Like all athletes, footballers can also use protein powders. In the world of soccer, as in other sporting disciplines, these products can help players optimize the results of their training sessions.
Soccer being a particularly endurance sport, with high-intensity action, taking this dietary supplement will be useful for strengthening muscles and improving muscle recovery. A soccer player therefore needs a substantial protein intake. Whey can provide the amino acids needed to rebuild muscles after a match or intense exercise. Similarly, to replenish energy and ultimately improve performance,carbohydrates should not be neglected.
Sportsmen and women must also assimilate sufficient carbohydrates to optimize their glycogen stores. For optimum physical preparation, players need to adapt their overall diet. Protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and water reserves can have a significant influence on performance during a match.
A nutrition plan is therefore just as useful as a training program. In a sport like soccer, dietary supplements like whey are the best way to meet muscle needs. Read on to find the most suitable whey for soccer.
Which protein powder should you choose for soccer?
Soccer is above all an endurance sport. Each match is a long-term physical effort punctuated by high-intensity action. In this sport, supplementation is not necessarily aimed at building muscle mass. The main aim is tohelp the body recover more quickly from traumas sustained during training or matches, and to optimize the beneficial effects of training.
Whey remains the best alternative for improving muscle recovery. This protein powder is still the best choice for post-exercise supplementation.
Thanks to its high bioavailability, this dietary supplement rapidly provides the body with the amino acids it needs to repair and then strengthen muscles. Its speed of assimilation and high protein purity also mean you can better control your diet by monitoring the calories you eat (if you need to, read our article on the lowest-calorie whey on the market).
Here, the degree of filtration of whey is less important than for a bodybuilding enthusiast. Whey concentrate, whey isolate and hydrolysed whey share this high bioavailability. The only difference between these products is their protein content per 100g. For a footballer, a whey ideally formulated from an isolate will be particularly suitable.
How should footballers take whey?
Each player's protein requirements depend on a number of factors, such as physiology, training frequency and position on the pitch. As a general rule, the aim is to optimize muscle recovery.
In these conditions, 20 to 25 grams of protein to be consumed after exercise is just what you need. Don't hesitate to consult our article on how to prepare your whey shaker and how to integrate it intelligently into your diet if this isn't already clear to you.
However, during the course of his career, a footballer will not necessarily or solely seek to speed up his recovery. They may be looking to build muscle, lose weight or prepare for tougher, more intense training sessions. The amount of whey to consume may therefore vary. In such cases, thesupport of a dietician will be extremely useful. Protein and other macronutrient requirements will be calibrated and adapted for each player and situation.
If you're looking to improve your recovery, protein alone won't necessarily help you regain your strength. Carbohydrates will also be very useful. After all, it's not just a question of repairing the muscle damage caused by training or a match as quickly as possible. Athletes also need to replenish their glycogen reserves.
Good to know: glycogen is a form of glucose stored in the muscles and liver. This substance is burned by the body to produce energy during physical effort. Intense fatigue occurs when glycogen stores are depleted. So, not only do you need to replenish your glycogen reserves after a match, you also need to prepare them in advance!
The post-match or post-workout whey shaker should therefore be mixed with a carbohydrate source. Properly dosed, this mixture will produce an isotonic drink that will be assimilated much more quickly by the body. The shaker will also rehydrate the body. The 3Rs (Recover, Re-fuel, Rehydrate) of recovery.
Good hydration is just as important as adequate protein and carbohydrate intake. Researchers estimate thata 2% loss of water reduces physical performance by 20%! Whether in a match, training or working out, it's in the athlete's interest to hydrate properly before, during and after exercise.
After a match or training session, 1.5 L or 2 L of water a day just isn't enough. Intense hydration is required. It's hard to say how much water to drink, however, as it will depend on the weather, the effort involved and the athlete's state of training.
Which whey to choose?
Although many brands present their whey as THE solution, it's important to remain vigilant about the composition of these dietary supplements. Many products on the market are loaded with additives. Substances that are potentially harmful to footballers' health.
These additives are partly linked to contamination with undesirable products, such as heavy metals, but also with doping products, such as steroids. Unfortunately, some protein powders can expose athletes to doping substances. In the professional circuit, such supplements can expose the athlete to serious health complications, and ruin an entire career.
In this context, it's best to choose a whey with no additives, and certified anti-doping. Particular attention should be paid to the absence of sweeteners and lecithins. These compounds, which add a sweet taste to a sugar-free whey, can ultimately habituate you to excessively sweet flavors and raise your sugar sensitivity threshold. This, in turn, will encourage you to eat sweeter foods, and thus promote weight gain.
In addition, these synthetic compounds are implicated in the development of metabolic and microbiota diseases. Lecithins, on the other hand, have been implicated in inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract.
Before continuing with this article, we'd like you to take a look at our wholegrain cane sugar whey, with no additives or sweeteners. Our products are already used by several top sports teams in soccer, rugby, cycling, badminton...! Why not join the movement?
These are just some of the reasons why you should choose the most natural whey possible. We cover the rest in our article on why choose a whey without additives or sweeteners.
To leave nothing to chance, opt for an additive-free whey produced in France. A dietary supplement produced in France undergoes far more stringent quality controls.
The classic range from Protéalpes meets all the above requirements. Take a look at these products to get an idea of the type of whey to choose for soccer or any other sport, whether endurance or strength training.
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