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8 Best Post-Work Out Supplements For 2023
If you want to get the most from your workout, then it helps to ensure that you get the right nutrients post-workout.
Now, you can do this by just eating a very balanced and well-tailored diet but in our modern world, this isn’t always practical.
That’s where the best post-work out supplements come in. They’ll ensure that you maximize your gains without too much hassle.
How We Chose Our Best Post-Work Out Supplements
Here’s how we chose the supplements in this round up:
- Specific function. Each supplement featured fills a different niche in a post-workout routine. You won’t need them all but you may find you want to use more than one.
- Value-for-money. That means that each supplement had to deliver the claimed benefits to our testers and do so in the most cost-effective fashion. This doesn’t always mean that the supplements we chose were cheap, though, but rather offered the best value.
- Trusted brand. The supplements market is flooded with fly-by-night cowboys with no quality control. We like to ensure that our suppliers will be around if we have any issues.
- Natural ingredients. There’s no need to flood your body with artificial and synthetic chemicals. You can get all the impact you need by going all-natural.
- Vegan, where possible. We acknowledge that some supplements do not, yet, have a vegan alternative. But we prefer vegan supplements where they exist. Why harm an animal if you don’t have to?
- Positive user feedback. We also go out to the wider world and look at customer feedback to make sure that other people have had similar positive experiences to our testers.
Our Best Post-Work Out Supplements
Transparent Labs Post: An All Round Post-Workout Supplement
If you’re not keen on the idea of popping handfuls of pills post-workout then you could do much worse than this Transparent Labs Post workout offering.
It’s loaded with nutrients and unlike many of its competitors it’s not making up weight with synthetic additives or ingredients with spurious benefits.
PROS
1. Excellent product for recovery when you’re eating right and working out regularly
2. Anti-inflammatory properties for those who get sore or fatigued following a workout
3. Packed with solid scientifically based ingredients
CONS
1. Not ideal if you want to mix and match your supplement products
2. Low in calories, so not ideal for bulking
3. If you already eat a whole food, balanced diet, you may already consume enough of many of the ingredients
Performance Lab Post: A Muscle Recovery Specialist Supplement
If you find that your biggest barrier to recovery is the aches and pains in your muscles after a tough workout then the Performance Lab’s Post workout supplement is a strong choice.
It’s in capsule form which makes it ultra-convenient to take and it’s high in potassium, sodium, Beta-alanine and pomegranate extracts. That means it’s fabulous at soothing tired muscles.
PROS
1. There’s no better supplement for dealing with soreness when working out
2. Contains both an anti-inflammatory agent and electrolytes
3. Can be taken in conjunction with other supplements
CONS
1. Not necessary for casual gym goers who don’t need to aid muscle recovery
2. Contains no macronutrients, you need other supplements for this
3. Quite expensive (though we think it’s worth it)
Transparent Labs Creatine HMB: Your Post-Workout Creatine Supplement
We’re big fans of creatine supplements, in fact, you can find our favorite vegan creatine supplements here, and that’s because they’re backed by science to deliver real benefits.
We felt that this offering from Transparent Labs was the fastest to get blood flowing back into your muscles after a workout and the added HMB (β-Hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid) might be responsible for this.
PROS
1. A no nonsense product which delivers measurably fast results post workout
2. No sweeteners or other calorific additives
3. Perfect for those who do resistance training as well as cardio in a workout
CONS
1. More expensive than pure creatine monohydrate
2. Won’t help with weight gain if that’s what you’re aiming for
3. The blue raspberry flavor is something of an acquired taste
Garden Of Life Organic Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder: Protein Powder Supplement
Protein powder is an excellent choice of supplement post-workout.
This choice from Garden of Life comes with plenty of essential amino acids as well as some fast acting carbs to give you a quick energy rush post workout.
Whey protein is backed by research to promote both enhanced performance and recovery and this is a very high quality source of that protein. It also comes in five pleasant flavors.
PROS
1. The whey protein is highly bioavailable and thus, fast to start working
2. There’s no sugar added to the mix
3. No clumping or unpleasant residue when it’s mixed
CONS
1. Quite expensive and thus not for casual use
2. It contains Stevia as a natural sweetener which can cause stomach upsets
3. It’s a bit hard to get all the powder out of the container
OWYN 100% Vegan Plant-Based Protein Shakes: Protein Shake Supplement
We absolutely love these vegan shakes from OWYN and we’re sure that many of our favorite vegan bodybuilders will be using them. The only thing that we wish was different was the price – they’re not cheap.
However, they need no refrigeration and are ready to drink after a quick shake, which makes them the most convenient way of consuming the proteins you need post workout – particularly if you’re on a hike or bike ride.
PROS
1. They’re 100% vegan and packed with protein
2. A great alternative to whey protein
3. They’re super tasty and convenient
CONS
1. They contain Monk Fruit and Stevia which some people find to be too sweet when compared to sugar
2. Some users have reported receiving products very close to their use-by date
3. Some users find that they experience an unpleasant aftertaste
Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Hydration Powder: Electrolyte Restoration Supplement
One thing almost everyone needs after a hectic workout is to replenish their electrolytes.
That’s because we sweat them out as we go. Without replacing them, you risk cramp, fatigue and dehydration.
These electrolyte powders contain all of the electrolytes you need (not just sodium and potassium like most sports drinks) and thus they’re super refreshing.
PROS
1. Not too sweet (particularly when compared with something like Gatorade)
2. Contains all the six electrolytes that you will lose when working out
3. Sugar-free and zero-calorie
CONS
1. Contains Stevia which some people find too sweet (though our testers did not)
2. It doesn’t dissolve as well as we’d like and tends to leave solid lumps at the bottom
3. It’s quite expensive
Thorne Research – Amino Complex: BCAA Powder Supplement
This BCAA replacement powder is a very solid addition to a post-workout routine.
If you’re not taking a BCAA powder in your pre-workout regime then you should take it afterwards.
Why?
Because it’s scientifically demonstrated to help build muscle and to support recovery after a resistance workout. That and the fact that the berry-flavored powder is super tasty.
PROS
1. Contains all essential amino acids and conditionally essential amino acids too
2. Contains all three BCAAs
3. No gluten, no dairy, no soy and NSF Certified for Sports (no banned substances)
CONS
1. Again there’s added Stevia which may be too sweet
2. Needs to be served cold or there can be an unpleasant aftertaste
3. Some users report experiencing heartburn when using this product
Transparent Labs Mass Gainer
If you’re looking to bulk up then a high quality mass gainer, like this one from Transparent Labs, can help you work miracles in a short-period of time.
This contains an incredible 730 calories, with 53 grams of protein and 109 grams of carbs in each serving and without using a lot of sweeteners, dyes or dairy to get there.
It even includes 6g of fiber to help you feel full after consuming it.
PROS
1. It would be hard to get more calories into a serving without increasing the size of serving
2. Great for building lean muscle fast or for moving up a weight class
3. 100% grass fed protein
CONS
1. Not suitable for vegans or vegetarians
2. The flavor leaves quite a lot to be desired
3. Only good for weight/muscle gain and not for other workouts
Final Thoughts
It’s vital to make the best use of your post-work out recovery time.
By using post-work out supplements, you can maximize your gains, ensure that your muscles don’t ache (or hurt) and that you feel on top of the world.
As the ingredients in these supplements are wholly natural they won’t do you any harm.
But it can help to consult a nutritionist if you intend to mix and match supplements, so that you get the maximum benefits from your investment.
