Protein Timing: When Is The Best Time To Take Protein Shake?

Updated: Jul 22

Protein is protein right? Get the right amount of grams of protein in per day and that’s all I need to focus on right?

Well timing of protein intake can actually be just as important as the quality of the protein you have. Making sure we have our protein at the right time can help us maximise our gain in muscle mass, strength and recovery. When is the best time for you to take your protein shake is an important question to ask yourself as well!

You may see high level athletes walking around with a protein shake in hand whilst working out, but is this for show or do they need it at a certain time to benefit their performance?

Benefits of Protein

Protein is a vital macronutrient for all of us to have, some of the benefits include (1):

Increase muscle mass
Increase strength
Aids in recovery
Great for energy levels
Increase feeling of being full
Help body to efficiently carry oxygen around the body
Increase resistance to illnesses and infections

Getting enough protein in your diet can be very hard for athletes. Supplementing with protein powder is a great way around this.

Check out this blog comparing these 2 best protein powders of 2024: https://www.georgelewishealth.com/post/best-protein-powders-of-2024

When is the best time for you to take your protein shake?

30 minute window

For your exercise and recovery, it is important to make sure you get sufficient protein in within a 30 minute window after exercise to maximise recovery, adaptations, strength and muscle mass, in this window you will want at least 20 grams of protein.

2 hour window

The next window you will be looking at will be within 2 hours of your workout where you have 25-30 grams of protein with a meal, this will aid with all of the above benefits and also help prevent the loss of muscle mass.

Protein before bed

Studies have shown that having protein before bed can help further boost recovery rate, muscle repair and muscle mass, and increase strength for sports and performance. One study showed that having 40 grams before bed showed significantly improved strength and muscle mass adaptations (2).

Side note on protein for fat loss

Protein is a super important part of any individuals fat loss journey, but when the best time for you take your protein shake is something that you should also focus on. When you are trying to lose weight or fat it is important to utilise protein as a snack between meals in order to keep hunger away and increase your metabolism.