Rigorous asana and whey protein shakes

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I am 26 and mostly practice full primary ashtanga. I eat everything and maintain a balanced diet with fruits and veggies and get about 60-100 grams of protein a day from all sources. I weight 140lbs

I know some threads here already had debates about protein shakes first thing in morning and such, blah blah. But no real answers and a lot of off topic arguments.

My question is it beneficial to supplement with whey protein powder? My goal is just to get “stronger” physically for strength asanas like handstand or foremarm stands… More endurance in asana and make muscles physically bigger for my looks (ego). Hehe

So, I’m trying to keep it simple… For example I had a twin , exact same metabolism,genetics, diet, exercise & blah blah… Will my twin be “stronger” or have bigger muscles? Maybe less flexible because of bigger muscles? if one twin supplements with whey protein powder and the other does not?

Thank you

#2

Timing is important when using protein to try to build muscle mass. You need to have the right nutrients available at the right time. You don’t want your body to use protein for energy, you want to use it to build muscle. Muscle growth occurs during rest after a workout. For periods of activity you want your body to have stores of carbohydrates and sugars available for energy. I’ve heard that the period within the first 1-2 hours or so immediately after a workout is most important. That’s when the uptake of nutrients will be greatest, but your energy stores will be depleted and you don’t want your body to use protein to replenish them. It was recommended to me to use a fruit-based drink during that time to replenish energy stores. I think you also want to get your protein at that time, because that’s when your body will absorb the most, but you want to make sure that you also supply other nutrients to replenish the energy stores.

#3

This isn’t really a question for a yoga community. Its more appropriate for personal trainers or nutritionists.

Whey protein appears to be effective in muscle growth. However that is only a small look at the topic. The larger question is whether it is healthy for certain internal organs. A muscular body with kidney failure doesn’t stay muscular very long.

Proponents of whey protein state that there are no scientific studies on healthy men showing that whey protein is harmful to kidney function. They also assert it is as safe as milk - so then one must ask whether a product designed to take a small calf and turn it into a large bovine is appropriate for human consumption, at what stage, in what measure, and with what cost.