Dietary protein jumpstarts muscle protein synthesis MPS. Interestingly, research shows that post-workout protein intake g within two hours of finishing a workout stimulates robust increases in MPS that can benefit both recovery and future performance [ 4.

Getting enough carbs and protein is a top priority, but evidence suggests pairing carbs and protein in a to ratio may further enhance protein synthesis [ 4. Research indicates that a post workout recovery supplement like protein powder can boost physical performance and recovery and increase lean body mass, muscle hypertrophy, and strength [ 7.

Personalized protein supplements, like Elo Smart Protein. Unlike other custom protein products, Elo Smart Protein uses your goals, health history, workout data, and dietary preferences to craft the right protein blend for you and provide specific protein dosing recommendations after every workout.

Elo Smart Protein is also backed by the latest science to help you recover faster. Protein shake made with your recommended serving size of Elo Smart Protein. Tart cherry juice.

Looking for more ideas? Check out this article for dietitian-approved high-protein meals and snacks. Recovery is an essential part of a workout routine that allows your muscles time to repair, rebuild and strengthen so you can improve performance without injuring yourself.

While you can recover with stretches, ice baths, and foam rollers, what you put in your body also plays a role in how fast you recover. Post-workout drinks, meals, and snacks such as protein shakes, cottage cheese and berries, whole grain turkey wraps, and chocolate milk all provide a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and other essential nutrients that can help boost recovery.

Disclaimer: The text, images, videos, and other media on this page are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose or replace personalized medical care.

Nutrition is key for post-workout recovery, as it fuels the body, replenishes depleted resources, and aids in the repair and growth of muscle tissue. Research indicates that a post-workout recovery supplement like protein powder can boost physical performance and recovery and increase lean body mass, muscle hypertrophy, and strength [ 7.

Evidence suggests pairing carbs and protein in a to ratio may further enhance protein synthesis [ 4. Monteiro, E. Effects of Different Between Test Rest Intervals in Reproducibility of the Repetition Maximum Load Test: A Pilot Study with Recreationally Resistance Trained Men. International journal of exercise science , 12 4 , — Chung, Y.

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Fact checked by Rich Scherr. Our Top Picks. Best Drink:. Best Water:. Best Juice:. Best Sweet Snack:. Best Bar:. Best Breakfast:. Best Versatile:.

Best Hydration Drops:. Best Electrolyte Drink:. In This Article Expand. Our Picks. Where We Stand. What to Look for. How We Selected. Why Trust VeryWellFit. Best Drink. View On Fairlife. com View On Instacart. Pros Ultra-filtered milk not a protein shake Good source of all three macronutrients protein, carbohydrates, and fat Good source of sodium and potassium Great source of vitamin D and calcium.

Cons Not suitable for those sensitive to milk. Best Water. Harmless Harvest Coconut Water. Pros Rehydrating Good source of potassium and phosphorus Organic and Fair Trade certified. Cons Not a good source of protein or fat.

Best Juice. Knudsen Tart Cherry Juice. Pros Anti-inflammatory No added sugar Organic and non-GMO. Best Post-Workout Supplements and Foods of Best Sweet Snack. Navitas Organics Organic Power Snacks. Pros Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free Source of iron and potassium Third-party tested.

Cons May work best for recovery when paired with another snack. Best Bar. SANS Meal Replacement Protein Bar. Pros Could be a meal replacement Free of added sugar, sugar alcohols, natural flavors, gluten, dairy, and soy Good source of potassium Good balance of fat, protein, carbs.

Cons Not suitable for egg allergies. The 11 Best Protein Bars of , According to a Dietitian. Best Breakfast. Oats Over Night Oatmeal. Pros Can be used as a shake or in a bowl Convenient single-serve packets Both vegan and whey-based varieties Gluten-free and non-GMO.

Cons Needs to sit in the refrigerator for optimal texture. Best Versatile. View On Amazon View On Heb. Pros Can be eaten as savory or sweet, depending on add-ons Certified gluten-free, keto, and kosher Comes from pasture-raised cows.

Cons Not a good source of carbohydrates and fiber on its own. Best Hydration Drops. Buoy Electrolyte Drops. Pros No sugars, flavors, colors, oils, dyes or artificial ingredients Convenient to take on-the-go and add to water bottle Includes 87 trace minerals, vitamins and electrolytes Third-party tested.

Cons Electrolyte amount isn't that substantial per squeeze. Best Electrolyte Drink. Berri Fit Mango Electrolyte Beverage. Pros Organic and non-GMO Pre-made electrolyte drink so no mixing required No artificial sweeteners or additives Regulated by the FDA since this is a drink.

Cons Lower in sodium and potassium electrolytes compared to other products. What to Look for in a Recovery Food or Drink Many packaged recovery-focused foods and beverages on the market make lofty health claims.

Ingredient List: If you have any food allergies or sensitivities, always check the ingredient list to ensure that the recovery food or drink that you are selecting is safe for you. Some specialized recovery products contain large quantities of added nutrients or other supplements, so it's safest to stick with ingredient lists that are appropriate for your needs.

Convenience: Consider where—and when—you will consume your post-workout recovery meal, snack, or beverage. If you are on the go and don't have access to a microwave or refrigerator, you may want a portable single-serve item such as a meal bar.

But also keep in mind that what is packaged as a single serving is often not enough to satisfy an adult, so mix and match and combine to create a snack or meal that fits your needs. What are you looking for?

Newsletter Sign up to receive exclusive content updates, and more. Email address. Featured articles 6 Drinks with Electrolytes for Better Hydration. How to Thoroughly Clean Your Stainless Steel Water Bottle.

Demystifying TSA Guidelines for Water Bottles While Traveling on a Plane. Published October 3, Updated October 3, Drinks with electrolytes are important for rehydration Electrolytes like sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium are great for ensuring healthy muscles and physical performance after a workout.

Fresh orange juice is high in natural sugar and it is not available year round. Get more from your post workout drink Here are a few more vitamins and minerals with targeted athletic benefits which we include in our sports recovery tablets.

Beetroot benefits for athletes Beetroot juice contains nitric oxide NO , which helps with cardiorespiratory endurance for better athletic performance. B Vitamins B complex vitamins are found in a variety of food sources from beans to fish. Here are some of their main functions in the body: Vitamin B1 thiamin - Cell growth and functioning and muscle coordination Vitamin B2 riboflavin - Breaks down fat and increases energy.

Vitamin B3 niacin - Converts nutrients into energy, creates healthy fat, repairs DNA, and cleanses the body of toxins. Vitamin B6 pyridoxine - Helps the body break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, while supporting brain health and immunity.

Vitamin B9 folic acid - Improves red blood cell functioning and generates DNA and RNA.

Before assuming that it is sufficient to rely on your regular diet to achieve protein targets, verify you are not protein deficient. The Ask a Cycling Coach podcast did an excellent session on protein summarizing the research on quantity, timing, dose, physiology:.

Hi, Chris you had put a good piece of information over there about post-workout protein and recovery. I really appreciate the knowledge you shared with us. Keep updating such informative content. Pingback: 10 Most Important Rules for Post-Workout Recovery Chris Carmichael — FitandFunNow.

You are right. Just pay attention to the details before your defend your opinion. Pingback: Recovery Drinks for after the long practice — From D3 Football Player point of view. It does not need to be engineered to provide the benefits.

Time and time again I see athletes spending a lot of money on fancy recovery drinks when they are not needed. My midday snack of almond butter and a banana. Along with Huel horribly tasting and Coconut Milk. I find if I get my carbs and protein during the first half of the day I recover a tad better.

Also, go heavier on carbs for dinner to fuel the morning workout. Not sure if it is just mental but it seems to work for me. I know when I dont get the proper ratio I struggle based on my training logs.

Now is this based on male athletes? Stacey Sims writes about how females need more protein than carbs for recovery because we are NOT small men and have different physiologies. Her book Roar touches on this. Thanks for this important information.

Regarding fats, recent info states that total and saturated fats are not the primary concern for leading to atherosclerosis and subsequent cardio- or cerebrovascular disease, but that trans fat is the culprit.

Your comment on that? And what amount of total mono or polyunsaturated fat do you recommend? Can you get too much healthy fat, limits? In fact I recently read a article quoting a heart surgeon who was dead wrong in his views on fats and their relationship to atherosclerosis!

That must be really important for athletes who are trying to gain fitness and lose weight. I like these articles on dispelling the myths. Getting it down to the science helps make it real again. One of the commenters did a good job of demonstrating that not all protein is the same nor should it be considered such.

Yet not all carbohydrates and fats are good or bad either. Everything has a range of quality. I know diabetics can differentiate carbohydrate quality whole grain vs. highly refined when they test their blood post consumption. Then two commenter s argued chocolate milk vs.

plain milk. My thinking is the most important post workout recovery drink is water and rehydration. Milk is convenient and so is a banana. More and more respected trainers are saying that you require less carbohydrate and that your body craves fats.

Go Butter! I realize that this is outside the scope of this article, but something that was not covered at all, and that I would like to understand better, is that not all proteins are utilized by the body equally. This may in fact be different for different individuals.

It is fairly common knowledge that some protein sources are healthier than others. For example, 6-ounce broiled porterhouse steak is a great source of protein—about 40 grams worth.

But it also delivers about 12 grams of saturated fat, more than 60 percent of the recommended daily intake for saturated fat. A 6-ounce ham steak has only about 2. A cup of cooked lentils provides about 18 grams of protein and it has virtually no saturated fat or sodium.

But, which of these is easiest for the body to utilize? If you would find some research on this and present it here, I am certain that many of your readers would benefit. Protein quality and the value your body derives from the protein is dependent upon the source of the protein.

The best way to compare protein quality is to compare different proteins Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Scores DIAAS. However DIAAS is a relatively new measure of protein quality so depending on the source you may not find a DIAAs score. To date Dairy proteins have the highest DIAAS scores followed by fish, eggs, chicken, beef, pork, and plant proteins as the lowest half of what dairy has to offer The reason plant proteins score so poorly is that they commonly have digestion inhibitors that result in much of the protein not being absorbed and passing through your digestive system.

This per Dr. David Minkoff. I truly appreciate the articles you and your team produce for the cycling community. They helped me tremendously in my cycling adventures. Would you please help us a tiny bit more? I understand to reach a certain level of fitness takes work. Why do you omit the primary fuel for endurance sports, fat?

The unlimited fuel source….. You need limited carbs to increase fat oxidation, not the other way around. Simple sugar is the most efficient fuel for extreme endurance sports. Gu, fruit in heavy syrup, and even pop is what gives you the best energy. If you want to spend that kind of dollars, get an Espresso or Macchiato.

Regular old milk is all you need. Chocolate milk can have more sugar than a can of Coke. Everyone always holds up chocolate milk as the best recovery drink. But I wonder if decades ago when this trend first started if it was to get younger athletes to drink milk.

See Dr. You try and shoot down myths but then you present your views like they are gospel truths. Showing up helped her go the distance, along with meditation and fueled by Skratch Labs nutrition. After testing a long list of homemade recovery drinks, they founded Tailwind Nutrition almost a decade ago to solve a personal problem and help other athletes go the distance.

This list includes a few runner-tested recovery drinks that work. But there are many others to choose from. Leave a comment or create a Weeview for your favorite recovery drink. Login to your account to leave a comment. It's FAST and FREE.

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Register Sign In. Create a WeeView. Recovery Drink: 7 Runner-Tested Picks to Bounce Back Faster. Looking for a recovery drink to help you bounce back after a run? You crush a training run or workout drenched in sweat.

So what makes a good recovery drink? How to pick a recovery drink. For easy runs and workouts, aim for 25 to 40 grams of carbohydrates. For long runs, a recovery drink with 80 grams of carbohydrates will help you bounce back faster.

When you run or workout, your muscles take a beating. Consuming about grams of protein afterwards can help stimulate muscle repair and recovery.

When you run, you sweat out electrolytes minerals like sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc. your body needs for all your essential functions, including running.

Everybody sweats at different rates, and warmer weather elevates electrolyte loss. How about a little help picking a recovery drink that works? GU Roctane Protein Recovery Drink Mix.

The GU Roctaine Protein Recovery Drink contains 30g of carbs, 20g of protein, and the right mix of electrolytes to help speed recovery. This one checks all the boxes… 30g of carbohydrates 20g of protein Electrolytes including sodium, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and more to speed muscle repair and recovery.

Hammer Nutrition Recoverite. Hammer Nutrition athlete Jason Poole uses Recoverite after long runs and tough workouts. Hammer Nutrition VEGAN Recoverite. If you're looking for an organic, vegan-friendly recovery drink, Hammer's got you covered.

riding mountain bikes, jet skis, surf board, road bikes, and more. PacificHealth Labs Endurox R4 All Natural Muscle Recovery Drink. Marathon Maniac member Karen Gordon finished 6 marathons in six months fueled by Endurox to go the distance.

PacificHealth Labs put this recovery drink through 18 peer-reviewed studies involving hundreds of athletes, and they found that it: Boosts muscle glycogen by percent Reduces muscle damage by 36 percent Speeds protein synthesis by percent Improves performance by 55 percent the next time you run or workout Runner Karen Gordon used Endurox to run 6 marathons in six months, even after knee surgery.

PowerBar RecoveryMax. Besides nutrition bars and energy gels, PowerBar also makes a recovery drink with carbohydrates, protein, and electrolytes to help you bounce back. Looking for a recovery drink to help you keep cranking on the bike or running miles?

Skratch Labs Sport Recovery Drink Mix. Skratch Labs Sport Recovery Drink Mix helped world-ranked ultrarunner make a comeback, even after some major challenges.