Protein Shake Before Bed - Good or Bad?

It is common knowledge that one should have protein drinks for muscle building, after working out, as it assists in muscle repair and muscle building. However, many people wonder, if they can drink protein shake before bedtime. Here, we have tried to answer this question.

A protein shake is a great way to bulk up your muscle mass without piling up on fat. Its use for weight loss is also very common. These shakes provide you with the required nutrition without adding much fat or carbs to your body weight.

If you drink them for a weight loss or body building, then chances are that you might also be following a special protein shake diet. This diet is formulated in such a way that it satisfies your daily calorie requirement, when combined with a glass of protein drink. In that case, drink a shake that releases only a specific amount of calories.

Drinking the shake after working out helps, because muscle repair essentially takes place when your body is at rest. Proteins in the drink assist the body in building muscle. Similarly, drinking protein shake before bedtime should also help, as maximum muscle building takes place at night when your body is completely at rest.

Proteins provide your body with steady energy required for muscle building. As protein shakes contain very few fats or carbs, you are not at the risk of putting on weight. Thus, even in the absence of any exercise or workout, your body can properly utilize the calories provided by a protein shake.

Now that you know there is no harm in having a protein drink before you go to bed, you can surely go ahead with this routine. However, the big hitch is, which protein shake to choose? Whey protein might be your usual choice for the shake. However, drinking whey protein shakes at night may not be a good idea, as whey is a fast calorie releasing protein.

It gets absorbed within 30 to 60 minutes. At night, you need something that should keep you full for hours. This makes you least likely to munch on something unhealthy. A fast acting protein like whey makes you hungry sooner than you think. In that case, a steady calorie-releasing protein like casein can be extremely helpful.

Casein takes longer to get digested, thereby you feel full for several hours. Cottage cheese and yogurt are other proteins that are slow releasing. Thus, you can choose any of these as your last meal of the day.

Similarly, how you drink your shake also matters a lot. Most people either drink it with water or milk. Although skim milk is low in fat, the sugar content in it can still be a problem, if you are aiming at weight loss.

Those who intend to lose weight, often control their fat calories, however, they may not notice that major chunk of calories could be coming from the sugar in milk. In that case, water could be your safer option. Find out what shakes taste best with water, and go for them, if you plan to drink at night.

Thus, you can surely go for a protein drink before sleeping, provided you choose the right proteins. However, do not forget to make necessary changes to your last meal, so that you balance out the calories for the day.