Q: My 13 year old diabetic son is going to be going to a gym this summer to try and get into better shape and was asking me earlier today about protein shake mixes. My question is two-fold. Does a young teenager really need protein shakes or are those just extra calories that won’t do him any good, and if he can benefit from drinking them do I need to be concerned about the carb count with him being diabetic? If the answer to the former question is yes, do you know of any low-carb protein shakes he can use?
–Mike
A: Protein shakes are a good supplement to any training session. When one exercises, the muscle tissue breaks down. As one rests post-exercise, the muscle fibers re-grow, and it is here where protein intake is essential. The amino acids in protein form the building blocks of our bodies, therefore getting complete proteins into our bloodstream to facilitate muscle recovery is essential. There is only a 30-60 minute window post-exercise where our body is most receptive to protein synthesis. If we were to eat something solid – say a piece of chicken – we’d miss that window, as our body took the time to digest it. However a protein shake is “pre-digested” so its nutrients go directly into our bloodstream, aiding our recovery during that window.
Protein shakes are caloric, so plan accordingly. Depending on intensity, in a 60-minute training session you are likely burning about as many calories as you are consuming in your post-workout shake.
Carbohydrates are the fuel that our bodies burn for energy. When it comes to the carbohydrates found in your protein shake, there are a few factors to keep in mind. Are you going to be drinking the shake pre- or during-exercise for energy, or are you going to be consuming it post-exercise for recovery? If you are drinking it before or during your training session, you will want a higher amount of carbohydrates than if drinking it after. Also keep in mind that during activity the body can burn protein for energy, but if it is using the protein from your shake to keep you energized, guess what it’s not using the protein for? Muscle re-growth and recovery.
Many protein shake manufacturers have jumped on the low-carb bandwagon, so finding low-carb protein shakes is actually easier in general than finding drink mixes with a “proper” balance of protein/carbs/fats. Your local nutrition or vitamin store should have a wide selection to choose from, many of which will be low-carb. That said, be aware that even diabetics need carbohydrates when exercising. Carbs in a post-workout shake are also important, as they help restore glycogen levels, so low-carb isn’t always the best idea. With this in mind, it is very important in the case of diabetics who take insulin that they test their blood sugar levels both pre- and post-exercise to get an idea of how their training is affecting their blood sugar. They should then take this into account when determinging what sort of post-exercise nutrition they need. Pre-exercise nutrition and the timing of meals to when one trains also a important factors to consider, but are beyond the scope of this question.
In closing, let me state that I am not a registered dietician, so my knowledge of this subject is good, but strictly as a certified personal trainer, and not as complete as someone with a more advanced credential. Please check with your registered dietician for further details as they apply specifically to your individual needs.
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There are reduced-carbohydrate protein shakes out there; in the past, I’ve tried EAS’ pre-mixed sugar-free ready-to-drink ones (which are actually pretty tasty), and I currently drink BioTest’s low-carb Metabolic Drive.
How “reduced” are they, though? Side by side with EAS’ regular protein shake, here are the numbers:
EAS Regular: 500ml, 300cal, 20g carbs, 42g protein, 7g fat
Met Drive Lo-Carb: 500ml, 220cal, 8g carbs, 40g protein, 0g fat
There has also been recent research to show that low fat chocolate milk works just as well as many protein shakes for recovery. That is what I use….cheap and fairly low calorie. And it actually tastes good.
[...] assume the role of body builders who are attempting to catch a thief who has run off with their protein supplements. While seemingly health-conscious, the bandit doesn’t appear to be particularly clever as [...]