The Science Behind Post-Workout Supplements

Picture this. You have just wrapped a very intense workout, all your muscles are burning, sweat is dripping, and you feel that good exhaustion. While all of this is going on, your body is shifting from exertion to recovery, rebuilding the muscles, and replenishing its energy stores, while adapting to the stress it just went through.

Post workout supplements help expedite this process, while making it more efficient. But with so many options available to help with post exercise recovery, it is easy to think what purpose do they actually solve? What are the different types and what purpose do they each serve? And then there are some common myths which we hear as well.

Let us break down the science behind post workout supplements for you today in this article so that you are able to achieve your fitness goals with more confidence.

What Happens to Your Body After Exercise?

Exercise is not only about calorie burning and lifting of weights – it is a controlled form of stress that causes a round of physiological responses. So the second you stop exercising, your body starts repairing and rebuilding in recovery mode.

• Muscle repair and microtears – Endurance and strength training exercises lead to tiny tears in the muscle fibers. This pushes our repair process, causing muscle growth over a period of time.
• Glycogen depletion – Our muscles depend a lot on the stored carbohydrates for energy consumption. After every session, the reserves get significantly reduced, affecting the energy levels.
• Protein breakdown – When your body doesn’t have enough amino acids available readily, the body increases protein degeneration. In the absence of recovery, this can lead to muscle loss instead of growth.
• Hormone functions – Exercises tend to spike cortisol levels and temporarily lessens the testosterone and growth hormones needed for muscle repair.
• Oxidative stress and inflammation – Exercises can lead to a temporary rise in the free radicals, which, in turn, causes swelling and inflammation when not handled properly.

This is exactly where the post-workout supplements and nutrition come in handy. The goal for consuming them is to help our body recover faster, lower breakdown, and increase muscle growth.

The Role of Post Workout Supplements During Recovery

While taking a well-balanced diet does support post workout recovery, supplements get the job done much faster, while keeping the efficiency levels maintained and keeping the process of replenishing lost nutrients in a more targeted manner.

But you must be wondering how exactly this process works.

Well here’s how.

• Faster muscle growth and repair – Amino acids and protein based supplements help with giving our body the raw material it needs for rebuilding the damaged muscle fibers.
• Replenishing energy stores – Carbohydrates rich supplements help with restoring the glycogen levels which is needed to ensure that you don’t feel sluggish after any workout.
• Lowering soreness and inflammation – Omega-3, antioxidants and other inflammatory compounds rich supplements help with counteracting exercises-led body inflammation.
• Lowering muscle breakdown – BCCA (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) powered post-workout supplements are known to slow down catabolism, which plays a huge role in preserving the much earned muscle.
• Supporting electrolyte and hydration levels – Sweat loss lowers the amount of sodium, magnesium, and potassium in our body, which are those critical nutrients that have to be replenished for proper muscle function.

While it is true that one should never replace food with supplements, they do play a role in enhancing recovery when used in the correct manner under an expert’s guidance.

Next, let’s explore the most common types of post workout nutrients available in the market today and how they can help in your exercise journey.

The Different Types of Post-Workout Supplements

Not every post workout supplement is made with the same amount of ingredients, nor do they all solve the same objective. Understanding the different types available in the market today can help you select the one that fits organically with your needs.

1. Protein Supplements (Casein, Whey, and Plant-Based)

Proteins are known to act as the building blocks of muscle which offers critical amino acids which support muscle tissue growth and repair.

• Whey Protein – Best for quick recovery, fast digesting. Best when taken immediately after workout
• Casein Protein – Perfect for nighttime recovery since it’s slow digesting. Helps with muscle breakdown over an extended period.
• Plant-based Protein – Great alternative for people who are lactose intolerant but still need a complete amino acid profile.

2. BCCAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids)

BCCAs – Valine, Isoleucine, and Leucine – are critical for lowering post-exercise soreness and muscle repair. While a number of whole protein sources already contain a good amount of BCCAs, using supplements can be best for endurance trainers and fasted training.

3. Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine is known to replenish ATP – body’s energy currency, enabling improved performance and strength over a long period of time. There are several studies that show how it expedites and improves muscle recovery while lowering fatigue.

4. Carbohydrate Supplements  (Maltodextrin, Dextrose, and Waxy Maize)

Carbohydrates are famous for restoring the glycogen levels in our body, helping immensely with energy replenishment. This is perfect for people who tend to exercise multiple times a day.

5. Electrolytes (Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium)

Electrolytes are often the most ignored parts of a fitness journey. The element however, is extremely important for muscle function and hydration. Refilling the lost electrolytes during workouts can help safeguard commonly occuring challenges like fatigue, cramps, and dizziness.

Who Actually Requires Post-Workout Supplements?

While supplements are one of the most commonly heard terms in the exercise and fitness community, there is a misconception that everyone who exercises requires supplements, while that is not the case.

Here’s a quick overview on who can benefit most from it.

• Casual gym goers – 3 to 4 times a week – A well-balanced diet is more than enough but protein shakes intake can also be very helpful in case your protein intake is very low.
• High-intensity trainers – Those following a frequent training regime might require BCAAs, electrolytes, and additional protein.
• Bodybuilders and strength trainers – Protein, Creatine, and BCAAs  are extremely important for muscle growth and repair.

So the general rule of thumb is that if you are able to manage enough nutrients through a well-balanced meal, you will not really require additional supplements but in case you are focusing on certain routines that need expedited replenishments, supplements would be the best way to go about it.

Things to Note Before You Add Post Workout Supplements in Your Diet

While supplements have some unquestionable benefits when it comes to recovering post exercise, they are not meant to be taken without proper guidance or knowledge.

Here are some things that you should consider before adding them in your routine.

• Quality of the ingredients
• Over consumption can cause long term digestive issues
• Watch out for artificial additives
• Never replace meals with supplements as the primary nutrient source.

Another one of the things we would want you to consider is how you should not follow some of the most commonly heard myths like:

• You need a protein shake immediately after workout
• Creatine causes kidney issues and bloating
• BCAAs are enough to build muscle
• Post workout carbs are unnecessary and even counteractive.

Post workout supplements should never be treated as a magic solution, they can only help when used wisely and under an expert’s guidance. We hope through our article you now have a complete understanding of post workout supplements and if in fact you need them if you already have a well-balanced diet.