Recovery Protein and Collagen

Mariah May, CSCS

When working out and enjoying all the wonderful outdoor activities Montana can offer the body goes through a lot of wear and tear over time. That is why proper recovery is so important to get you back on your feet and working at full capacity. Two basic supplements we highly recommend taking to help with recovery are whey protein and collagen. 

Whey Protein (Post Workout)

When your muscles get put under large amounts of strain their fibers tear. Which means that throughout the rest of the day your muscles are working to rebuild themselves and become stronger so that they can withstand the next load they are put under. In order for muscle to rebuild itself it requires protein. The process of rebuilding muscle increases your body's muscle protein synthesis (the use of protein to build muscle), if your body doesn't get enough protein to repair the muscles it will break down existing protein in the body, which will either cause you to maintain the muscle you have or lose it! One easy way to help ensure that your muscles are getting enough protein is by adding whey protein into your diet. 

While there is a lot of dispute about how many grams of protein individuals should take per day there are a lot of factors to consider such as age, training experience, training frequency, and training intensity. A good starting place and general number to follow is 90-120 grams of protein spaced out into four to five doses per day. This spacing is recommended because once our muscles get a dose of protein they go through a period in which they become insensitive to additional protein, this period takes about 3 hours then your muscles are ready to process and use new protein you consume. 

Collagen 

Collagen is a protein that provides structure and support to our bones, tendons, ligaments, and skin. It makes up about 60% of our cartilage, which cushions our bones from the shock of high-impact movements. Our bodies start decreasing the amount of collagen it  naturally produces starting at 20 years old, which puts our connective tissues at risk of injury over time. By adding collagen protein in your diet it can help prevent joint injury, improve joint mobility, and supplement the loss of cartilage that occurs with age. 

The suggested amount for supplementing collagen into your diet is 10-15 grams per day 30-60 minutes before working out. While collagen does have a good amount of protein in it, it is not recommended to replace the protein in your diet.

What We Recommend: Gnarly Supplements

We carry Gnarly whey protein and collagen protein. The whey protein is high quality grass fed whey protein, which means you are getting whey from cows not treated with rBGH. Often whey is hard for the body to digest so Gnarly adds a digestive blend of ingredients to help the body break down and use the whey protein. 25 grams of easy to digest, clean, and wonderfully flavored protein perfect for post workout recovery. 

* If you are interested in trying some, consult the coach on shift to try a free sample!

The Gnarly collagen protein is made with protein sourced from grass fed cows located in the U.S. Not only does it contain protein but it features all the vitamin c you need for the day (to help with collagen synthesis), 15 mg of zinc (helps in healing damaged tissue, and supporting immune system), and copper (helps make connective tissue).

Supplements don’t have to be intimidating and overwhelming please contact any of your coaches with any questions you have regarding them!