The Anabolic Window And Post-Exercise Nutrition
If you don’t get that post-workout shake in within 30 minutes of completing your exercise, then you’re going to lose benefit from the work you just did. Sound familiar? So our body just comes to a complete halt at 30 minutes? “Nope, we’re done working you missed the Anabolic Window.” Lol, right.
Now, the anabolic window is a real thing, but it’s not as short as 30 minutes. In fact, muscle protein synthesis post-exercise is elevated by 50% 4 hours after, and as much as 109% 24 hours afterwards. Muscle protein synthesis starts to return to base- line around 36 hours post-exercise (1). This to say, muscle is not going to fall off if you wait until you get home to get your shake and/or meal. I’m always a big advocate of meals containing whole foods, but there are times to utilize shakes as well. So if you struggle getting all your macros in or are on the go a lot, a shake is a good idea to have when you finish you workout.
Aside from being concerned with protein synthesis, your post-workout nutrition is also vital so that you can properly calm down your Central Nervous System (CNS). When you’re going through intense exercise, the body releases a hormone called Cor- tisol which triggers your stress or ‘fight or flight’ response. This hormone is good when we need it, but nowadays people live in this constant state of fight or flight. It is also a catabolic hormone. Stress at work, hard stressful workout, stress with life, the list goes on. The goal is to calm yourself down after being in a higher Cortisol level, and we can use food as one way to do so.
After a bout of intense exercise, the two most important things you need to give yourself are protein and carbs. Your body has expended its muscle glycogen, and the combination of both protein and carbohydrates has been proven to have the fastest rate of muscle glycogen storage (3). And since muscle is insulin sensitive post-exercise, and insulin counteracts cortisol, you want to spike insulin levels so that it will bring cortisol levels down (4,5,6). You don’t want to stay in the high Cortisol state all day, so having your shake/meal with carbs included will help lower Cortisol and calm down the CNS so that your body can start to ‘rest and digest.’
If you’re working out once a day, then getting your post-workout nutrition in within a few hours will be just fine. There are some studies to suggest the earlier the better, but as a general rule, within 1-2 hours you should be ok. If you’re a high level athlete where you’re recruiting the same muscle groups every day, if not 2-3 times per day, then speed is king and you need to get that shake in before you start your next bout of activity.
For example, if you’re a fighter where you’re training multiple times per day (weights, spar- ring, skill work) then you need to get your protein
and carbs in immediately when you finish, before you start your next session. Your body needs to recover as quickly as possible so you can continue performing. In this particular example, the CNS is going to be in that fight or flight state a few different times throughout the day, and maybe for a few hours on end. Different scenario as that fighter needs to be there, but also going for optimization rather than adaptation.
Below is a solid go-to of mine. The supplements aren’t necessary for everyone, and am using per my own goals. But I hope this provides a starting point or some ideas to add to your own regimen. Shakes can be particularly useful on busy days where you’re on-the-go all day.
Shake Recipe:
1/2 cup ice
1 handful of spinach
2 cups almond milk (can use dairy, coconut, cashew milk) 1/3 cup frozen blueberries
2 scoops Arbonne chocolate protein powder
1 scoop Ancient Nutrition Collagen Powder
1 scoop Muscle Feast highly branched cyclic dextrin
1 scoop Muscle Feast creatine
2 tbsp PB Fit Powder
This shake provides a quality source of proteins, carbs, fats, and leafy greens. It tastes like a chocolate peanut butter smoothie, but with a whole lot of extra goodness for your body. This can be utilized however you need it, from breakfast to post-work- out.
Overall, just be sure to have a well balanced diet majority of the time. Live your life and have fun times out with friends, fun food and drinks, and feed the soul. But try to have a whole foods diet with quality protein, veggies, some fruit, optimal carb sources. I try to live 80% pretty clean and on point, and the rest is just living my life. I don’t feel left out or anything in that sense, and am able to say ‘no’ to the things that I’m not exactly thrilled about. Pick and choose your battles, and stay active.
As is the answer with just about every single nutrition question...IT DEPENDS.
1. MacDougall, J D, et al. “The Time Course for Elevated Muscle Protein Syn- thesis Following Heavy Resistance Exercise.” Canadian Journal of Applied Physiol- ogy = Revue Canadienne De Physiologie Appliquee, U.S. National Library of Medi- cine, Dec. 1995, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8563679.
2. McGuigan, Michael R, et al. “Salivary Cortisol Responses and Perceived Ex- ertion during High Intensity and Low Intensity Bouts of Resistance Exercise.” Jour- nal of Sports Science & Medicine, Asist Group, 1 Mar. 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.ni- h.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3896117/.
3. Zawadzki, K M, et al. “Carbohydrate-Protein Complex Increases the Rate of Muscle Glycogen Storage after Exercise.” Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda,
3
Md. : 1985), U.S. National Library of Medicine, May 1992, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pubmed/1601794.
4. Levenhagen, D K, et al. “Postexercise Nutrient Intake Timing in Humans Is Critical to Recovery of Leg Glucose and Protein Homeostasis.” American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism, U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2001, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11350780.
5. Goodyear, L J, et al. “Exercise-Induced Translocation of Skeletal Muscle Glucose Transporters.” The American Journal of Physiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 1991, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1662910.
6. Asp, S, et al. “Eccentric Exercise Decreases Glucose Transporter GLUT4 Protein in Human Skeletal Muscle.” The Journal of Physiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Feb. 1995, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1157795/.