Recovery powder has become quite popular in the health and fitness world. Many people consume it for muscle recovery and muscle strength, yet some are unaware of its beneficial effects.
Therefore, in this article, we have discussed the recovery powder and its role in detail so that you can understand how it helps the recovery process.
Recovery powder explained
As the name indicates, a recovery powder is a supplement that is specifically designed to aid the natural recovery or repairing process. Its main ingredients are proteins, carbs, and electrolytes. Some manufacturers also add other compounds that give it different flavours like a chocolate flavour or fruit flavour to make recovery powder delicious as well as healthy.
Recovery powders can be divided into two types based on the kind of protein they have. Some have animal-derived protein (casein or whey protein), while others have plant-derived protein (derived from soy, pea, etc.).
Recovery proteins have carbs and proteins in the 2:1 or 3:1 ratio. This ratio is designed according to the body’s demands for these nutrients after a workout session.
What does it do?
Recovery powders have important nutrients that perform different tasks in the body. You can get these nutrients from natural food sources as well. In fact, natural food sources should always be your first priority.
But when you cannot meet the required nutritional needs through natural food sources, then you can take the help of supplements like recovery powder. They are a feasible and more convenient way of getting three different nutrients from a single source.
A recovery powder performs the following functions
Aids the recovery process
Recovery drinks speed up the recovery process by providing the body with the right amount of proteins and carbohydrates after the workout.
Your muscle fibres get damaged during exercise. It is because they are made to work harder than they are used to. Your body tends to heal the damaged muscle fibres through the recovery process.
Muscle fibres are made up of proteins so if you provide the body with proteins like whey protein, then the recovery process will speed up, and you will develop stronger and sturdier muscle fibres.
Many studies indicate that people who take high-protein drinks after exercise recover faster compared to those who do not take protein. Their natural protein synthesis process also speeds up. [1]
Reduces muscle soreness
Exercise has many health benefits, but it depletes the body of healthy nutrients and causes muscle damage. You feel muscle soreness after exercise because of the nutrient depletion and muscle damage.
Muscle soreness has a negative influence on your activity level and performance. So it is better to reduce it or recover from it faster. Studies show that taking recovery powders help people start rebuilding muscle protein and feel less muscle soreness after exercise. [1]
Increases muscle size and strength
Protein is required for natural muscle growth. Many weight lifters and athletes consume protein powders because they believe that these powders will help them to build muscles faster.
In a recent review of 49 studies, researchers found that taking protein supplements can help people who perform resistance exercises to develop muscle strength and muscle size. [2] This research also concluded that protein supplements had the same effects on both men and women.
Improves performance
During exercise, we spend a lot of energy; as a result, we experience energy depletion. This lack of energy may affect your performance and activity level.
Recovery powders provide carbohydrates that are involved in the energy production processes. Your body converts carbohydrates into glycogen molecules. These molecules are stored in the muscles and are converted to ATP molecules when your body needs energy.
So, restoring carbs means restoring energy levels which then improves overall performance.
Helps with the weight loss
Another worth mentioning benefit of recovery powders is their ability to help with weight loss. It is believed that taking high-protein foods make you feel fuller for a longer period. As a result, you consume less food and eventually lose weight.
In a 2017 review, researchers found out that taking high-protein foods reduced the body weight of overweight people, and it also helped them cut their total fat mass. [3] Experts believe that it may also help with blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Improves overall health
As recovery drink provides the right mix of carbs, proteins, and electrolytes, they help the body remove nutrient deficiencies, thus keeping the body in a better condition.
A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition concluded that athletes who took recovery drinks after workout sessions had a better immune system and visited doctors less than the athletes who did not take such drinks. [4]
It shows how taking recovery drinks can restore your body’s nutrient levels and help you improve your overall health.
Who needs recovery powder?
Recovery proteins are suitable for people who are more active than normal people. Examples of such people are athletes, weight lifters, etc.
People who are not as active as athletes can easily get their protein and carbs from their regular diet. However, athletes have a high demand for protein; therefore, it is important for their health to supplement the diet with recovery powders so that they can meet the increased protein demand.
Summing up
Recovery powders have the right proportion of the essential nutrients that your body needs after a strength training session. These nutrients boost the natural recovery process by helping you restore your nutrient levels. In addition, they are also involved in muscle building and body weight management processes. So, get your hands on the high-quality recovery powder and let your muscles recover fast!
References
- Effect of timing of whey protein supplement on muscle damage markers after eccentric exercise (nih.gov)
- A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults | British Journal of Sports Medicine (bmj.com)
- Whey Protein Supplementation Improves Body Composition and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Journal of the American College of Nutrition: Vol 37, No 1 (tandfonline.com)
- International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise | Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)
