What are the benefits of protein powder for cycling recovery?
Protein has a range of important functions in our body. It’s an important nutrient that supports our health, creates a stable immune system, and helps us to maximise our physical performance.
That’s why for cyclists, managing protein-intake needs to be as simple as riding a bike! That’s where protein powders fit in as this article will reveal.
If you’re a cyclist, then your body needs protein to aid recovery and to help your body to adapt to the training demands that you place on it.
Protein is particularly important during recovery. It prevents muscle from entering a catabolic state and promotes muscle repair. Over time, the right intake of protein can help to support your overall muscle strength and the optimal body composition for your activity.
Cyclists need more protein than inactive people
If you’re serious about your cycling then you need to look after your body. Cycling is an endurance sport. It places extra stress on muscle and tendon tissue and if you’re out on a long cycle ride, your body will be working extremely hard to keep performing at an optimal level. When your activity is over, your body then needs to work hard to repair any damage done by the activity you’ve just completed.
Why is protein so important?
Protein is integral to that repair and recovery.
In order to maintain the function and integrity of protein structures in tendons and muscles, you need to ensure that you have an adequate intake of dietary proteins.
Dietary protein, either from food or supplements, provides the essential amino acids that are the building blocks needed to help you recover from exercise.
If exercise is intense and prolonged, the body may start to break down muscle and body proteins into amino acid building blocks to then use as a source of energy.
When your body is under stress, such as taking part in an endurance-style activity like cycling, it can use the body’s own proteins as an energy source.
When it uses amino acids the body has no way of reproducing these itself. This means your diet needs to be protein-rich enough for your body to access the vital amino acids that it needs to function properly.
As a cyclist, depending on how often and how hard you train, the more you challenge yourself, the more protein your body will need.
Best cycling protein shakes
Protein shakes are a great way for cyclists to get the protein their body needs. By using carefully tailored protein powders, you can mix up some great-tasting protein packing shakes.
