Last Updated On January 1, 2026
Drinking a protein shake is a popular method that I use to support muscle repair and build muscle when weight training. One of the great debates about protein shakes is, does the timing make a difference? And if so, how significant is it?
As a personal trainer and someone who consumes protein shakes on a daily basis (plus advises clients on optimizing nutrition), I've got all the facts and advice for you below, including what I do myself.
When To Drink Protein Shakes: Before Or After Workout?
The answer to whether you should have protein before workout or right after workout is, unfortunately, a bit subjective. There are benefits and drawbacks to both methods.
Over the past couple of decades, nutrient timing has been the subject of numerous research studies and reviews[1][2][3][4][5], which I'll touch on more shortly. Nutrient timing refers to the time food is consumed in order to support certain body composition goals and sports performance.
Protein is an essential macronutrient needed by the human body for growth and maintenance. Therefore, when we put the body under training stress, it is absolutely critical to ensure you are consuming enough protein, but is there an optimal time to consume protein?
The post-exercise period is often considered the most crucial part of nutrient timing, known as the ‘anabolic window of opportunity.’ The concept of the anabolic window is that there is a brief window post-exercise sweat sesh where muscle gain is maximized by consuming protein.
The logic behind the anabolic window is that your muscle fibers have been damaged after lifting weights, and glycogen stores are depleted.
By consuming protein and quick-release carbs, you can prevent a muscle breakdown state, and the body can start to repair and construct new lean mass. This window has been proven to be longer than initially thought, and more on this soon.
There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that post-workout nutrition raises muscle protein synthesis. There is, however, evidence to suggest that it can be beneficial for muscle breakdown to consume protein post-workout if you train in a fasted state.[6]
Whey protein is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids, including the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Taking whey protein powder provides the amino acids your body needs for enhancing muscle protein synthesis and promoting muscle growth.
Whey protein before or after a workout is dependent on your goals, lifestyle, and personal preferences.
Protein Shakes Before Your Workout
Most people associate consuming protein powder after a workout (including me), but there are benefits to consuming a shake before your workout. The best time to consume a pre-workout shake is about 30 minutes before you train, but it could also be taken as little as 15 minutes if it doesn't make you feel full.
Pros
Cons
Protein Shakes After Your Workout
Consuming a shake after your workout is considered the gold standard when it comes to optimal nutrition for performance.
Post-workout protein consumption can be taken right after your workout so you don’t forget. However, this isn't necessarily required as previously thought.
The anabolic window during which muscle tissue starts to repair after being broken down by exercise is longer, lasting up to 6 hours as opposed to the 30-minute window.
Research shows that if your goal is to gain muscle, then drinking a protein shake after a workout might be important if your last meal was 4-6 hours before your workout.[8] Post-workout meals are very dependent on your schedule and goals.
For myself, I much prefer taking protein after my workout, and I do this within 1 hour of finishing a workout. I fuel beforehand with carbs and creatine and then focus on protein afterwards. I have found that this works very well for my personal preferences, training goals, and schedule.
Pros
Cons
There are no cons to having a shake right after workouts, and the general consensus is that post-workout protein intake will help start the recovery process. They are particularly beneficial if you find you don’t have an appetite after strenuous exercise.
The type of protein powder you consume post-training is a consideration too. Choose proteins from milk, such as whey, casein protein, and milk protein concentrate, and isolate over other proteins on the market because they're high-quality.
How Much Protein Do You Need
The consumption of daily protein targets depends on your body weight and your health and fitness goals. Protein is one of the most important macronutrients to support both muscle mass and weight loss goals.
When providing my clients with their macro targets, I will always first work out how much protein they need along with a calorie target.
I don’t work out percentages, rather I go by specific ranges as highlighted by the literature.[10]
Using percentages can be skewed due to differences in energy expenditure. We know that someone who wants to gain muscle should be within the range of 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. I think using this range rather than ratios is much more effective and accurate.
Overall, your total protein intake is more important than the timing of a protein shake. Protein consumption is measured by grams of protein times your body weight.
The average person who wants to support their overall health should be consuming between 0.8-1 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.36 grams per lb).
Professional athletes need more protein, with recommendations being 1.4-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to support the higher demands of exercise on the body (0.5-0.9 grams per lb).
If You Want To Be Building Muscle
If muscle building and muscle strength are your goals, protein supplementation will support these goals by getting in more protein, which we know is the building block for muscles.
If your goal for muscle gain, it is recommended to consume 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
If You Want To Lose Weight
Protein is an important macronutrient to support weight loss goals; however, the most important factor for fat loss is a calorie deficit.
To lose weight, you should consume enough protein to keep you satiated and fuller for longer, be in a calorie deficit, and exercise regularly. If you want to lose fat and grow lean muscle, you should focus on a higher protein intake, aiming for the range of 1.5-2.4 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.
If You Want To Gain Weight
Protein powders are a great way to get in more protein for weight gain goals. The recommendation, if you want to gain weight, is 1.6-2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, and ensure you are eating in a calorie surplus.
Meeting Your Daily Protein Intake With Protein Shakes
The most important factors for muscle growth, repair, and recovery are sufficient daily protein intake and consuming quality protein sources that contain a high proportion of essential amino acids.
A 2014 study shows that muscle protein synthesis increases when you confirm a moderate amount of protein spread throughout the day as opposed to consuming the daily recommended amount in one meal, such as dinner.[11] Therefore exact timing is less important than meeting the recommended daily protein intake.
Protein shakes are an easy and convenient way to get more protein in your diet throughout the day that can be consumed between meals.
Are High-Protein Diets Safe?
There are mixed expert opinions regarding the effects of high-protein diets, but it is believed that too much protein in the long term is not good.
Those who have a high-protein diet have a higher risk of kidney stones. Moreover, a high protein diet contains more red meat; therefore, people consume more saturated fat, which might lead to a higher risk of heart disease and colon cancer.[12]
Research shows that extra protein is not used efficiently by the body and could cause a metabolic burden on the bones, liver, and kidneys. Guidelines for diet should adhere to what has been clinically proven.[13]
Protein Shake Before Or After Workout Questions
The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommendation is for each person to decide on the best time to consume protein before or after a workout based on their tolerances and goals.[14]
If you train fasted, then post-workout protein is more important than if you eat before training. I always remind my clients that meeting total daily protein intake based on your body weight and activity is more important than protein on either side of a workout.
Yes, you can drink a protein shake on an empty stomach unless you experience any adverse effects, such as an upset stomach or nausea. Sometimes discovering that you have a sensitive stomach is a bit of trial and error.
I advise my clients to consume a protein shake if they train early in the morning to provide energy for their workout and to recover better. Those who are particularly against eating in the morning find that a protein shake can be easily consumed.
I get asked this question on an almost daily basis, and people often think they shouldn't be drinking protein on days they don't train. Still, there are no adverse effects for doing so. You just need to make sure you're keeping within your daily targets and calorie intake to suit your goals.
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to drinking a protein shake every day. I tell my clients if they're not quite meeting their daily protein goals, then a protein shake is an easy way to increase their overall protein intake.
I also recommend clients have a protein shake as a snack to keep them fuller, especially if they have weight loss goals.
So, When Is The Best Time?
Research suggests there is evidence that consuming protein pre-and/or post-workout induces a significant rise in muscle protein synthesis. Still, there is little difference between consuming before or after workouts. Protein timing around workouts is dependent on your fitness goals and your tolerances.[15]
The primary focus should be getting in adequate protein intake throughout the day, but if you want to take it a step further, timing your protein shake may support muscle growth.
References:
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1559827613502444?journalCode=ajla
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/7/1948
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3577439/
- https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP280756#support-information-section
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292612885_Nutrient_Timing
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/1550-2783-10-5
- https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7793.2000.00271.x
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3577439/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299122130143?via%3Dihub
- https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/6/376
- https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/144/6/876/4589937
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/when-it-comes-to-protein-how-much-is-too-much
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/when-it-comes-to-protein-how-much-is-too-much
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6142015/
Last Updated on January 1, 2026
