Protein powders and whey have become so popular that they have become an integral part of certain sporting activities.
In particular, bodybuilding and supplementation go hand in hand, proving that athletes no longer doubt the beneficial effects of these dietary supplements. However, while their effectiveness may seem certain, many consumers are unaware of how long it takes for whey to take effect.
Although this product is easily assimilated by the body, it' s difficult for us to say precisely when the expected beneficial effects will appear. In fact, this depends on training, diet and individual metabolic characteristics.
Whey and protein powders optimize physiological adaptation to exercise. Mass gain and endurance gains will only be observed over the medium/long term, with perseverance.
In the short term, consuming whey will reduce muscle aches and pains felt after a training session or major event. In addition, these supplements need to be consumed under the right conditions to benefit from their positive effects.
Good to know: Whey starts to be assimilated between 15 and 25 minutes after ingestion. Allow between 6 and 12 weeks to see real physical changes from regular whey consumption, coupled with an appropriate sports program.
Consumers need to look at their diet as a whole before dosing their whey. They also need to learn how to prepare their whey shaker properly. We tell you all about it in the following lines.
What effect does whey have on the body?
Whey has been the subject of numerous studies which have highlighted its effects on the body. This product, and proteins in general, enable the body to adapt better to physical effort.
The amino acids they contain provide the means to effectively strengthen or resynthesize muscle fibers. Depending on the type of exercise, whey can be used to build muscle or increase endurance.
It should be stressed from the outset that supplementation only makes sense in the context of exercise. Without physical exercise, the body will not use the precious amino acids provided by whey.
Exercise is an essential stimulus for mass gain and muscle building. Protein powders and whey are therefore neither directly anabolic nor doping substances.
Whey is not a "drug" or a cocktail of chemicals that builds muscle. Consumers need to train to reap its benefits, and consuming whey is not necessarily compulsory to build muscle. So why consume it at all?
This supplement optimizes your training results and accelerates your progress. It also reduces the risk of injury and promotes well-being. Adequate protein intake reduces muscle damage caused by exercise.
When can the effects of whey be observed?
Whey is a rapidly assimilated protein powder. It "acts" directly after ingestion. The body rapidly assimilates amino acids and BCAAs and uses them according to the situation.
If you consume your shaker after training, supplementation reduces the metabolic stress to which the body is subjected. The body will then use the protein to rebuild damaged muscles or synthesize new muscle fibres.
None of this is immediately perceptible to the athlete. For most of us, whey takes effect when we start to gain muscle mass. Unfortunately, it' s difficult to give a precise timeframe before a change in physiognomy is felt.
Many factors need to be taken into account, including your training program, your diet, your lifestyle and your body type.
Some people respond much better to supplementation than others. For example, choosing the right whey for an ectomorph is a very important step. In any case, mass gain and endurance gains are observed over the medium/long term.
Your body will also "get used to" consuming protein powder. It will learn to use the resources at its disposal more efficiently to strengthen your muscles. It's clear, then, that whey potentiates the results of your workouts.
On the other hand, the effects of whey on recovery will quickly become apparent. A person who has just started supplementation will notice, for example, that they have fewer aches and pains.
By satisfying their protein requirements, sportsmen and women reduce the muscle damage that occurs after training.
What's more, we accelerate the repair of these same lesions and the physiological adaptations sought (larger, more powerful fibers), so you can recover more quickly from each sports session. A real asset for any athlete!
How to hang whey?
Whey consumption will only produce the desired effects if it takes place under the right conditions. Sportsmen and women should therefore consider the dosage of whey and the number of shakers to be consumed daily.
To dose your whey, you need to take a close look at your diet. Supplementation will supplement your protein requirements. To do this, you need to estimate the quantity of protein provided by your daily meals and know the ideal protein intake, according to the sport you practice and your objective.
For the first point, you can seek advice from a dietician. For the second point,sportsmen and women should consume around 1.3 to 1.6 g/kg/d of protein to prevent any deficiency. If you're a body-builder, 2 g/kg/d would be ideal for a period of mass gain.
For precise dosing, we calculate the protein intake we are aiming for, from which we subtract the quantity of protein supplied by the diet.
For example, if you weigh 60 kg and are a bodybuilder, you would need 120 g (60 x 2 g/kg/d) of protein per day in a period of mass gain.
Let's imagine that your meals already provide you with 84 g of protein on a daily basis, you still need to make up the missing 36 g. You would therefore need to consume around 40 g of whey protein, taking into account the pure protein content of finished products.
This method is only valid if you are looking to build muscle mass.
If the aim is solely tospeed up recovery, a post-training shaker will suffice. In the latter case, whey will tend to be consumed only on training days.
Please note: we strongly advise you to review your diet as a whole before starting supplementation. Otherwise, whey shakes may constitute an excess that will encourage weight gain in fat mass. Lack of physical activity, and therefore low calorie expenditure, can lead directly to overweight. This is why we sometimes read or hear - wrongly of course - that whey is fattening.
The number of shakers you need to prepare daily will ultimately depend on the amount of whey you need to consume. The body cannot properly assimilate more than thirty grams of protein in a single intake.
This quantity is equivalent to about one shaker. As soon as you need to consume more than 30 g of protein, you need to plan more than one intake, at least two hours apart.
You should also learn how to prepare a whey shaker. It's not just a matter of putting this protein powder into solution. The mixture must also contain carbohydrates to replenish glycogen. Adding a source of carbohydrates will produce an isotonic drink that's good for rehydration and better tolerated by the body.
Lastly, the water or liquid you choose must also be well dosed (total volume of 200 to 300 ml). A shaker suitable for bodybuilding generally contains 25g of protein, 10/15g of carbohydrates, and the rest in natural ingredients of your choice.
It should be noted that, depending on individual metabolisms and objectives, such as mass gain, carbohydrate quantities can vary considerably.
How to choose a quality whey?
Not all whey brands are created equal. That's why consumers sometimes complain of certain undesirable effects. Like casein, whey is a dietary supplement made from filtered, dehydrated milk. Its origin is therefore a priori natural, with no particular chemical treatment.
It consists mainly of whey protein, and technically there's nominimum age for taking whey, although we do recommend its regular use in children up to the end of puberty.
Consuming whey is therefore equivalent to drinking whey, an isolated fraction of cow's milk. How, then, can we explain the adverse effects reported by some athletes?
The bloating and other gastrointestinal concerns associated with whey are in fact, most of the time, caused by additives. These substances, with no nutritional value whatsoever, are used to improve the taste, texture or general appearance of the product.
Nevertheless, they are not always well tolerated by the body. What's more, they have an impact on the consumer's health when consumed over the long term.
In this context, an additive-free whey is, without doubt, the best supplement you can dream of. Before choosing a brand, check the list of ingredients and make sure the product contains no additives.
Sweeteners such as sucralose or aspartame, as well as lecithins, are very common additives in whey.
How long does it take to digest whey?
Whey takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours to digest. The speed of digestion depends on a number of factors:
- the quantity consumed ;
- the presence of other foods in the stomach and the contents of the shaker;
- individual sensitivity.
Whey is rapidly absorbed by the body, as it is made up of peptides and short-chain amino acids. These elements are easily broken down by digestive enzymes, enabling rapid and efficient absorption.
The speed at which whey is digested can also vary according to the type of product. For example, whey concentrate is digested faster than whey isolate, which is purer and contains less fat and carbohydrates. In addition, combining whey with other foods or proteins can slow down digestion.
Conclusion
Choosing a good quality whey protein will help you make rapid progress. This way, supplementation won't be interrupted, and won't harm your health in the long term.
When consumed over the long term, the effects of whey will be particularly noticeable. Of course, even with an excellent whey supplement, you mustn't forget that physical activity and sport are at the heart of your progress.
