When should you consume...

[Zan]

protein?

Before the workout, or after the workout? If after the workout, is it best to consume it right after the exercise of can/should it wait for an hour?

[wink]

protein?

Before the workout, or after the workout? If after the workout, is it best to consume it right after the exercise of can/should it wait for an hour?


And also what is a good protein bar or what ever to take on rides.
Wink

[Snuffleupagus]

Not before...not during...

That leaves after :) The reasoning being that you've done your damage, and you want to allow your body to repair. The main thing though is replenishing your depleted glycogen stores (which is done with consumption of carbohydrates). Protein is a secondary concern, and in all honesty - as an endurance athlete I don't think you need to take in a lot of protein. Some eggs, milk, beans, tuna or chicken in a meal with rice or potatoes would do nicely.

To the second question, protein bars are rubbish. Eat food, not food products. I've become far more fit and leaner since I've stopped eating 'nutrition' products.

[Zan]

Well then, that works out nicely! The best time for me to consume it is after the exercise - don't have as much time before due to my schedule.

Thank you!

I don't touch protein bars or any other "artificial" (work with me) foods. I'm going with a can of salmon a day (in addition to my regular diet) - 40g of complete protein, tastes good, no mercury (like in tuna) - about 1.15$ where I live if you buy 'em in bulk.

[HillMut]

And also what is a good protein bar or what ever to take on rides.
Wink


I wouldn't take a 'protien' supplement w/ you on your rides unless it is 5-6+ hours IMO.
Most of the popular solids; cliff bar, power bar etc... usually have about a 4:1 carbohydrate:protien ratio, just find one that tastes good, is easy to eat while riding and sits in your stomach well for the rest of your ride.
Snuffleupagus also gave good advice on this and I'm sure he is on to something, but I find it a lot easier for me to just pickup a cliff bar and stuff it in my pocket.

[king-tony]

There is literature out there suggesting that protein should be consumed during workouts lasting from 90-120 minutes and longer. Basically, it has been suggested that at this point cannibalization of muscle tissue can begin and that having protein in your system (I've seen both 4:1 and 8:1 ratios with carbohydrate drinks) can prevent this catabolic effect. Accelerade and Perpetuem are two drinks that come to mind with carb/protein ratios in this range.

[JayhawKen]

I have read that to achieve the best cellular repair the protein should be consumed within 30 minutes of stopping, and in a form that can be readily assimilated - like a protein shake, etc.

I don't recall if it was in a research based paper, so can't really provide a source reference.:(

[late]

I have read that to achieve the best cellular repair the protein should be consumed within 30 minutes of stopping, and in a form that can be readily assimilated - like a protein shake, etc.

I don't recall if it was in a research based paper, so can't really provide a source reference.

It's called the Glycogen Window, and yes, it's based on research.

[Carbonfiberboy]

http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/93/4/1337

"In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that a carbohydrate-protein (CHO-Pro) supplement would be more effective in the replenishment of muscle glycogen after exercise compared with a carbohydrate supplement of equal carbohydrate content (LCHO) or caloric equivalency (HCHO). After 2.5 ± 0.1 h of intense cycling to deplete the muscle glycogen stores, subjects (n = 7) received, using a rank-ordered design, a CHO-Pro (80 g CHO, 28 g Pro, 6 g fat), LCHO (80 g CHO, 6 g fat), or HCHO (108 g CHO, 6 g fat) supplement immediately after exercise (10 min) and 2 h postexercise. Before exercise and during 4 h of recovery, muscle glycogen of the vastus lateralis was determined periodically by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Exercise significantly reduced the muscle glycogen stores (final concentrations: 40.9 ± 5.9 mmol/l CHO-Pro, 41.9 ± 5.7 mmol/l HCHO, 40.7 ± 5.0 mmol/l LCHO). After 240 min of recovery, muscle glycogen was significantly greater for the CHO-Pro treatment (88.8 ± 4.4 mmol/l) when compared with the LCHO (70.0 ± 4.0 mmol/l; P = 0.004) and HCHO (75.5 ± 2.8 mmol/l; P = 0.013) treatments. Glycogen storage did not differ significantly between the LCHO and HCHO treatments. There were no significant differences in the plasma insulin responses among treatments, although plasma glucose was significantly lower during the CHO-Pro treatment. These results suggest that a CHO-Pro supplement is more effective for the rapid replenishment of muscle glycogen after exercise than a CHO supplement of equal CHO or caloric content."

It's definitely worth it to go read the whole thing.

[Snuffleupagus]

http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/93/4/1337

"In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that a carbohydrate-protein (CHO-Pro) supplement would be more effective in the replenishment of muscle glycogen after exercise compared with a carbohydrate supplement of equal carbohydrate content (LCHO) or caloric equivalency (HCHO). After 2.5 ± 0.1 h of intense cycling to deplete the muscle glycogen stores, subjects (n = 7) received, using a rank-ordered design, a CHO-Pro (80 g CHO, 28 g Pro, 6 g fat), LCHO (80 g CHO, 6 g fat), or HCHO (108 g CHO, 6 g fat) supplement immediately after exercise (10 min) and 2 h postexercise. Before exercise and during 4 h of recovery, muscle glycogen of the vastus lateralis was determined periodically by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Exercise significantly reduced the muscle glycogen stores (final concentrations: 40.9 ± 5.9 mmol/l CHO-Pro, 41.9 ± 5.7 mmol/l HCHO, 40.7 ± 5.0 mmol/l LCHO). After 240 min of recovery, muscle glycogen was significantly greater for the CHO-Pro treatment (88.8 ± 4.4 mmol/l) when compared with the LCHO (70.0 ± 4.0 mmol/l; P = 0.004) and HCHO (75.5 ± 2.8 mmol/l; P = 0.013) treatments. Glycogen storage did not differ significantly between the LCHO and HCHO treatments. There were no significant differences in the plasma insulin responses among treatments, although plasma glucose was significantly lower during the CHO-Pro treatment. These results suggest that a CHO-Pro supplement is more effective for the rapid replenishment of muscle glycogen after exercise than a CHO supplement of equal CHO or caloric content."

It's definitely worth it to go read the whole thing.

The after exercise notation is key.

[Carbonfiberboy]

The after exercise notation is key.Here's another study:

http://healthfitness.com.au/research/supplements/post_exercise_protein_meal.htm
Talking about a post exercise protein meal:

"What they found basically threw the old thinking out the window. They discovered that those that ingested the drink within 5 minutes after the workout had a 1.8% increase in lean body mass, a.k.a. precious muscle. Amazingly, those that did so 2 hours after the workout actually decreased their lean body mass by 1.5%, which is something no one should experience."