What’s the Best Post Workout Supplement?

So after a grueling workout, what is left to do besides go home and watch ESPN like a boss? Take your post-workout supplement!

There is no better feeling of lifting the most weight and doing the most reps you ever have done in the gym, and drinking a quality post-workout supplement to cap off your hard work! So you don’t know which post-workout supplement is best for you to take? Well don’t worry because I got you covered!

What is a post-workout supplement?

A post-workout supplement is a supplement that you take immediately (or 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on brand) after working out.

What’s the Best Post Workout Supplement?

Here are 6 important nutrients that are in most post-workout supplements:

1. Whey Protein

The most popular supplement on the planet, whey protein is a great nutrient to have post-workout. The main reason for its popularity is because it is a fast-digesting protein gets quickly gets absorbed by your muscles post-workout.

2. Casein Protein

Coupling whey with casein protein post-workout is a deadly muscle-building combination! Research has shown that when casein is taken with whey, it is elevates production of protein synthesis. Instead of taking them separately, it is best to look for a protein that combines whey and casein together.

3. Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

BCAAs are the quintessential muscle-building supplement for the human body. BCAA contains leucine, valine, and isoleucine, the 3 most important amino acids in terms of building muscle. Make sure that your post-workout supplement contains BCAA in order to maximize the production of protein synthesis.

4. Fast-digesting carbs

While healthy carbs such as fruits and sweet potatoes is during any other time of day, they are ineffective post-workout due to being slow-digesting carbs. Replenishing your muscles glycogen levels during this short timeframe can only be done post-workout supplements that contain fast-digesting carbs.

5. Creatine

Creatine is not only a great pre-workout supplement, but a post-workout one as well. After completing a workout that highly stressed your muscles, taking creatine (especially with a fast-digesting carb) will optimize strength and energy levels.

6. Beta-Alanine

This is an amino acid that is vital in stabilizing muscular strength and endurance post-workout. Studies suggest that beta-alanine maximizes creatine’s benefits, including building muscle.

What are the benefits of taking a post-workout supplement?

Here are the benefits of taking a post-workout supplement:

1. Elevate energy levels

After a grueling workout session, instead of calling your mama to say how tired you are, take a post-workout supplement to boost your energy levels!

2. Reverse muscle breakdown

Probably the best attribute of post-workout supplements is helps replenish your muscles to avoid muscle breakdown. This is done by getting a post-workout supplement that contains fast-digesting carbs and BCAA.

3. Increases protein synthesis

If you are hoping to build mounds of muscle, then you are hoping to increase protein synthesis. By taking a quality post-workout supplement, it will replenish your muscles; thus, increasing production of protein in your body. Among the nutrients of post-workout supplements, whey protein powder does a great job of increasing protein synthesis.

4. Provide mental clarity

After an intense workout, your mind may be at disarray (at least you didn’t pass out.) So if you want to get back your mental clarity, then take a post-workout supplement upon conclusion of your workout.

5. Improve muscle recovery

Unless you love feeling pain, nobody wants to endure muscle soreness for long. By taking a quality post-workout supplement, you reduce muscle soreness as well improve your ability to recover.

6. Improved immune function

When you breakdown your muscles during resistance training, you’re also breaking down immune system to a certain extent. A post-workout supplement will help improve immune function. That is one of the most important reasons to replenish your muscles after working out.

7. Strengthen bone mass

Not only are you strengthening muscle mass but bone mass as well when you are resistance training. A post-workout supplement will help strengthen both!

8. Improve ability to burn fat

While replenishing and rebuilding muscle has been the main focus, post-workout supplements aids in fat loss as well.

The top 3 recommend post-workout supplements

1. Optimum Nutrition 2:1:1 Recovery

This post-workout supplement has a 2:1 ratio of fast carbs to protein. Also, has 5 grams of BCAA to help you replenish muscle stores.

2. Muscle Pharm RE-CON Advanced Recovery Supplement

This product has a combination of simple carbs and BCAA to help athletes recover post-workout.

3. BSN Cellmass Creatine Post-Training NightTime Mass and Recovery Activator

Mainly uses creatine and glutamine to help you refuel post-workout.