For any gym-lover or weight-lifter, they’re never too far from their beloved protein shake.

Chock full of nutrients that fuel the body after a sweat session and feed muscles to recover and build strength. 

However, those simply watering down their post-workout protein powder are missing out on major potentials of the shake.  

Experts recommend swapping the water for milk, which, aside from adding even more protein, gives the shake an added boost. 

Water may be calorie-free but the extra calories in milk – about 120 per cup of two percent milk – are worth it to reap the benefits of muscle building and recovery. That is because it also contains 8g of protein.

Roughly 80 percent of the protein in cow’s milk is called casein, which is a gold standard when it comes to essential amino acids that the body needs for muscle building, but doesn’t produce on its own.

Casein is digested slowly, which means it keeps delivering those muscle-building amino acids over a longer period of time. So, the body is being fed proteins for longer than it would be with watered-down shakes.

And a 2020 review in Physical Activity and Nutrition found consuming 40g of casein 30 minutes before bed can boost muscle repair, reduce muscle breakdown, and relieve soreness and inflammation.

Roughly 80 percent of the protein in cow’s milk is called casein, which is a gold standard when it comes to essential amino acids that the body needs for muscle building

To gain those well toned abs, or sleeve ripping biceps the body must gain lean muscle. To put on muscle the body undergoes protein synthesis, the process by which cells build protein. 

The goal is to increase synthesis while decreasing protein breakdown -or keeping protein in the body as much as possible.

Casein is a muscle-sparing protein that is released in the bloodstream at a slow rate, and has a powerful effect on reducing protein breakdown, which makes it a highly potent muscle building supplement when taken at the right times.

For night-owl exercisers, protein shakes with casein can prove even more potent.  

A slow releasing protein is much more beneficial to muscle repair and re-growth during your sleeping hours.

Casein is a slow-digesting protein that takes three to four hours to reach peak levels in blood amino acids and protein synthesis. It also takes seven hours to become fully absorbed. 

So by working out in the evenings and following exercise with a milk protein shake, you’re setting your muscles up for their best potential.

A Baylor University study found that men who drank a casein protein shake (mixed with whey protein) during a 10-week span gained considerably greater muscle mass than those who consumed a whey protein shake without casein.

For athletes focusing on stamina, adding milk into the protein keeps muscles from getting sore and keeps the body from feeling depleted after a long run or workout.

An added plus is that casein may help to protect against colon cancer, a second leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the third most diagnosed cancer in the United States, according to the CDC. 

Researchers in South Dakota found colon cancer cells could be targeted using derivatives of casein, and it could be used as a promising anticancer drug with minimal side effects.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, casein may also be an answer to weight loss because of its slow releasing effects. This keeps you feeling fuller for longer, leading to less calorie intake thanks to the leucine found in casein – another essential amino acid.

Milk also provides about 15 percent of your daily vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium and supports your immune system. It is also a good source of B vitamins, which support metabolism and help keep skin, muscles, and the brain healthy.