You've probably heard more than once the advice to drink a protein shake at night to supply your muscles with building material while you sleep. On the one hand, everything seems logical - muscle growth occurs at night and at this most crucial moment you find yourself far from the refrigerator, so a portion of protein would come in handy. On the other side - research is not clear. In short, taking whey protein at night will barely affect the results, but with casein things are much better.
Scientific research
One of the first studies[1] on the topic was conducted in 2008, when athletes were given a serving of protein hydrolyzate after an evening workout shortly before bed. For some time after, an increased level of protein synthesis was indeed observed, but after a while it steadily decreased .
After 4 years, a repeat study was conducted in which, in addition to regular protein, the subjects were given about 40 grams of casein. the body received the required amount of amino acids almost all night , which had a good effect on the level of protein synthesis.
What is drying and how does it last?
Cutting is the next step after muscle building. It involves the elimination of subcutaneous fatty tissue and the formation of muscle relief. Thus, it is a comprehensive approach to burning fat in the body.
During this period, it is recommended to use a protein diet, maintain a sleep-wake schedule, and engage in special exercises. To speed up this process, protein is often used to dry the body.
Experienced athletes recommend using special protein shakes for this. They help form muscles. Of course, you can get protein from food, but in sports they prefer to additionally use biological supplements, which are perfectly absorbed in the body and have a powerful effect.
During the drying period, the diet should be changed, all dishes should be low-calorie. This leads to a lack of protein; to prevent this, it is recommended to consume protein during drying. If this is not done, health problems may arise: metabolic disorders, decreased immunity, deterioration of the skin and hair, and mental disorders.
Moreover, without proteins, muscle mass begins to decrease and fats stop being burned. Therefore, it is important to compensate for protein deficiency by taking protein complexes.
During the drying period, the human body should receive protein in an amount of at least two grams per kilogram of body weight. Biological supplements can help with this. But it is important to remember that the human body can absorb no more than forty grams of protein at one time.
Be sure to read: Beneficial properties of green tea for weight loss
Why is it better to take casein at night?
There are at least two reasons to choose casein over whey protein.
Firstly , casein protein is long-lasting. By breaking down, it is able to provide the body with amino acids for a long time. This fact explains the success of the 2012 study we mentioned earlier.
Secondly , casein protein has a lower glycemic index. Therefore, you will be less likely to gain fat. By the way, this fact is successfully confirmed by another work from 2014[2].
Types of protein
First, let's remember what kind of protein you can and should drink. There are two options here - fast and slow. The first category includes whey protein. Its advantage is its high absorption rate. As a rule, the product is processed in the stomach, broken down into amino acids and delivered to the muscles within one hour. It is recommended to drink this protein throughout the day, namely:
- In the morning. After sleep, the body is exhausted, because it worked all night without “recharging.” In such a situation, a morning dose of amino acids will be very useful. Of course, you shouldn’t skip breakfast - it should be rich in proteins and carbohydrates. But in order to saturate your muscles 100%, it is advisable to drink a more nutritious and important product - protein. In this case, the muscles receive a full charge of protein for growth, and the production of cortisol is suppressed. At the same time, for maximum effect, it is advisable to drink just fast protein. It is well absorbed and covers the nutritional deficiency that has accumulated overnight.
- During the day. It is quite natural that just one morning portion is not enough - the body needs protein throughout the entire wakefulness. That is why it is advisable to drink protein on average 5-6 times a day. This approach makes it possible to obtain a prolonged effect, that is, to guarantee a constant supply of protein to growing and developing muscle fibers.
- Before going to the gym. To recharge the body before receiving a heavy load, it is advisable to drink protein about 3-4 hours before the start of classes. It is not necessary to give the body the maximum dosage - 20-30 grams is enough. Most bodybuilders who play sports actively use this principle. In this case, the best option is to drink fast protein, which will be digested as quickly as possible and delivered to the muscles in the form of amino acids.
- After working out at the gym. After training in the gym, the athlete’s body is especially exhausted and requires the fastest possible replenishment. During exercise, all the protein that was accumulated during the day is consumed. If nothing is done, then catabolic processes of decay of existing muscle fibers begin. The sooner these losses are made up, the better. Therefore, if you have a goal to achieve something in sports, and not just waste time in training, then drinking protein shakes is a must.
The second type of protein is slow. The most popular type is casein. The peculiarity of this powder is that it breaks down in the stomach for a long time and feeds the muscle fibers with a full spectrum of amino acids within 4-6 hours. In order for this protein to give maximum results, it is recommended to drink it:
- During the day. Long-term breakdown of casein protein is an excellent chance to provide muscles with protein and guarantee a full, prolonged effect. The ideal option is a combination of fast and slow proteins, which seem to complement each other.
- For the night. Athletes who dream of achieving good results in sports must take protein before bed (at night). Slow protein, by its action, almost completely covers the amino acid needs of the muscles. This is very important for two reasons:
- firstly, it is during rest that the second protein window opens;
- secondly, night is the time when hormones begin to activate, which are not capable of anything without the support of protein.
To achieve maximum results, experienced athletes recommend taking nightly supplements wisely. For example, at the beginning of the day you can place more emphasis on carbohydrates and take a minimum of proteins. But by the end of the day the proportion changes in the opposite direction. As a result, at night you need to drink as little carbohydrates as possible, but more protein.
Thus, a portion of slow protein at night is a guarantee of timely replenishment of muscles with the necessary “building materials”, acceleration of recovery processes, suppression of catabolism and acceleration of growth. As an alternative, you can take a complete protein, which contains proteins with varying degrees of absorption.
For example, mixtures with whey, casein and milk proteins are very popular. Such a simple combination will give the body everything it may need during the rest period.
What is the best way to take casein?
Casein can often be seen on the shelves of sports nutrition stores or in online stores. You can also buy it inexpensively on iHerb - a selection of casein can be found at the link.
The optimal portion of casein before bed is 40 grams. This is the amount of casein that proved effective in one study.
Powdered casein can be mixed with milk or water. The first option will be even better, since the milk will contain an additional portion of casein.
A more modest option is to eat cottage cheese, which is rich in casein, at night. In this case, try to choose varieties that are not too fatty. You can also take note of cheeses, yoghurts, yogurt, kefir and milk. They also contain casein.
Summary
Protein itself does not help you lose weight, but serves as an essential element of a cutting diet. Without him it will be very difficult to recover. How to take protein when losing weight? In the morning - whey protein, and before bed - casein. Gainers should not be taken dry!
Of course, whey protein when losing weight is far from the only sports nutrition that an athlete needs. Moreover, you need to know all the nuances of the training process and nutrition. Here you can find all the information about effective weight loss without problems in one place.
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Discussion:
- Marjane says:
Good afternoon! I'm a beginner in this business, I go to fitness for 10 days. Strength training 3 days a week. The rest of the days are cardio. All training in the morning. I get up at 6 am and take Lipo 6. 6-30 3 raw protein. Training starts at 7:1.5 am. After training, I don’t eat for 1-1.5 hours. The question is - am I doing the right thing? - Karina says:
Which protein is best for burning fat? Kronus or Cannibal Veith?
- VovaN says:
Karina, I took Veit because it is a pure isolate. Less fat, less carbohydrates, and Kronus is also good in its own way, but in my opinion, not for drying. Veit is cool, tasty and does not inhibit fat burning.
- Darina111 says:
Is it necessary to drink whey protein when losing weight? I was thinking of buying a fat burner and that’s it...
- to hell says:
Fat burner does not burn fat! The surest way is diet + supportive sports nutrition + sports! And only then the fat burner! Ladies, stop doing stupid things! Nowadays there is so much educational information about losing weight, so first learn, and then lose weight!!!
- Anyutka says:
I drink protein after training for weight loss and in the morning. It satisfies hunger very well and supports muscles. I noticed that my muscles maintain better tone.
- Dima says:
I agree with the comment above about knowledge. And this doesn’t only apply to women. Men do stupid things too. Knowledge is everything. I bought Fast Fat Burning, a training manual from the creators of this site, because I trust them. This is very simple and accessible information about losing weight. It took a couple of days to understand and read, but there are a lot of benefits! I understood how to eat, why to drink protein for cutting, and what kind to drink. Now I’m actively training and in just a month my body has started to look tougher. So I advise you to first learn, and then do!
- fluD says:
Thank you for the article! I was looking for which protein to choose for drying and ended up buying Isotope. Excellent protein, mixes quickly, without lumps, the taste is not cloying, close to natural. Goes well with both milk and water. I replace a couple of snacks with it, the feeling of fullness is present for a couple of hours, which is cool when drying!
- brain_cool says:
I can’t figure out what kind of protein to drink after a workout to lose weight... I was sure that after a workout it’s better to drink a gainer in general, as it quickly restores energy due to the high carbon content. and here they write that isolate is better for drying, but in the same place the cat cried coals..
- MAX says:
brain_cool, which one is better to choose is up to you. Of course, I definitely wouldn’t drink a gainer while cutting, but if you need to restore energy, you can choose a multi-component prot, for example Cannibal Cronus. There are a little more coals and fats than in isolate, but at least insulin won’t drop as much. You will restore a little energy, you will get a feeling of fullness, and you won’t spoil your drying!
- Nick says:
I didn’t know what drying was and how fat was burned in general until I read the fast fat burning manual. I advise it to everyone who can’t lose weight, because for me this was a huge leap forward! It is inexpensive and the information is very easy to understand. In a month, following the rules, you can see a good result. I didn’t see such a result when I went to fitness, but paid 5 times more!!! Now, after 2 months, I have lost 6 kg, and without strict diets and torment for my health. I just eat right, which I learned from the manual. I’ll share with my friends when I get my dream body!
- newstar says:
Isolation is the coolest isolate! Simply delicious! If you beat it thoroughly with a blender and cool it, it will be no worse than a milkshake. I drink it instead of any desserts, at least 3-4 times a day. Hunger is not felt for a long time after it. I noticed that the muscles don’t crumble as much during drying as usual, and the fat goes away just as quickly.
- Irene says:
but somehow I liked Iso GEn more. It's a better price and tastes just as good. It's very easy to drink, I would even say pleasant)
Additional biological supplements
During the drying period, athletes consume not only protein. Many of them also take the BCAA complex of essential amino acids, since they cannot be synthesized in the human body. BCAA contains valine, leucine and isoleucine, they make up a third of all proteins. Such amino acids help maintain muscle mass, protect it from burning, that is, help stop catabolic processes.
For athletes, they are the so-called fuel, as they take part in building muscles and restoring the body after training.
Also often during the drying period, many people use fat burners, which act as a separate type of biological additives. Such drugs include stimulants that promote the breakdown of fat deposits.
But doctors recommend not to rely entirely on biological supplements. It is necessary to pay due attention to your diet, choose only those foods that have few calories and a large amount of vitamins, nutrients, minerals and amino acids.
Be sure to read: Method of use and effectiveness in losing weight Leovit Coffee
It is important to ensure that most of the protein entering the body is of animal origin.
Reviews
Reviews from professional athletes say that during drying it is important to use dietary supplements with proteins. According to reviews, these preparations should contain a large percentage of proteins and a minimal amount of fats and carbohydrates. Whey cocktails are best suited, for example, many recommend Dimatize. This dietary supplement helped maintain muscle mass during intense training.
Doctors still recommend monitoring your diet. The daily menu should include dishes that provide the body with up to fifty percent of fats of animal origin. The rest of the proteins can be delivered with dietary supplements or other additives.
