4 Compelling Reasons to Add Protein Powder to Your Fitness Routine | Protein powder is an excellent nutritional supplement. Protein is considered an essential macronutrient that helps in building and repairing tissues. Additionally, it also creates enzymes and hormones. Utilising protein powder may also help you in weight loss and help you tone your muscles.
- Weight management
Consuming protein-rich food and taking supplements can help people feel full for longer. When you feel full, it results in tinier portion sizes and infrequent snacking. It can help an individual have a healthy weight or lose weight whenever necessary.
According to a 2017 study, supplementing with whey can help mitigate body weight and total fat mass and help people suffering from obesity.
It can also mitigate blood pressure and total cholesterol and other risk factors for heart diseases.
- Muscle growth
Protein is vital for the growth of muscles. Numerous athletes and gym enthusiasts will consume protein shake because they believe that these drinks will aid them in bulking up after strength training.
In a 2018 study, it was reported that the utilisation of protein supplementation significantly improved muscle size and strength in a sample of healthy adults who performed resistance training exercises such as weightlifting.
Protein supplementation is effective in both men and women. However, its efficacy may decrease with age since older adults have higher protein requirements than younger people.
The research also noted that once the protein has exceeded 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight, the participants will not be experiencing any extra benefits.
- After exercise recovery
Aside from contributing optimally to the growth of muscle, protein can also help restore damaged muscles. Because of this, athletes may utilise protein powder to hasten their recovery from muscle soreness after exercising.
Numerous studies have reported that consuming protein supplements after exercise can help with recovery by mitigating muscle damage and enhancing muscle performance and muscle protein synthesis.
- Additional nutrition
The recommended daily consumption of protein for people aged 19 years and over is 46 g for women. For men, it is 56 g.
People who find it challenging to meet these amounts because of certain dietary restrictions, such as being vegan or vegetarian, may find that protein powder is optimal for resolving the problem.
Many people, such as athletes, older adults, as well as people suffering from chronic illnesses, may need to have an extra amount of protein intake as recommended by professionals.
Studies show that athletes with a high level of training regimen may benefit from twice the daily recommended protein intake.
Three types of protein powder
There are numerous types of protein powder. The most popular is the whey protein supplement, the one that researchers have focused on. However, keep in mind that it is not the only one. Common types of protein powder include the following:
- Whey
Whey is considered a water-soluble milk protein that is extremely popular among athletes. It is regarded as a complete protein with all the amino acids that the human body will require from food. It should also be noted that whey is absorbed by the body quickly and effortlessly.
- Casein
It is a glutamine-rich protein. Glutamine is a type of amino acid that speeds up the recovery of muscles after intense exercise. Casein is processed from dairy, making it unsuitable for people who are vegans and vegetarians. It is also not recommended for people with milk allergies. The body digests this protein type more slowly, so it may be best to take this supplement at night.
- Pea
Most plant-based protein powders will contain pea protein which is a high-quality substitute for soy and dairy products. Pea protein is an optimal source of arginine, which is an amino acid.
It is critical to get optimal amounts of protein, especially if you’re building your body and doing regular workouts at the gym. Your body will demand nutrition and a diet that is rich in proteins and carbohydrates. Proteins are needed to build and repair muscles to make the body optimally fit and healthy.
