For young guys who work out regularly, drinking a shake with 20g of any kind of milk protein (like whey or casein) plus 45g of carbs after a combo of strength and cardio exercise helps build muscle...

If young guys who work out drink a mix of 20 grams of any milk-based protein and 45 grams of carbs after a workout, their muscles repair themselves about 16% better over the next 6 hours compared to just drinking carbs — and it doesn’t matter which type of dairy protein they use.

When you eat a big protein meal (100g) after working out, a larger portion of the protein building blocks for your muscles comes directly from that meal (27%) compared to a smaller meal (9%).

If young men who don't usually work out drink a special protein-and-sugar shake about an hour after lifting weights, their muscles build protein much faster—nearly triple the rate—compared to just working out without the shake.

If young, healthy guys drink a protein shake with or without extra leucine before bed after working out, it doesn’t seem to boost muscle repair overnight any more than the protein alone.

If young men who don’t usually lift weights drink a special protein-and-sugar shake one hour after working out, their muscles build protein much faster—nearly triple the rate—than if they just worked out alone, probably because the shake turns on key muscle-building signals in their cells.