So apparently, protein intake before an event is supposed to have some kind of magical effect on muscle recovery, but lets get real here, how much of a difference does it actually make? I mean, were not talking about professional weightlifters who need to bulk up, were talking about cyclists who mainly just want to make it to the finish line without their legs deciding to stage a mutiny.
Does it really matter if you chugged a protein shake two hours before the starting gun? Is that really going to be the deciding factor in whether you end up with lactic acid-filled legs that are screaming for mercy, or legs that are somehow magically impervious to all that grinding and pounding on the pavement?
Im calling foul on the whole protein is magic thing. Does anyone actually have data to back up the claim that pre-event protein intake has any significant impact on post-event muscle recovery? Or is this just another piece of pseudo-scientific nonsense being peddled by supplement companies trying to make a quick buck off desperate athletes?
I mean seriously, how many people are out there obsessing over their protein intake, timing it down to the exact minute, thinking that its going to give them some kind of edge, only to end up crossing the finish line feeling just as trashed as the guy who ate a bowl of spaghetti for breakfast? Lets get some real numbers here, folks. Does pre-event protein intake actually do anything, or is it all just a bunch of hooey?