8 Supplements You Need to Maximize Post-Workout Recovery
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Have you ever walked into a supplement shop like GNC and wondered exactly which supplement brands were right for you? Whether you were looking for the best supplements for muscle gain or instead looking to focus on weight loss, the choices can be endless and, frankly, intimidating. We understand the challenge of finding high-quality, clean post-workout supplements and we’ve put together the essential guide for beginners on the supplements you need to maximize your post-workout recovery.
Our Supplement Picks To Maximize Recovery
Get Yourself a Good Quality Protein
Regardless of what kind of athlete you are, there’s been some well-documented research on the effects of protein immediately following a workout, especially for muscle building exercise, like strength training. Consuming protein (along with a carbohydrate) following your workout is beneficial to enhance glycogen repletion, as well as limiting any post-exercise muscle damage and helping to initiate muscle repair! For women, this is approximately 15-20g (depending on body weight) and for men, closer to (20-30g). This works out perfectly to make most protein supplements the best choice for a post workout drink, as they can be easily scooped into water or made into a smoothie for a homemade recovery drink.
Protein Powder Basics
Ultimately, the kind of protein that you use is personal to you. If you are vegan or vegetarian, you may want to choose a pea protein, such as Naked Nutrition’s, as it has no animal ingredients or by-products.
Most importantly, when choosing a protein powder, it’s important to make sure that the protein is coming from a clean source. Many proteins can be infused with artificial flavorings, sweeteners and food coloring—all of which you do not need.
Both casein and whey proteins are derived from milk products. Casein is ideal for preventing muscle protein breakdown (as after a hard workout) and digests much slower than whey, which makes it perfect for a pre-bedtime snack. Since why protein digests much quicker than casein and is used for protein synthesis and growth, it the best option for a post-workout drink. If no sensitivity to milk is present, you can use both proteins in unison to meet your needs.
One of the cleanest sources of protein is collagen and can be used pre- or post-workout. Made from animal proteins, collagen is not vegan or vegetarian-friendly, but is a great protein source for those concerned about hair, skin, and joint health.
Vitamin C & Vitamin D
While most people immediately think of Vitamin C when they get sick, they likely forget about it for post-exercise recovery. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, and is vital for many physiologic functions, as well as the well-known immune boost. Humans cannot synthesize Vitamin C on our own and that’s why it must be found in our diet. Vitamin C’s antioxidant qualities are important as it serves as a scavenger for muscle-damaging free radicals. Appropriate supplementation with Vitamin C has been shown to decrease DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) and exercise-induced cellular damage, making it one of the best post-workout supplement for soreness. It’s important to note, however, that more is not better, and supplementing over the recommended daily allowance (RDA) could have the opposite, unwanted effect.
Vitamin C gets all the accolades for helping you when you’re sick, but supplementation with Vitamin D is just as important. Most people think that we might get enough Vitamin D from the sun living in Austin, but you might be surprised to know that that is not the case! Vitamin D is crucial maintaining a healthy immune system and healthy bones, by promoting the uptake of calcium. Even though endurance running is a weight-bearing exercise, and therefore, great for building strong bones, the additional supplementation of Vitamin D helps to keep those bones strong and intact.
B-Complex
B-vitamins are water-soluable, which means that your body doesn’t store them. Therefore, we have to get them daily in your diet. This isn’t to say that most people don’t, but the B-Complex vitamin puts all of the B vitamins into one convenient package. Many of the B vitamins are important to your metabolism, specifically converting nutrients into energy, something that is key to endurance athlete! Some of these vitamins, such as B-12, cannot be obtained outside of animal sources, such as meat and eggs.
Magnesium Glycinate
We really started taking magnesium when I started ramping up my marathon training last spring. Magnesium is an incredibly important electrolyte in your body and responsible for the normal functioning of cells, nerves, muscles, and bones. Magnesium is also vital for the conversion of glycogen to glucose, which is our main fuel during endurance exercise. Without sufficient amounts, the body experiences a buildup of lactic acid and muscle soreness. For those that experience cramping and restless legs at night frequently, magnesium may help.
We would suggest supplementing with magnesium glycinate over the more common, citrate, since it is more readily bioavailable. This means that your body absorbs it easier and it also has less chance of causing gastrointestinal side effects, such as diarrhea.
Magnesium glycinate is also an incredible sleep aid, as it helps reduce stress, anxiety and promote restfulness at night. I usually take the supplement about 30-40 minutes before bed and it allows me to fall asleep quickly, stay asleep, and wake up without feeling groggy.
Omega 3 - Fish Oil
When looking at athletes, fish oil supplementation can help with: inflammation response, tissue repair, and post-exercise soreness. This ability to decrease inflammation may lead to mitigating tissue loss during strenuous training. The current recommended daily dose is 3000mg of DHA/EPA omega-3 and seems to be all that is required to see the benefits. Most importantly, when selecting a fish oil supplement, is making sure that the supplement is fresh, molecularly distilled and pure (to prevent the lowest amount of heavy metals), and supported by a third-party testing.
Turmeric
Turmeric, and more specifically, the chemical curcumin, is a powerful anti-inflammatory. While it sounds like I’m against inflammation, a very small amount is actually beneficial towards healing and repair after a large physical effort. However, chronic inflammation can be extremely detrimental. And, like Vitamin C, turmeric is a powerful antioxidant to protect against free radicals in the body, making it one of the best natural recovery supplements for runners. Turmeric has also been shown to have a positive effect on brain function and a decrease in heart disease.
One last thought…
CBD oil
Due to its relative newness to the supplement market, many people have a tendency to mistakenly believe that CBD is a “legal” way to get high from marijuana or cannabis, but there is some very interesting new research that shows that CBD oil helps aid in inflammation, reduces stress and anxiety, and promotes sleep-cycle regularity.
The important thing to look for when looking for a CBD oil supplement is the amount of THC. While you are unable to get “high” from CBD supplementation, a concentration of <0.3% THC is ideally recommended for those concerned about blood testing at their job. A good quality CBD oil should be able to tell you exactly how much THC is in their supplement. If they can’t, we suggest you find another.