this study before and there are a few crucial elements which I think are not addressed. 1. being the differences in insulin sensitivity/resistance among the test group. The 2nd being that there is no discussion of catalyzing amino acids like leucine. Insulin sensitivity is critical to muscle growth (as it is with fat retention), if you have a lot of protein and carbs in your blood but aren’t producing a lot of insulin, then you’re correct in that you won’t see any difference. You need to raise your insulin level which can be difficult unless you are training fasted.
Hey Mike – based on how you end your comment I don’t see where you disagree with me.
I recall reading recently that the actual window for protein synthesis to build new muscle lasts for about 36 hours after an intense workout (can’t seem to find the link, otherwise I’d post it), leading me to think this is the ideal time frame to be ingesting more of your quality protein sources like meat, fish, fowl and eggs, and unless you can’t get these things in your diet, only then would supplementing with protein shakes be of somewhat necessity. In your research, have you happened upon any related information?
Hey Steve,
This is true (and another reason why getting protein and carbs in immediately post-workout is not needed).
Here’s a study that confirms this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8563679
Great post,
Nice to see the science to back it up. As long as you get enough calories per day you’re good, when you eat them does not matter
Thank you sir. This is the simple truth.
The one caveat being that it can be more comforting for certain people to eat certain ways (e.g. more meals to feel less bloated or intermittent fasting to be more convenient).
Great article, useful for putting this ubiquitous piece of broscience to rest.
Always wondered where this myth comes from. Maybe from a study that concluded a tiny, minute difference in muscle growth that has been blown out of all proportion. Like something an elite athlete needs to be aware of, but the average man has no use for.
Thank you! And yes there have been studies that have shown minute differences, and of course the one that showed higher MPB rates in fasted individuals.
Unfortuantely the supplement industry is largely to blame as they latch onto these tiny differences and use them as fuel for the marketing of their “post workout” products.
I recall an interesting series of papers on how eating most of your protein in the afternoon and evening results in more lean mass gain. The proposed mechanism was lower cortisol and higher testoserone at these times. I would think eating immediately after a workout would be harmful for the same reason – large stress hormone release.
Hey Illy, this sounds intriguing. I’d love to see these papers if you have a link.
The study that states that pre-workout meals can enhance muscle growth is confusing to me. I’ve been a competitive athlete in the sport of wrestling so I can testify firsthand to the fact that it’s much more difficult to have an effective workout after a meal, the reason being that all of your bloodflow is diverted to your GI tract and not to your muscles where it belongs if you hope to push yourself to your limits. Do you agree with this? If not why? When do you eat in relation to your workouts?
Hey Jim,
Honestly I think all of this research is blown out of proportion. The differences found in all of these studies on meal timing are TINY – fractions of percentages that the average man wouldn’t even notice.
I think the best advice I can give is to eat when it feels best for you. For me I feel best eating 2 hours before my workouts, give or take. I simply feel full if I eat any closer, or hungry if I eat and further away.
Just came across this article, and I’m pleased to see an article based on scientific research, rather than the crap my hubby looks at.
He goes through protein powder like it’s going out of fashion, and yet I don’t see any gains from the money he wastes on it. Meanwhile, I personally don’t drink any protein shakes and I still get results at the gym, even though I’m lazy and only go 1-2 times a week.
David,
I think that this anabolic window story is a hype made of the supplement companies to promote and sell more supplements to people who are ignorant of the facts.
What do you think of morning training? Do you think that there is a need for a post workout meal? Assuming that you haven’t eaten from the last night and you exercised right after waking up.
Damian, I think if you train fasted, it’s best to eat a post workout meal just to be safe.
Real Meal>Protein Shake. Period.
My Bro goes to the gym and drinks protein shakes.
His diet sucks though. I’m going to start going to the same gym, except at a different time (430am), when I jump way ahead of him, and he asked how how, I’ll tell him.
I already told him protein shakes waste of money if diet ain’t tied down, guess he’ll find out the embaressing gutted way, lol.
Great article and good theories to back it up.
A pro Rugby player wrote recently that diet is key to training, supplements are secondary. If you maintain a diet of ‘proper food’ i.e. food that has had an hand to it, either bred or grown etc. along with a regular training regime then your body will do great things.
Nothing to suggest that shakes etc. are bad for you or useless, just that they are not the be all and end all.
Thanks Dale – and great anecdote.
I came across this article by doing a search on the postworkout meal myth. I was trying to square my understanding of digestion with the “anabolic window” thesis. My problem was this: macronutrients (besides alcohol) are only absorbed in the small intestine, so if it takes nutrients some 2-3 hours after consumption simply to enter the small intestine then those nutrients would be unavailable within the “anabolic window” time frame, rendering the postworkout meal pointless (with respect to what it aims to achieve).
Is this analysis too simple? Am I overlooking something? Help would be much appreciated.
This is pretty much on point. A simplistic understanding but yes, the food you ate before the workout is likely digesting during the “anabolic window.”
How can you say that the “Anabolic Window is a lie” an is “100% Bullshit” when the scientific articles you reference avoid making any conclusions about it. Your opinion seems no less misguided and sensationalized than the bro tale you’re trying to dispel.
From article referenced #3 (Aragon, Alan Albert, and Brad Jon Schoenfeld. Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window.):
“Distilling the data into firm, specific recommendations is difficult due to the inconsistency of findings and scarcity of systematic investigations seeking to optimize pre- and/or post-exercise protein dosage and timing.”
and
“Even more so than with protein, carbohydrate dosage and timing relative to resistance training is a gray area lacking cohesive data to form concrete recommendations.”
@Steve,
If you believe in the PWO shake so much than by all means continue to drink it. Continue to run red lights on the way home from the gym in a desperate attempt to slug down your shake inside the “anabolic window”
And please grace us with pictures of your 24 inch pythons (bigger than Hulk Hogan) that you attribute to the “magic” of the post workout shake taken within 60 minutes of your last set.
Stay huge, dude.
Thank you for taking the burden of replying to him 🙂
Great article. But I have a question. I have read a article saying protein synthesis increases in 5 hrs after protein intake with BCAA which sounds opposite to your conclusion “There’s no evidence that post-workout nutrition raises muscle protein synthesis” from Alan Aragon and Brad Schoenfeld’s paper.
Here is the link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21795443
Another question: if the MPS can be increased by supplement, which way is better for muscle recovery: spiking once per day or pulse intake like every 4 hrs?
Thanks.
Hey Bob, the problem is that nothing is black and white when it comes to the specifics of much of exercise science, including muscle protein synthesis. For every study that concludes one thing, there will be another study that concludes the opposite.
The reason I wrote this article – and my school of belief – is that it’s really not worth it to worry about trying to take advantage of every little factor that “may” make a difference. Doing this will likely drive you crazy – and most likely have a negligible difference on your actual results.
Way to mislead everyone. Your articles proves itself wrong or indirectly related following every point. You’ll make a claim and use unrelated supporting details.
Claim #1: Muscle protein breakdown is only an issue if training fasted.
Your point: “Note: Your body builds new muscle tissue when the rate of muscle protein synthesis outweighs the rate of muscle protein breakdown. This is why these factors are at the heart of the discussion.”
My point: Okay, protein has amino acids. More specifically, 3 are branched chain amino acids (leucine, valine, isoleucine). Bcaas (primarily luecine) have been shown to directly increase protein synthesis. Take your protein, or even better, a bcaa supplement. Because the protein needs to be broken apart and digested, it takes longer for a protein molecule (20 amino acids) to activate than it does bcaas (3 amino acids). This increase in protein synthesis is purely beneficial, and the muscle protein breakdown claim of yours is void based on this point.
Claim #2: There’s no evidence that post-workout nutrition raises muscle protein synthesis.
Disproved in your own writing: “And to make matters more complicated, most of these studies were conducted on elderly individuals, obese people, or populations that didn’t regularly exercise.”
My point: Not only does my previous point (on claim #1) prove yours directly wrong, but your citing evidence from a study done on inactive and unhealthy individuals. Last time I checked, most people ingesting a post workout shake are doing so to maximize the body’s anabolic potential (for muscle growth). Show evidence on trained athletes or bodybuilders, that is the point to make.
Claim #3: Glycogen doesn’t need to be replenished right away.
Misleading evidence: “A recent study compared the effects of ingesting carbs 2 hours after working out with doing so immediately after. They found no significant differences in glycogen levels at 8 hours and 24 hours post-exercise (4). This evidence confirms the notion that you don’t need to consume carbs right away.”
Problems with that evidence: There is no citation of whether the carbs were simple (fast acting) or complex (slower acting). Why would the levels be measured at 8 and 24 hours exclusively!? By doing this, the researchers eliminated the actual evidence! Obviously by 8 hours, the body can naturally restore glucose levels. If the data was taken one hour after exercise (instead of 8) and a simple carb was ingested, blood glucose levels would be HIGHER THAN a separate group taking a complex carb in that same hour. Look up glycemic index, that matters completely.
My point: Glycogen doesn’t NEED to be replenished immediately, but it definitely has anabolic potential. When fast acting carbs are ingested, insulin levels are spiked. Now the insulin will open up cell membranes for the fast acting absorption of glucose back into the cells for replenishment. With that insulin spike opening the cell membrane, other nutrients taken have the opportunity to flood into cells (like common post workout ingredients creatine, carnitine, beta alanine, etc).
Overall, I’m just trying to say don’t manipulate research to try and make a point.
Cmon bro. I cited the most relevant studies available to support my points, you cited NONE.
Thank you lol
Anthony has a point David. Why would you use research that involved non athletic/body building people?
Hey Ryan. The reason I cited those studies is because they are the only relevant research that’s been done on this particular concept (ingestion of post-workout protein and carbs to raise MPS).
I included them to let you know I exhausted all possible venues to see if there would be a benefit to this type of post-workout nutrition. Even when including those studies, there is no evidence.
I see how that could be confusing, however.
Bcaas:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16365096
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bcaas-the-many-benefits-of-amino-acids.html
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ask-the-supp-guru-what-is-the-best-ratio-of-bcaas.html
Glucose:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ask-the-macro-manager.html
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/post_workout_carbs.htm http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-benefits-of-post-workout-carbohydrates.html
Protein and carbs post workout trained vs untrained: (read the conclusion)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4155766/
My sources are science backed. Yeah I did use bodybuilding.com for information. The authors are knowledgeable in the biomechanics. They promote nutrients, not brands. People wanna claim supplements don’t work. Well they aren’t meant to replace a diet, they are meant to supplement one (kinda the reason they are called supplements!). What is a supplement? It is an isolated nutrient! From food! Supplements have nutrients isolated from food. So if a supplement doesn’t work, neither does food.
I’m not saying every supplement company is good. The industry is loaded with frauds. They feed off of ignorance, the true science does not. Using a supplement is just a way to manage a diet specifically and comfortably. There’s plenty more research out there, these are the ones I accessed at this time. Do your research. Don’t read one thing and believe it, connect the dots.
I appreciate you taking the time to reference some sources, however the 2 actual studies you cited do NOT prove any claim you’ve made.
Their conclusions:
“The results suggest that BCAAs activate mTOR and p70 S6 kinase in human muscle in the recovery period after exercise and that GSK-3 is not involved in the anabolic action of BCAAs on human muscle.”
and
“The timing of protein and carbohydrate intake after resistance exercise influences nitrogen balance differently in trained and untrained young men.”
None of this shows an impact on the results an individual can expect to see in real world settings (i.e. a measurable growth in the cross-sectional area of a given muscle tissue).
The bodybuilding.com articles have their own citations of research respectively on the article page at the end of each article. So I have more than 2 credible sources. But disregarding that point, those articles do prove the claims I have made.
The mTOR pathway is activated by amino acids and leucine being the main stimulator. Leucine has a 10x greater impact on protein synthesis than any other amino acid. The activation of the mTOR pathway is vital for skeletal muscle hypertrophy. So yes the study says BCAAs activate mTOR, resulting in protein synthesis. So thank you I’m right.
On the second point, you cited that quote completely wrong for some reason. It’s weird that you’re the one manipulating the information from a research study to use towards your advantage. You left out the real quotation from the latter part of the study’s conclusion which was…”Furthermore, when protein and carbohydrate were consumed immediately after resistance exercise, the effect of protein intake on muscle protein accumulation was high in the trained men, but no effect was observed in the untrained men.” So the protein and carb intake had a positive effect on the trained individuals and no observable effect on the untrained.
I’m not responding anymore cause it seems to be a waste of my time. Once again, very misleading article.
Actually, I would also like to add in response to your final comment. Just because recreational fitness enthusiasts can’t measure the in depth biological growth of their own bodies, doesn’t mean results are not present. That’s why they do research in labs, where it can be measured.
And you can thank DR. Layne Norton for my mTOR info. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne39.htm
You miss the point. Sure some studies show elevated hormone levels in response to some post-workout meal or shake, but no studies done on ACTUAL RESULTS show anything but negligible differences.
For example: Do BCAAs activate mTOR to some degree? Sure. Does this make any difference in the amount of muscle you’ll build over weeks, months, and years? Probably not – studies have tried to prove this and failed.