5 supplements to boost post-workout recovery
The physical demands that hard exercise and intense training impose on your body require the right combination of nutrients to support the post-workout recovery process, with well-formulated supplements offering an edge due to their convenience and enhanced bioavailability.
These products are designed to deliver exactly what your body needs at exactly the right time, in the most efficacious doses, and the ideal form to have the biggest impact on muscle repair, recovery and growth.
Protein powders
The physiological importance of protein for recovery, repair and muscle growth means it’s vital that anyone who trains hard in the gym consumes a highly bioavailable and complete protein source after a workout.
Whey protein remains the gold standard for muscle recovery, offering the highest bioavailability and a complete amino acid.
These characteristics mean that gulping down a serving of Primal Whey Protein after training delivers the nutrients your muscles need to kickstart the recovery and repair process, shifting your body into an anabolic state.
With a triple-action blend of whey protein isolate, concentrate and hydrolysate, and high levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), drinking a Primal Whey Protein shake within 90-120 minutes after exercise supports muscle growth and recovery.
This period is generally known as the “anabolic window” because muscle cells are most receptive to amino acids and glucose due to the heightened insulin sensitivity that follows exercise, which improves nutrient absorption.
This is why it is important to get some protein along with some carbohydrates soon after a training session to ensure glycogen and amino acids can get to muscle cells to support growth, repair and recovery.
For those who prefer to limit their dairy intake or suffer from lactose intolerance, other protein supplements offer a suitable alternative.
Primal Egg Protein Powder is an animal-derived, dairy-free protein supplement with a similar biological value to whey, and a complete amino acid profile, including the nine essential amino acids (EAA) that your body can’t produce on its own.
For anyone looking to eliminate animal-based protein from their diet, Primal Plant Protein offers a suitable option. It contains a blend of pea protein isolate, rice protein concentrate, pumpkin seed protein, and chickpea protein to deliver a complete amino acid profile.
Creatine
Creatine is the most studied ergogenic (performance-enhancing) supplement on earth and the evidence supporting its efficacy and effectiveness is overwhelming.
While creatine is known for its ability to promote anaerobic strength and boost power output, extending time to muscular failure, it also aids lean muscle gains and is essential for post-workout recovery.
Research¹ shows that creatine can deliver a greater muscle-sparing effect than whey protein through its myoprotective potential.
Based on the study findings, the researchers concluded that: “Creatine supplementation appears to offer an element of myoprotection which was not observed following whey protein supplementation”.
These findings suggest that a creatine supplement like Primal Creatine 5000 reduces the extent of muscle damage and enhances the growth of the regenerating fibres to boost post-workout recovery.
L-Glutamine
Glutamine plays a role in protein synthesis, serving as an important building block for muscle and other protein structures in the body, which is crucial for muscle repair, recovery and growth.
When muscle glutamine levels fall, muscle cell volume can decrease, resulting in muscle breakdown (catabolism) and a potential loss in strength.
As such, research² suggests that glutamine levels may indicate overtraining. In other words,llifters who are overtrained generally have low levels of glutamine and high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Increasing your glutamine intake in these instances may directly prevent the cortisol-induced breakdown of muscle proteins.
With the need to supply additional glutamine during periods of higher demand following intense or hard training, supplementing with a product like Primal L-Glutamine 5000 may help prevent declining levels in muscle tissue to support your performance.
An L-glutamine supplement taken after exercise may also help reduce muscle breakdown and promote faster recovery after intense training. Beneficial times to supplement with glutamine to support recovery include before and after training, and before bed.
Testosterone booster
Testosterone is a potent anabolic hormone that plays a crucial role in muscle growth and development³.
By optimising testosterone levels with a natural testosterone booster like Primal Hyper Test, you can stimulate protein synthesis, which promotes the production of protein, the building blocks of muscle tissue. This increased protein synthesis helps muscles repair and grow after workouts.
Testosterone also stimulates muscle fibre growth, particularly the fast-twitch fibres responsible for strength and power.
Whether taken together as a post-workout supplement stack or individually, these products can support your recovery between training sessions to help you unleash your full potential in the gym and achieve the muscle growth and strength gains you’re after.
Casein
Casein is a milk-derived protein that breaks down and is absorbed more slowly than whey as it tends to clump in the digestive tract. This characteristic makes casein a popular product for use at night when a sustained release of amino acids can help support the muscle repair and growth processes that occur during sleep.
Primal Casein Protein is the ideal product to use at night to support muscle growth and recovery. The micellar casein included has the slowest rate of digestion and absorption among all protein supplements. Added L-glutamine supports muscle growth and accelerates recovery following intense training.
References:
- Cooke MB, Rybalka E, Stathis CG, Hayes A. Myoprotective Potential of Creatine Is Greater than Whey Protein after Chemically-Induced Damage in Rat Skeletal Muscle. Nutrients. 2018 Apr 30;10(5):553. doi: 10.3390/nu10050553. PMID: 29710855; PMCID: PMC5986433.
- la Torre ME, Monda A, Messina A, de Stefano MI, Monda V, Moscatelli F, Tafuri F, Saraiello E, Latino F, Monda M, et al. The Potential Role of Nutrition in Overtraining Syndrome: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2023; 15(23):4916. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15234916.
- Vingren JL, Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA, Anderson JM, Volek JS, Maresh CM. Testosterone physiology in resistance exercise and training: the up-stream regulatory elements. Sports Med. 2010 Dec 1;40(12):1037-53. doi: 10.2165/11536910-000000000-00000. PMID: 21058750.