Blended Protein Powders | What Are The Benefits?

Welcome to the wonderful world of blended post-workout supplements!

Most people recognize protein as the main post-workout supplement, though some might add creatine and arginine too. However, investigate further and you'll find that using multiple macronutrients post-workout is beneficial for the body, though it can be a difficult task to balance these macros perfectly.

How about if there was just one supplement which fulfilled all the necessary post-workout macros..? Just one supplement that packs all the essential nutrients you need in a serving size you can easily consume.

Blended powders can fulfill your entire post-workout nutrition needs, depending on your goal, with just one shake.

Post-Workout Blended Powder Profile

Proteins are the building blocks of the human body, and it's required to build and sustain muscles. A post workout meal should have at least 25 grams of protein, though some researchers suggest that post-workout protein intake should be on the higher side, ranging from 35-50 grams.

It is a common notion that a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight should be consumed daily for sustaining muscle. You can find out more about the benefits of protein for muscle building here.

Carbohydrates are a source of energy for the body - the body utilizes carbohydrates to power up the cells during a workout. Carbohydrates are directly related to the insulin reserves of the body. During an intense training session insulin levels go down, and we can start feeling low and giddy! A post workout meal should have carbohydrates to refill stores of energy. Carbohydrates, if consumed within first 45 minutes of workout, restore strength and power quickly. Consumption of slow-release carbohydrates throughout the day helps decrease cravings for junk food because of the maintained blood glucose levels.

Straight after a workout, carbs are broken down to power up the cells and are not stored. Post workout carbs consumption should be around 25-40 grams for better recovery.

BCAA stands for branched chain amino acids. BCAAs increase the rate at which the protein is processed. BCAA also aid in muscle recovery. You can find out more about BCAAs here.

Glutamine is one of the essential amino acids, which decreases muscle breakdown after a workout session. Glutamine is 19% nitrogen and serves as a nitrogen carrier. Glutamine is involved in active cell replication and also prevents muscle protein catabolism - it comes in a powdered form and usually consumed after a workout session. You can find out more about glutamine here.

Creatine promotes strength in athletes and is widely consumed, and Creapure® is a standard for creatine having greater purity. Creatine is produced in the body but the levels are not sufficient to gain athletic performance, so it is consumed as a pre- as well as post- workout supplement. Creatine is mainly consumed for its strength and size benefits but it does offer much more than - you can find out other benefits here.

AAKG Stands for Arginine Alpha-ketogluterate. It is a salt of Arginine & alpha ketoglutaric acid. The body uses AAKG to produce energy as well as amino acids like Glutamine. As it is a salt of Arginine and Alpha ketoglutaric acid, it is broken down by the intestines into L-Arginine and AKA.

L-Arginine is a non-essential amino acid which increases the rate of Nitric Oxide synthesis in the body. NO helps in protein synthesis as it is used by the liver. Nitric Oxide is a powerful neurotransmitter and increases blood circulation. Arginine is also known to be a vasodilator. The vasodilation is done by Nitric oxide which is produced in the cell linings, stimulating the rate of blood flow.

L Glycine is another non-essential amino acid which the body is capable of producing. Glycine is one of the three important acids that produce creatine. L-Glycine helps in producing collagen which in turn helps body to repair damaged cartilages, and has also shown improvements in sleep when taken at bedtime.

L –Histidine is an essential amino acid, required for growth and repair of tissues. L-histidine gets converted to histamine which acts as a powerful blood dilator in the human body. The nerve cells are covered with myelin sheath which is maintained by L-Histidine. L-Histidine increases the rate of digestion and it's one of the important constituents in maintaining body metabolism along with Vitamin C.

How Blended Powders Work In Harmony

Hurricane Extreme is a blended powder with four different types of protein - namely Whey Protein concentrate (WPC), Whey Protein Isolate (WPI), Casein Hydrolysate & Milk Protein Concentrate (Casein & Whey).

WPC and WPI are fast-digesting whey whereas casein is a slow digesting and sustained released protein. WPI is absorbed faster than WPC. In short, whey is digested quickly by the body. When it comes to a post workout protein, it should be a combination of slow as well as fast digesting protein.

When whey is consumed alone, it spikes Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) but that is not significantly longer. When a protein blend is consumed, the MPS spike is for a longer period of time. Research have shown that consumption of fast as well as slow digesting protein as a post workout shake provides better muscle growth.

There are two types of carbohydrates. Fast digesting (High GI) carbs as well as slow Digesting (Low GI) carbs. Post-workout, the insulin levels in the human body dips, and glycogen stores need to be refilled as quickly as possible. Fast digesting carbs (High GI) quickly refill the glycogen levels. The fast digesting carbs in Hurricane Extreme are dextrose and Vitargo®.

Slow digesting carbs (Low GI) are released in the body over a period of time. The slow release action of the carbs keeps fueling the body and organs for long. It is a well-known fact that the body utilizes carbohydrates as its primary source of energy. Hurricane Extreme has Oats as a low GI, slow-digesting carb source.

The Benefits of Blended Powders

A post-workout meal can be difficult to balance correctly, but blended powders do a lot of the work for you. A blended powder provides everything needed to grow and also to quickly refuel in time for the next workout. Blended powders are also beneficial for those people also who workout in the late evenings - it may be too late to cook a full meal, so a blended powder is the perfect alternative.