When to take Protein Shakes?

As I’ve briefly discussed in one of my previous stories, a protein shake is not a necessity. It’s called a protein “supplement” for a reason. But if you struggle with consuming enough protein in a day, a protein shake can help you reach your daily protein target. For those that feel like they need a protein shake, a common question is when you should consume it. Before or after training?
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A 2017 study investigated the effects of pre- and post-workout whey protein supplementation [1]. The researchers divided 21 trained volunteers into two groups, a pre-workout whey protein group (PRE-SUPP) and a post-workout whey protein group (POST-SUPP). Both groups consumed a similar amount of protein each day.
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After 10 weeks, no significant difference in muscle growth and strength gain between the two groups was found. These findings are consistent with those of a similar 2006 study on untrained individuals [2].
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Even though the study discussed is pretty small and by no means conclusive, this adds to the body of literature showing that the “post-workout anabolic window” is not as important as once thought [3, 4]. The bigger picture is consuming enough protein *throughout the day*, rather than just before or after your training session.
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References:
1. https://peerj.com/articles/2825.pdf
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16767436
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3577439/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3879660/