Post workout shakes and supplements are vital for getting the specific proteins and carbohydrates needed in order to get the maximum possible gains and speed up recovery. In order to get the equivalent from food you would have to be eating vast amounts which can be both difficult and much more expensive.
Having food as well also poses the problem of digestion. Digesting a shake will take a significantly less amount of time than a meal. There is no question whether shakes work or not, it is down to what powders you put in them, the quantities you take and when you take them.
Powders
Personally I use powders as they are easier to measure out the exact amounts to tailor to specific needs. There are many powders that claim to be the greatest advance in muscle-building and will cost you the earth. Below listed are the powders that I take and what each of them does. They are essential in order to build muscle and without them your gains will be slower and the inevitability is you will eventually plateau; in which you will gain no more muscle mass.
Whey Protein - A protein source used to aid recovery and repair muscle tissue. This is probably the most effective and necessary powder for building muscle mass. Its' effects can be improved with the inclusion of carbohydrate powder such as maltodextrin. It is very important to purchase un-denatured or cold processed whey protein. It is of vital importance to listen to this advice as otherwise the protein will be useless.
Maltodextrin - A form of carbohydrate that is used very quickly. It's converted to glucose and stored in the muscles to be used as fuel.
Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) - Proteins are made up of simple BCAA's. These then combine to create muscle tissue. Most can be manufactured within the body but there are a number known as essential amino acids that must be obtained from your diet. These are very effective for building muscle as they are the building blocks of muscle tissue itself. The BCAAs are valine, leucine and isoleucine.
L - Glutamine - It may not be a non-essential amino acid, however, it does become essential after intensive physical activity. It is therefore useful to pack your body with extra as it will aid and promote faster and better recovery of muscle tissue after a workout.
Creatine Monohydrate - Creatine occurs naturally within the human body and helps increase the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is broken down to release energy in order for the muscles to contract. It is what allows muscles to perform. In anaerobic exercise though there is only enough to produce maximal effort for a few seconds, hence why you must rest between lifting weights in order to perform again. Increasing the production of ATP then is extremely beneficial as you will be able to train harder for longer, making bigger gains in muscle size and strength. It also increases the rate of protein synthesis, the process of building muscle. Creatine also produces an effect known as water retention. This is when water is stored in the muscles. Ensure you drink eight glasses of water per day while on creatine.
Vitamin C - Helps with immune system support. Your immune system can be weaker after training so an inclusion of vitamin C with a shake can help insure that the chance of illness is kept to a minimum.
Electrolytes - Sodium, Potassium and magnesium are mineral nutrients that aid in muscle contraction, nerve impulse transmission and other biochemical processes. They are useful to have prior to a work out in order to make the workout as effective as it can be. To have the most effective training session each of these needs to be included in your shakes. Without them, the training session will suffer and the recovery. This will ensure your gains will be lower than they would if all are incorporated, meaning you will have to train and diet for longer in order to get the results that you want.
I would recommend consuming protein shakes no more than 15 minutes after a workout as this is when your body will be at its anabolic peak, up taking protein and any other nutrients it requires.
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