Next match! Post-workout: are protein supplements the best strategy?

Browse the content:

• What happens to muscles after exercise?
• What is the role of protein in recovery?
• Protein quality and food matrix, the strength of the whole
• Recovery also depends on carbohydrates

The end of a workout or match marks the beginning of another important stage in physical performance: recovery. This is when the body begins repairing the muscle fibers subjected to effort, replenishing the energy stores used during exercise, and preparing for the next training session.

Although protein supplements are often associated with this moment, science shows that they represent only one of several possible strategies to support muscle recovery. Depending on training load, competition schedule, health conditions and practical difficulties in meeting nutritional needs, these products can serve a specific purpose.

However, their use is not automatically beneficial. When taken in excess, over a prolonged period or without individual assessment, supplementation may be unnecessary and can even pose risks.

A scientific review published in the journal ISRN Nutrition draws attention to the fact that excess protein is not used efficiently by the body and may place a metabolic burden on the kidneys and liver, as well as affect bone metabolism. The warning is especially relevant for healthy people who consume large amounts of protein or supplements without proven need or professional guidance.

Recovery, therefore, depends on a set of factors that includes proper nutrition, hydration, rest, activity intensity and an individualized definition of nutritional needs — not just the addition of a supplement after exercise.

This is the context in which the food first approach, presented in another scientific review published in 2025 in The Open Sports Sciences Journal, comes into play. The recommendation is that, whenever possible and practical, athletes should obtain the energy, fluids, and nutrients needed to support training and recovery from everyday foods and beverages.

That is because foods provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, carbohydrates and other functional compounds in combination, rather than in isolation. According to the authors, this interaction can produce positive effects on the gut microbiota, inflammatory processes, immune tolerance and protection of the nervous system.

Read also: From the world’s biggest football event to the table: what athletes’ nutrition teaches about protein and supplements 

What happens to muscles after exercise?

During physical activity, especially strength training, high-intensity running and intermittent sports such as football, the muscle undergoes a natural wear-and-tear process. Small tears in muscle fibers are part of the adaptation to training and prompt the body to repair these tissues, making them stronger over time.

At the same time, glycogen stores — the glucose reserves the body keeps mainly in the muscles and liver to use as an energy source — are also reduced, as they provide energy during exercise. The greater the intensity or duration of the activity, the greater this consumption tends to be.
In sports with high physical demands, replenishing energy stores becomes especially important when there is little time between one training session and the next. 

What is the role of protein in recovery?

Proteins provide amino acids, molecules the body uses to repair tissues and synthesize new muscle proteins. After exercise, this process, known as muscle protein synthesis, remains elevated for several hours, making the recovery period favorable for the intake of high-quality protein.

According to the position stand of the International Society of Sports Nutrition — ISSN, consuming approximately 20 to 40 grams of high-quality protein after exercise is usually enough to significantly stimulate muscle protein synthesis in most adults. This amount refers to a single eating occasion close to exercise, not the total daily protein recommendation. The most appropriate dose may vary according to factors such as age, individual characteristics, type of exercise and the number of muscle groups involved in training.

When looking at daily intake, the ISSN indicates a total intake of approximately 1.4 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for most physically active people. This second range corresponds to the sum of all protein consumed across different meals and foods throughout the day, not just the meal eaten after training. These references should be applied individually, taking into account each person’s profile, goals, health status and body characteristics.

For that reason, in addition to reaching an adequate daily amount, the ISSN position stand recommends distributing high-quality protein intake across different meals. This strategy provides amino acids to the body at different times of the day and promotes successive stimuli for muscle protein synthesis, rather than concentrating most of the intake in a single sitting.

Protein quality and food matrix, the strength of the whole

Protein quality also influences this process. Sources that provide all essential amino acids in adequate amounts and proportions, especially leucine, tend to stimulate muscle protein synthesis more efficiently. Leucine helps activate this process, but it must be accompanied by the other essential amino acids used to build new proteins.

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products are examples of foods that provide complete proteins and essential amino acids in significant amounts. The contribution of these foods, however, is not limited to isolated protein: their matrix brings together different nutrients and compounds that take part in energy metabolism, blood cell formation and tissue maintenance.

The scientific review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health highlights the contribution of meat to athletes’ diets both for providing complete proteins and for the presence of other nutrients and compounds related to performance and recovery. Among them are:

• Proteins and essential amino acids: take part in the maintenance, repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue.
• Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): are part of muscle proteins and participate in their synthesis.
• Creatine: takes part in the phosphocreatine system, which is responsible for the rapid supply of energy during short, intense efforts.
• Taurine: is related to the functioning of cells and muscles.
• L-carnitine: acts in the transport of fatty acids to cellular structures involved in energy production.
• B vitamins: take part in the reactions that allow the body to use nutrients to produce energy.
• Vitamin B12 and folate: contribute to blood cell formation, protein synthesis and tissue maintenance.
• Iron: is necessary for hemoglobin formation and for oxygen transport throughout the body.
• Coenzyme Q10: takes part in cellular energy production and acts in antioxidant protection.
• Glutathione: an antioxidant produced by the body that helps protect cells against oxidative damage.
• Alpha-lipoic acid: takes part in processes related to energy production and antioxidant defense.
• Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): a group of fatty acids found mainly in foods from ruminant animals.

These nutrients and compounds have been studied for their role in metabolism and for their possible antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions — that is, functions related to regulating the immune system’s response.

The presence of these substances in food, however, does not mean that a serving of meat necessarily produces the same effects observed in studies using isolated compounds or supplements in concentrated doses. The contribution highlighted by the authors lies mainly in the complexity of the food matrix: when consumed in appropriate portions, within a healthy and balanced diet, meat provides protein, micronutrients and functional compounds in combination.

Thus, muscle recovery does not depend only on consuming a specific amount of protein right after exercise. It is necessary to consider total intake throughout the day, its distribution across meals, the quality of food sources and how well they meet individual needs. These factors act together with energy and carbohydrate intake, hydration, rest and training planning.

Recovery also depends on carbohydrates

Although protein gets much of the attention when it comes to post-workout nutrition, it does not act alone. A review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that adequate carbohydrate replenishment speeds up the recovery of muscle glycogen, helping preserve performance in subsequent sessions.

The joint position statement of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine adds that the process is especially effective when the next training session is less than eight hours away.
This becomes particularly important in sports that involve frequent training sessions or matches on consecutive days. In such cases, combining carbohydrates and proteins can simultaneously support energy replenishment and muscle recovery processes.

Read also: What can football players’ diets teach you?

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Excerpt: After exercise, muscle recovery depends on protein, but also on the combination of nutrition, hydration and rest.
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