Although your body uses protein more efficiently after your workout, that doesn’t mean you can’t drink protein shakes at other times of the day to help build muscle. A 2022 study in Nutrients found that men on a new strength training program gained more muscle if they had 25 grams of protein either just before bed or just after waking up compared to a control group.
Even adding carbs to your protein shake can help you gain muscle strength, according to a 2015 article in the Journal of Nutrition. Compared to a control group, men who drank a protein shake with 27.5 grams of protein and 15 grams of carbs before sleep had significant gains in muscle size and strength after a 12-week resistance training program.
Drinking a protein shake on an empty stomach might be safe, but it might not be wise to do so while you’re exercising. During exercise, your body is busy breaking down muscle rather than trying to digest food. Therefore, drinking a protein shake during your workout won’t help your performance (via the Cleveland Clinic). A protein shake before your workout might also feel like a rock in your stomach during your workout (via Prevention).
