When to Ingest Protein – Expert Recommendations
Mia Hoffmann
2026-03-25
3 min. read
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Protein supplements play a significant role in the dietary supplement market – high expectations are set on protein supplements, but when is the most beneficial time for intake? The answer to this question is not clear-cut and several factors must be considered.
Protein additives
They can be divided into three main groups: plant proteins (soy, wheat, rice, corn, oats), milk proteins (concentrates, isolates and hydrolysates) and non-dairy animal proteins (egg albumin, concentrates, hydrolysates and poultry isolates, hydrolysates and isolates of beef origin). We already know that protein additives are divided into these categories, so let's try to answer the question of why such a division is important and why there is such a diversity of proteins offered by manufacturers. The answers lie in the speed of assimilation of individual proteins by the human body. When we look at proteins from the perspective of assimilation speed, the situation looks as follows: isolates and hydrolysates are assimilated the fastest, while concentrates and caseinates are assimilated the slowest. However, when evaluating the absorbability of proteins in relation to their origin, plant protein additives and, what may be surprising to many, beef protein hydrolysates are the least absorbable.
Proteins vary, hence it's essential to comprehend not only the division of proteins but also their actual worth.
Plant proteins are less desirable due to their low digestibility. Hydrolizates and isolates are mainly produced on the basis of carbon from meat waste. In order to improve not only the amino system, but also the actual benefit they provide in the situation, free amino acids are added. Whey protein, on the other hand, presents itself much better, but is still not comparable to protein from natural, unprocessed foods such as meat. There are still cases where manufacturers are not honest about the declared protein content of 100g. Everything comes down to diet. A well-calculated energy balance forms the basis for reshaping the silhouette. But this is not always possible. This is where protein supplements come into play. Their goal is to supplement our caloric needs more easily. We always take protein when it is missing in the diet - that is, when we are not able to get enough of it with food, as well as in some exceptional situations. One such situation is training. After training, hardly anyone has the desire to take food with them. Then it is worth taking whey protein isolate with you and drinking it directly after training. Another situation is the evening and the last meal before bed. For such situations, it is worth taking slowly digestible protein such as casein or casein-albumin mixtures and whey protein concentrates.
